A few years ago, I took my then eldest dog Rocco out for a late-night potty. At the time, my normal practice was to send him outside, and check back in a few minutes to let him in. This time I went out with him. That decision saved his life.
He went to the bathroom uneventfully, and was trotting back jauntily, tail up and ears relaxed. I was watching him come in, so I could see what was coming up behind him. I had just enough time to yell, scream, and wave my arms as a huge owl swooped silently down on him.
When I say silent, I want to make it clear the owl’s wings made no sound at all. Rocco with his keen ears did not hear him coming. If I hadn’t been there he would have died. As it was, I had a moment of pure fear when the owl came so close his wings wrapped around Rocco, completely obscuring him from view.
Fortunately, my scream scared the owl. It did a backwards somersault and hastily flew away.
A Mini Miracle
Rocco raced inside at top speed where I was thankful to find he didn’t have a scratch on him. I spent the rest of the night hugging him and letting him know how much I loved him. I vowed to never let a dog out at night by themselves ever again.
Chihuahuas are small. They are vulnerable to predators that a larger dog doesn’t have to worry about. This includes owls, like the one that attacked Rocco, as well as other raptors such as hawks and eagles. They can also be vulnerable to animals that threaten any kind of dog, such as coyotes.
Even a suburban backyard can be filled with wildlife. Here are a few tips on how to protect your chihuahua from predators lurking in your backyard.
Go outside with your pet
After the incident with Rocco, I always go outside with them at night. I also bring a light and beam it into the bushes and trees, looking for the reflection of eyes. I listen for the sound of hooting, howls, or anything else that might tell me something is nearby.
Though I know the risks, I don’t go out with them as often during the day. This is partly because there is generally always a person outside anyway, but also because I have to divide my time between children and dogs, and on busy days I crack the door and pray for the best.
That being said, if you are looking for the safest option for your pet, actively being out there helps reduce the risk of predation.
Pay attention on walks
Even if your pet is on leash, it doesn’t mean they are safe from a predator attack. There are heart wrenching stories of people taking walks with their pets, only to have the leash ripped from their hands by the force of a predator seizing their dog.
Keep your dog on leash during walks on hiking trails or through wildlife refuges, especially if there are posted signs telling you to keep the dogs on leash. Those signs are not always because the park staff are party poopers—sometimes it is to protect both your dog and the wildlife.
Listen and look while you are walking. Although hunting animals are silent, they’re not quite as quiet before and after.
Several years after the incident with Rocco, I heard an owl hooting in the trees again. I brought my dogs in and warned my neighbors to suck their pets in.
If you hear owls hooting, eagles screeching, howling, or other indications of wildlife, it may be time to cut that walk short and go inside.
Be prepared for the wildlife you face
Coyote vests(ad) are vests that have long metal spikes jutting out of it in all directions. They make good and sure that if a coyote is going to attack the dog, it is going to pay for that choice. These can also deter owls, hawks, and other animals because they leave no safe place to grab the dog.
The best kind of coyote vest also has eyes printed on them.(ad) Most predators hunt by moving only when they can no longer see the eyes of the animal they are hunting, thus keeping themselves out of view. Surprisingly, they can be fooled by eyes painted onto the butts of animals even if the job is fairly rough.
Vests can be tailored to different threats, including coyotes, snakes, and hawks, but are not 100% fool proof.
The chances of attack are fairly small
Before you decide how to protect your chihuahua from predators is to lock them inside forever, know the chances of an attack are quite low. According to James Branson, even if a cat is outdoors only, the odds of it being eaten by predators is only around 7%.
James Branson is the owner of 3 Retrievers, a business that uses specially trained scent dogs to track lost pets and bring them home. He has personally helped in over 10,000 cases, and only 137 of those ended in finding a pet dead by predation. You can read more about his thoughts on predation here.
Bad things can and do happen to our pets. Your dog, especially if he is left outside for long periods of time or overnight, could end up being killed by a predator. The odds of this however, are very small.
The best way to balance safety and enrichment with our pets is to do our due diligence where we can, but not bubble wrap them and deprive them of the things that bring joy in their life.
Similar Posts:
- South Carolina Man Saves Chihuahua From Coyote Attack
- Harness Vs. Collar – Which One Is Best?
- Can I Take My Dog To A Corn Maze?
- History of Pets on Thanksgiving
- Reflective Leashes and Collars
