[BoatRatKat]

Originally Posted by Chi33

I don't get something. I read dog owners are getting up at 2:30am and 3:30am to let the dog go to bathroom. Personally I think some training needs to be involved. Old people need our sleep.

Little dogs have little bladders and if they're older their bladders are weaker as well, they can only hold it so long. My pup is tiny and old and thus goes out late at night and very early in the morning. I keep that little boy so close to me on a leash that he's pee'd on my foot before. The minute he's done we're back in the house. It's not just dark hours either, we constantly have hawks sitting on the fence out back but they can easily be chased off. I recently killed a water moccasin in our yard and I have to watch for the fire ant hills. I do a visual check each time before I let him out. I know the coyotes are out there...I hear them howling nearly every night and don't forget the gators are roaming around at night too between ponds. Dangers are out there day and night, be aware of your surroundings when your pups are outside and keep them close. My sympathy to the families that have lost their dogs...I can't imagine such an agony to have to go through and pray I never do.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

I argue against taking coyote suppression into private hands. If the problem becomes severe, the Morse family will probably take action.

That bears repeating.

Originally Posted by perrjojo

If a hungry coyote wants your fur baby, a leash may not be much of a deterrent.

The leash may not be a deterrent, but I think the dogs that were grabbed were off leash.
I'm not being critical of the owners who have suffered greatly -- it's a common mistake in the middle of the night.
I think a human within six feet of the dog may act as a deterrent.
Especially if the human is carrying a noisemaker or a golf club (coyotes are cautious animals).

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by BoatRatKat

Little dogs have little bladders and if they're older their bladders are weaker as well, they can only hold it so long. My pup is tiny and old and thus goes out late at night and very early in the morning. I keep that little boy so close to me on a leash that he's pee'd on my foot before. The minute he's done we're back in the house. It's not just dark hours either, we constantly have hawks sitting on the fence out back but they can easily be chased off. I recently killed a water moccasin in our yard and I have to watch for the fire ant hills. I do a visual check each time before I let him out. I know the coyotes are out there...I hear them howling nearly every night and don't forget the gators are roaming around at night too between ponds. Dangers are out there day and night, be aware of your surroundings when your pups are outside and keep them close. My sympathy to the families that have lost their dogs...I can't imagine such an agony to have to go through and pray I never do.

Excellent, realistic post. You are a wonderful dog owner.

[Taltarzac725]

Tragic, Sudden, Unexpected: Grieving for Traumatic Pet Loss | Psychology Today

The hard part of when a dog is taken by a coyote, other animal or some other sudden tragic event is we do not have time to plan on how to grieve. We have lost a number of pets and these have all gone off from old age or from drawn out illnesses.

[VApeople]

We were walking near Burnsed Rec Center and we saw a house with a birdcage that appeared to cover part of their grass area. We thought that was odd, but maybe they did it so their pet could relieve themselves safely.

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by perrjojo

If a hungry coyote wants your fur baby, a leash may not be much of a deterrent. There have recently been two coyote sightings in Mission Hills.

The human is the deterrent. Coyotes are smart enough to know that a little dog attached to a person is not worth it. A loose dog is meat on the table

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

The human is the deterrent. Coyotes are smart enough to know that a little dog attached to a person is not worth it. A loose dog is meat on the table

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

I would still be careful when walking your pooch at night. Carry a golf club or some other deterrent. Not all coyotes act the same.

It looks like the woman who lost Jon Snow is back on her feet so to speak. Good for her. I would be devastated if we lost Beau this way. Jon Snow and Beau really like one another and I would often say "Jon Snow lives" when meeting this woman and her husband or one of their various kids and grand kids, etc. Jon Snow is, of course, from Game of Thrones a favorite show of this woman and her family.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by ejp52

How about a .22 caliber pistol with bird shot??
As a last resort.

I repeat my counsel against taking matters into individual hands.

I just wanted to point out the real alternative to a .22 with bird shot.

It is the Taurus revolver called The Judge, which can fire six rounds of .410 shotgun shells. One does not fire this pistol casually, or if you have a weak grip, or weak wrists, (or weak elbows, or weak shoulders.) (Or without eye protection, or without ear protection.)