Ladywolfe

I have two lots, composing approximately 1 acre, both fenced. This MAY sound like a wonderful place for an 8lb toy poodle to run around and play. In fact, if you were placing a dog that needed a home, you might think how wonderful that would be for the health of the dog, right? Well, the big questions would be; are there any prey birds in the area?

My poor little toy poodle has been nearly grabbed by a red tail hawk twice now. Usually, I have to chain her, close to the house, and cannot even let her out after dark unchained...........because, then...........there are owls! The last time the hawk tried to grab her, I was in the yard with her trying to allow her a little free run, but she had run a distance from me. I ran toward them both screaming and waving my hands in the air.

My SIL's poodle was killed by an owl!

Here is what I have seen twice:




So, as a result, as soon as the whether breaks, we are going to build a completely enclosed area, including a top (sort of like a huge cage) and installing a dog door to this area, for daily potty breaks. I am also hoping to place some sort of mulch, etc., that would help to keep both dogs clean, when there is bad whether; ie, no mud.

As I plan on adding a spoo puppy, this would be for three dogs. And, although two don't need the protection, one does.

I only mention this because I want everyone to be aware that prey birds can and do grab small dogs. I have researched this a bit in the last year, and feel free to do the same. Whether true or not, I even found a few statements where people claimed that the birds in their area were so aggressive, they would even try to get a dog on the end of a leash!

Please, if not already aware of this risk, take heed. If anyone has any other suggestions for the building of our dog-safe structure, please feel free to offer them.

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liljaker

Wow, that sounds horrible. I am familiar with the coyote, etc., going after small dogs, but this is something I wouldn't have thought about.

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Liafast

When I was at the vet with another dog someone told me about a hawk grabbing on of their german shepard pups when they was supervised outside, it was 5-6 weeks old.

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Home of standard poodles, Ch Pumpkin, Ch Dante, Holly, Bella and Tootsie.

Ladywolfe

Yep; and when I said I had "seen that twice", I only meant it has tried twice. I see the bird almost daily! There, of course, are a pair nesting somewhere nearby. There are also a few smaller hawks that I don't "think" would try. The owls here are HUGE, and I rarely ever see them. I have and I know that they are out there, they just hide really well. And, they are much larger than the hawk, in wingspan.

I guess, some of you, likely even have eagles around? I don't.

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Countryboy

A friend of mine on the Canadian Prairies has Eagles nesting locally. The Bald ones, she says, are not so dangerous for small animals. Golden Eagles tho, will quickly go after any smaller animals.

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lmperez

I have yorkies and live in the city and a hawk tried to grab them but I had just opened the door as it swooped down and they ran in. We have since put up a small enclosed area with a dog door from the house. Still looking at ways to improve it though. My vet told me of a story of a yorkie in our neighborhood that was picked up by a hawk and then they saw it struggle and fall from the sky (yorkie) at that time they were still looking to find it, unfortunately I don't know the outcome. So yes it happens more than people realize!

PoodlePowerBC

It's raining dogs: Poodle dropped onto care home | CTV British Columbia

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Walk with someone who will accompany you willingly, preferably a dog.

spoowhisperer

Good idea, because you just never know. If birds of prey aren't the norm where you live, you may not think this is necessary. But, small pets ARE taken by these birds!
At out cabin in Northern MN, I had to be diligent with my Yorkies as they loved to patrol the shoreline. We have a nesting pair of Bald Eagles, and one or two juveniles residing on our lake, year around. Three years or four years ago, someones garage was damaged in a storm, so they had to rebuild. In order to do that a huge pine had to come down, and they had to get permission to do that because there was a huge Eagles nest in it. When they took it down they were all kind of excited to see what it looked like up close, and were shocked to pull out 11 collars! I never heard if they looked up tags or not, I don't personally know these people. But man that really scared me! I do hear first hand stories of pets being taken or attempted to be taken. One acquaintance of mine has a small mixed breed with one eye because of an attack of an Eagle.
A few years ago a huge number of owls moved into our area because the mice population was down in Canada I believe. I could be wrong where they were coming from, but boy lots of pets were being taken then, stories in the news paper all the time!

So yes, its better to be safe than sorry!

BorderKelpie

I have to keep all my smaller pets under cover, those hawks will take a chicken from right in front of me.

My small dogs are only allowed to go outside in the covered carport unless I am right there with them.

I have seen one actually land on the gate to my covered/fenced in car port while my daughter and I and two dogs were sitting there. Brazen little devil.

My poodle has learned to run to me when I yell 'Poodle-Hawk!'

FunkyPuppy

That is terrifying, but we have similar stories here as well! usually our accidents are with coyotes, but we certainly have terrible birds as well. I'm glad this thread was brought up. it happens!

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FunkyPuppy: My Haphazard Journey from Traditional to Creative Pet Stylist
"My dear fellow, who will let you?"
"That's not the point. The point is, who will stop me?" - The Fountainhead