Pictures of our legal outside dog run and potty
 

Someone requested pictures of our setup we mentioned. Attached are photos of the actual dog potty (called the porch potty). I will send other pictures of our actual enclosed dog area after we take some pictures. Thanks for your interest.

Photos of our outside screened dog area
 

Here are some photos that were requested of our outdoor dog area that could be the solution to your doggie worrys and also allowing them to do their business and eat messy food and just clean with a little soap and a hose.

Wow, big shock...of course it's happened in TV; small mammals like mice are what hawks typically eat. But, correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think I've ever seen a mouse-sized dog breed.

And furthermore, with all of the natural areas scattered about TV I really doubt that a hawk or any other bird of prey would be scanning the mostly concrete & gravel, human infested courtyards of your typical CYV neighborhood. So.....no worries.

I would never leave a dog unsupervised in the yard of a CYV or in a yard enclosed with invisible fencing. As well as predators, you don't want your dog to have a barking fit and annoy your neighbors.

In the past six years in TV, I've seen foxes, snakes, and several coyotes. We have a large owl that regularly circles in the area, presumably hunting. Better safe than sorry.

We have a very aggressive hawk in my neighborhood. The other day he swooped down two feet from me to grab a mourning dove (missed). I was in my lanai which is glassed with reflective film so he didn't see me. Once when I was walking the lawn with a landscaper with Duffy Dog beside me he kept circling us. The landscaper commented on the hawk's aggression. I also saw him grab a mocking bird in mid flight. I no longer feed the birds it became a killing ground for the hawk. He is large, bigger than a rooster. A few months ago there was a story about a cat tied up outside who was taken by a coyote somewhere around Buttonwood. When outdoors our pets need to be supervised at all times. We haven't even mentioned the dog taken by an alligator and rescued by his brave owner. We are surrounded by wildlife; it's a mixed blessing.

Our screened in area we have attached as pictures earlier is also good protection for not just birds, but alligators, cayotes, etc. I am not as afraid of birds because our pugs are 20 pounds, but some other creatures roaming could be dangerous and the pet screen should keep them safe and they can retreat if the pugs feel threatened.

I was talking about a dog (puppy). I just mentioned I have also seen a hawk grab a mouse.

My girlfriend lives in a cyv. Last year she went out to find a big snake in her yard.
There are a lot of hawks flying around all of the time. Also we have some very large owls here that can easily grab a small dog.

Let me ask you this: how would you feel if you left your small dog alone in the courtyard and when you went to bring him in he wasn't there? Huh?

You don't say where you're from, Veronica. We came here from MI. It is a much different environment for our dog in FL than it was in MI. There are a lot more ways for a dog to be injured/attacked/bitten/infested than up north. You just have to be more vigilant.

Ummm, and there are the alligators...we have had several in our CYV neighborhood. I would never hesitate to let our dog out but if you leave them out unsupervised for long periods they will bark and the greatest danger will be from unhappy neighbors.

If the dogs are not supervised at all times, I would only recommend a heavy screened room or area, preferably with pet screen on the sides for extra protection. That is what we did in the photos shown in this post.

I was a master falconer for years, volunteered for a raptor rehab center for over 15 years, did live raptor shows from NY to Ca, and flew ( hunted with ) every bird from a kestrel to golden and bald eagles. You have no worries here in FL. The birds you see here eating birds are accipiters they only eat birds, The other common hawks are red shouldered and red tailed. A big one ( female ) might be two and a half pounds. They can fly with around a third of there weight, The eagles here are mostly scavengers and wouldn't have enough room to maneuver in most areas around here and they are not very good hunters anyway . Better scavengers. Also just like predators the world over they will always go for the smallest and easiest meal they can get like rats and mice.

hallelujah...someone with good info and knows what they are talking about. its a refreshing change from the wild talk we usually hear.

That is fascinating information, Benj. Thanks for posting. I would give my eye teeth to be that close to an eagle.

So to the OP, looks like your biggest worry would be snakes and fire ants.

Great information, thank you. What about owls?