I hate to ask this, but- hawks and owls?
 

We've all talked about the possibility of a hawk or an owl grabbing up one of our furbabies from the backyard if outside alone...but does anyone know if it's actually happened?

We have a fairly large yard with a 5' fence, and we live in a neighborhood with LOTS of homes, people, kids, cars, etc.--but it was farmland just a few years ago. I worry that we might still have birds of prey around, and I freak out on my husband when he leaves the dogs outside alone-even for a minute! He thinks I'm crazy, and says that no hawks or owls will come in our area, it's too populated, and that I'm paranoid for thinking so. I think the danger is real, and that no protection is too much for my furgirls-I love them so much, and I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to them.

Hawk
 

I dont know for a fact but my son said a hawk tried to get his friend's little dog, an owl wont be out in the day time but might be a danger at night.

Now I have a question, how do I post on this site? I have had my first yorkie for about month. He likes apples, will they hurt him?

Thanks, Larry & Hercules

I think it has actually happened with a hawk and a small dog. We have woods behind our house, so I NEVER leave Jake out there alone. There's so much wildlife out there, I'd be afraid to ever leave him alone.

I also live in a very populated area in Orange County, California. Here is a copy of what I wrote in another thread"
"It is very hard for me to talk about this, but here goes. Last year, I nursed my very sick, most beloved little male Yorkie, Tigger. After weeks of nursing him, holding him, comforting him and staying with him constantly, he was TAKEN BY A HAWK on the night that I left him for just a couple of hours. He weighed just over 4 lbs, and this horrible creature lifted him like he weighed nothing. It broke my heart, totally shattered me.... I cried for weeks, not days, imagining the terror my little defenseless baby must have felt during the last seconds of his life. If he was going to die, I wanted him to go feeling safe, loved in the comfort of his Mommys arms.
I should say that my dogs are ALWAYS inside, they are NEVER let out alone into my garden. But, there is a small enclosed dog run on the side of my house, which they access through a small doggie door. I thought it was safe, because it was so hidden, so sheltered, and yet still that hawk dove down and took my little Tigger. We found his little T-shirt the next day, with that monster bird perched just feet away on my fountain!!!!
If you think there is even the SMALLEST RISK of a hawk taking your animal, please, please, please take whatever precautions you have to. I have since covered the entire length of my dog run.
I am crying still as I am typing this post, with that image of my precious boy seared into my brain. Do NOT let this happen to any of your babies.... they are so innocent, so defenseless and can do nothing to protect themselves; they rely totally on us for that. "

Please show this to your husband and tell him you are NOT crazy, that the concern about birds of prey stalking ANY small animal is very real, with consequences too horrendous for you and your little fur babies to go through. My hubbie, unfortunately also pooh-poohed the idea of a hawk ever getting into our secluded dog run. The thread is located here:
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...76#post1076276

So Sorry
 

Oh Dear That Is So Sad - I Feel So Much For What You Were And Are Still Going Through, I Cant Begin To Try To Understand How It Felt For You. Thankfully We Dont Have That Worry Here In England.

I don't think you're paranoid. I've had this same concern when we've been out in the countryside - particularly with owls. I have read of one case - I have no other information on it though - where a very small Yorkie was taken by either a large hawk or eagle (I can't remember specifically, sorry) from the outside terrace of her owner's Manhattan apartment and found intact but dead a few blocks away. I've not heard anything else though and I think it's important to keep in mind that while it's theoretically possible, I should think it's rare enough to be considered impossible. You would need a particularly small dog and a very large raptor and these sorts of predators don't tend to go for animals outside of their usual hunting parameters. If you are very worried about it though (and again, I think it's better to be worried, than sorry), you could always set up some overhead fencing in the form of chicken wire above say a quarter of the yard with mirrors and bells on it or string twine in a haphazard fashion from fence to fence and again attach bells and ribbons and other floaty bits to it. I've also heard that attaching a mockup of a much larger bird of prey to a fence is also a very good deterrent.

I have read many instances of hawks grabbing small prey. I am soo sorry for anyone this has happened to. I have a question does any one know if crows are a threat? I have not seen hawks around my neighbor hood. (mostly suburban) but we have a bucket load of crows around here, they are bgger than my AprilLove and I just wonder, are they a threat?? She is never out of my site but I am curious if anyone knows?

A woman from another group was right there gardening when her 3 pound yorkie was grabbed by a hawk. She managed to beat it off with a shovel, but the damage from the talons had already been done and he died after some time at the vet's. While there, she tried to comfort a chihuahua who had been attacked by an owl. That one died too. I have a 3 pounder too and would never leave her out alone.

Thank you for this post! A good reminder to us all....
 

You are definately NOT being paranoid. If there are hawks in the area, then they KNOW that there are yorkies in the area.

One pleasant Saturday morning last year, I let our crew out, while they were running around the yard hubby and I were enjoying our first cup of coffee of the day and I heard that dreadful "scream". Needless to say I went into high gear snatched up the babies and put them inside. Scanning the area I saw the hawk sitting high in a tree just above the spot where the kids were playing. Very scary and very eye-opening.

We have hawks, eagles, wild turkeys, fox and who knows what else around here. I was watching an eagle eating a fish yesterday. My pups are always close to me while outside. NEVER alone - NEVER.

Teri -- that must be incredible -- watching the eagles eat.

You do need to protect your yorkies from the wild turkeys, I heard they can be VERY dangerous:rolleyes:

Apples won't hurt him, they are a good treat.
To start a new thread go into the forum you want General, Sick and Injured, Yorkie Health & Diet, etc., then click the New Thread button in the upper left, write and submit.

Welcome to YT! :)

I live 3 miles from downtown Mobile,AL and a few weeks ago, I saw a hawk flying overhead. I was more than shocked!

Several neighbors have also spotted owls in trees here too.

You can never be too paranoid or careful with our babies.

I was talking to a friend tonight and in February her son-in-law was walking with his Westie off leash on the beach (here, Lk Michigan). An Eagle came down and tried to take the Westie. The terrier was ok, he fought it off & it left talon marks in his red suede coat.

oh laurenr!! your story just breaks my heart. i can not even begin to imagine the pain and horror you went through knowing this. we do not see hawks on a constant basis around here but we do know that they have but we do know that they are in the area at times. i will never let romeo out without supervision anymore just to run around the yard and have fun like he does.