Dogs and Bears (house, neighborhood, camp)

[bontrager]

We are moving to COS next month and will be living in an area with a lot of black bears & bobcats that frequently come near/on the property. We have a 65lb boxer and we are kinda worried about his safety in our yard. Has anyone had any bad experiences with their pets in bear country? Any tips to keep your pets safe, aside from watching them like a hawk while they do their thing outside? He's never been around bears or mountain predators before so I'm not sure how he would react to one, but my guess is that he'd be curious if he saw one.

[dr.frog]

When I was a kid we used to have a summer camp in Upper Michigan. There were a few times when black bears came looking for trash (etc) at night and the dogs would sure let us know about it (we had 2 malamutes). I think we either got the dogs inside or the bear left on his own due to all the noise and commotion. IMO, a bigger problem with living in bear country was that the dogs seemed to have a remarkable propensity for rolling in any bear poop they could find. Porcupine and skunk encounters were also a much more common problem than bears.

I do not think you need to worry about bobcats as they are much smaller than your 65lb dog, and most dogs seem to figure out that it's best to leave cats alone after getting slapped on the nose a couple times.

[COcheesehead]

I would be more concerned about coyotes. In our old neighborhood our neighbors lost dogs to coyotes, even dogs behind fences.

[curiousgeorge5]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

I would be more concerned about coyotes. In our old neighborhood our neighbors lost dogs to coyotes, even dogs behind fences.

Shoot them with a .22 if they attack dogs behind fences.

[curiousgeorge5]

Maybe the dog and bears can become friends.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by curiousgeorge5

Shoot them with a .22 if they attack dogs behind fences.

In the cases I am aware of, owners let their Snuffi out to pee in the fenced yard only to find no more Snuffi a few minutes later.

[curiousgeorge5]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

In the cases I am aware of, owners let their Snuffi out to pee in the fenced yard only to find no more Snuffi a few minutes later.

Wow, there must be a pack of them looking in yards. I heard of people losing cats to 'yotes but not dogs until now.

Shoot them it they get any where close to the yards. They're not considered game animals, so it should be legal. I'm not a hunter but if it comes between 'yotes and my pet...

Maybe light off cherry bombs/M80s if legal and they get close to a yard. That's what some people in Alaska did so polar bears wouldn't get too close. These same polar bears became buddies with the sled dogs.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

A 65 pound boxer is probably pretty safe. Mountain lions will snatch small dogs, and while a 65 pound boxer is something a mountain lion could obivously take on, it's enough of a challenge that you don't read about that sort of thing happening too often. It's usually smaller dogs.

Bobcats aren't a concern for a dog like that, and black bears don't like to seek out fights with animals up by a house. These things aren't impossible, and you'll see a news story from time to time about them happening -- but it would be very outside the norm for a black bear to behave like that. They really are generally quite passive creatures that feed mostly on plants.

I also doubt coyotes want to tangle with a 65 pound boxer if they don't have to. I see a coyote on my street about once a month, and most of my neighbors have dogs. I haven't seen any of the pooches go missing. Most coyotes are under 65 pounds.

[Vision67]

We live in an area adjacent to wild area with an undeveloped creek. As such, the area frequently attracts coyotes. We fenced our yard to keep the wildlife out of the yard. It's normal to see coyotes right up to our fence. They are pretty bold. However, I've never had them go over the fence to attack our fearless mini-dachshunds. Those stupid dogs go right up to the fence to bark at the coyotes.

[TCHP]

Originally Posted by curiousgeorge5

Shoot them with a .22 if they attack dogs behind fences.

Coyotes are common in the city and it is entirely possible to have a home within the city limits that comes up against a wild land interface. Shooting animals in your yard inside the city limits will lead to a host of complications.

I live near the downtown area of Cos. I have seen within my yard: deer, coyotes, fox, bobcats, and skunks. Within three blocks of my house I have seen bear, moose, and cougars.

Generally speaking, most wildlife don't attack humans and rarely go after large dogs. Small children and small dogs I would certainly keep an eye on if you are anywhere near a water source or near a wildland interface. The storm drainage system in Cos is like wildlife highways that provide them access throughout the city. This is how we get cougars stuck in trees near Academy Blvd.