worrying about hawks

My dad's friend recently got back from the beach and said that when he
was there he saw a fish eat a mini poodle that was splashing in the water
while the owners stood on the sand in shock. Apparently the dog was playing

Rocky...

I grew up swimming atop the ocean and feel comfortable in it.
I've never had jellyfish nibble on my toes, or bottom-feeders
grab from below.

Urban legend, I think.

TOTE...

What's urban legend, that a fish might grab a poodle? Why not? You
haven't been attacked by a shark, but it's pretty clear that happens.
The beach that I used to run Tanith on is known for sea lions grabbing the
occasional swimming dog, not necessarily small ones.

fetch and a really big fish jumped up and pulled it under. I imagine that's
what started my nightmares that a hawk would fly down and grab Cali or Maui.
We see them around our house often but never really close. So today, Maui,
Cali and I had just came up from a swim in the stream (them not me) when I
was going to let them run around and play some more. That's when I looked
up and saw a huge hawk circling around about 5 feet above the roof! I was
shocked because they never get that close. I immediately grabbed the dogs
and put them inside and got my camera. I watched it circle for about 3
minutes and then it finally left. My dad, who was out of the fourwheeler,
came driving over pointing at the hawk. He says "I bet he was planning on
grabbing one of the dogs." I really hope it doesn't come back, for as much
as I worry, I don't need another thing added to the list.

diddy...

When Reka (A norwegian elkhound) was 9 weeks old she was grabbed by an
owl TWICE in the same week. She weighed 15 pounds . Both times she was

MauiJNP...

how's Zipper doing? any recent pics or stories? the girls still doing well
with him around?

MauiJNP...

that is awful. I never even considered owls to be the problem but I will
certainly be more watchful now.

MauiJNP...

maybe the white just sticks out better in the dark. and if that's the case,
Maui may end up a tethered pup!

MauiJNP...

yeah, I'd probably do the same when I have my own house in the country. For
now since I probably won't be with my parents much longer, I will just be
extra vigilant.

owl captured, she happened to be on the end of the lead so that always
had ultimate control. The first time, I beat the owl off with a broom.

MauiJNP...

Cali is tied to a post with a lead but I just assumed that would snap if
pulled by a hawk. I really hope I never find out.

Janet B...

why? I hope that's not unsupervised.

MauiJNP...

she's not supervised 100% of the time but most of it. Most of the time she
is unsupervised is when I am not home and someone else in my family lets the
dog out to relieve themselves.

Janet B...

If you're worried about hawks and [now] owls, that's really a bad
practice.

They can't TAKE her out?

shore...

I hate to say it but frankly the damage from talons to a
small dog renders the question of whether or not the tether
would break pretty much moot.

I remember walking puppy Emmett with a hawk circling
overhead and being kind of creeped out. The other day I was
coming back from a walk with Image and there were two
vultures on the barn roof. I took Image inside and grabbed
the binoculars and went back out. I watched them, they
watched me, I watched them some more, they watched me some
more, and that was that. They haven't been back.

But the main bird problem recently has been turkeys. We're
quite overrun, with turkey roadkill becoming common, and
they've been getting into a friend's (horse) manure pile and
spreading it all over the place.

Two nights later, I had no broom handy, and popped the leash and dog so
hard that Reka came flying in the air back.

MauiJNP...

Wow, that sounds really scary. Glad it turned out ok.

Other than her having a fear of overhead flapping noises from above and
behind, she had no long-lasting effects. They say owls flight is silent,
but once they have prey thy make quit a bit of noise.

MauiJNP...

now that I saw the hawk so close, I will be out with the dogs the whole
time.

MauiJNP...

well, in their defense, the dogs are mine. but when I am not home, my
family usually just lets the dogs out and then bring them in later. usually

Janet B...

no personal offense, but this is why there are often so many problems
in adult-child-living-at-home or roommate being the dog owner. What
the other residents of the house do with the dog may not be in the
dog's best interest, or safe, or nice (not saying your parents are
evil or anything, but they don't do what YOU do, and there lies a
problem).

diddy...

Which is most likely one of the reasons MauiJNP is counting down the days
til liberation

MauiJNP...

yes, one of them. though it will kinda stink too because now when I leave
for work or something usually someone else is here so the dogs are very
rarely alone or crated. when I move out, they will have to be alone more
often.

MauiJNP...

we all assumed it was safe to leave them outside for a few minutes
unsupervised during the day. now that I saw the hawk so close, things will
be different.

as for my parents doing what I want, they can be annoying sometimes (when
they give them people food) but I know they would never mean to let anything
bad ever happen to the dogs.

Janet B...

of course not. Unfortunately, that isn't the same thing as only doing
what's best for them.

Kathleen...

Exactly. This is why dependents shouldn't have dependents.

MauiJNP...

I disagree unless the dependents aren't old enough to be responsible for the
dog.

Kathleen...

It's not just about being responsible, it's about being in a position to
set the rules in your own home. It's really a lot harder than it should
be to train a dog when you don't have the whole-hearted cooperation of
the folks in charge. In fact, sometimes it's impossible. I know you've
already run into difficulties with basic dog-proofing measures and I

MauiJNP...

yes, definately. though this week my mom decided to move the location of
the trashcan that Cali kept knocking over. I was surprised and very happy.
Cali doesn't even go in the room anymore because she knows its not there
(and no, closing the door didn't help because the bottom few inches are cut
off so the central air could get in and unfortunately Cali fit under
too......a problem Maui outgrew but it doesn't look like Cali ever will).

seem to recall some issues with feeding as well. And as frustrating as
that must have been, I've heard roommate stories that would curl your
hair. And if you want to jump the stakes up a couple orders of
magnitude, imagine a baby in the place of the pair of poodles...

MauiJNP...

don't have to imagine that one. my sister, her husband and their kids lived
with us for over a year while their house was being built. all in all we
had 5 adults in the house, all with different rules when in charge. it was
the main reason we all counted down to the house being finished.

THAT'S why dependents shouldn't have dependents.

MauiJNP...

while I agree its not an ideal situation, I don't think it rules out all
dependents having dependents. heck even some married people disagree and
play by different pet care rules. do you think they shouldn't have dogs
either?

Kathleen...

Actually, I think that people with widely different views on
childrearing and pet raising probably shouldn't be married to each other.

MauiJNP...

that's a whole other argument

FurPaw...

I'd venture that more than half of the world's population lives
in extended family situations... where dependents have dependents
have dependents, not to mention the aunts, uncles and cousins...

MauiJNP...

I say a lot more than half, it's 99% of the people I encounter through my
job

Papa Dog...

Yup, Maybe more than that.

they are chasing my nephews/neices. Now that I am worried about hawks and
owls though, I asked them to stay out with the dogs if they let them out
when I am not home.

Fortunately she did grow up and I no longer have to worry about owls. But
I think Tuck just got past the age/size that i need to worry about bird
predation (20 pounds) but we still have coyotes here, and thus a life
long vigil of supervision

MauiJNP...

yeah, I worry about stuff at night like bears and coyotes but usually
assumed, until now, that during the day, supervision wasn't always
necessary.

Davina Stuart...

not sure where you're at, but up here in alaska, that sort of thing (big
bird, small dog) isn't entirely unheard of - at least in urban legends.. all
our neighbors warn us abotu that, but i've never actually heard of it
happening. If you're really that concerned about it, i'd say invest in a
covered run for the dogs and/or never leave them unsupervised outside.