coyote sightings? (La Mesa, Mesa: lease, cost, moving)

[Vegas28]

Well I know I'm more than a little concerned. I will be moving to 4S Ranch area in a few weeks with my cats and a Great Pyrenees dog. Great Pyrenees were bred to protect sheep and goats from wolves and coyotes when they are brought up living with the herd, but I don't know how my fluffy gentle dog would do if a coyote scales the fence to get at one of my cats. I've been to the dog park a lot here in Vegas and when the coyotes are out at night in the parking lot or howling off in the distance my Great Pyrenees instinctively walks the perimeter of the fence in the dog park and goes nuts, but after reading about how smart coyotes are and the fact that they will get the dog to chase after one coyote and the rest sneak up behind on the poor exhausted dog, well that's too much! He weighs 128 lbs. but I don't think he could outrun a pack for too long. Guess I won't be walking him without taking a bull horn or pepper spray after reading these forums!!

[Armalite_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Vegas28

Well I know I'm more than a little concerned. I will be moving to 4S Ranch area in a few weeks with my cats and a Great Pyrenees dog. Great Pyrenees were bred to protect sheep and goats from wolves and coyotes when they are brought up living with the herd, but I don't know how my fluffy gentle dog would do if a coyote scales the fence to get at one of my cats. I've been to the dog park a lot here in Vegas and when the coyotes are out at night in the parking lot or howling off in the distance my Great Pyrenees instinctively walks the perimeter of the fence in the dog park and goes nuts, but after reading about how smart coyotes are and the fact that they will get the dog to chase after one coyote and the rest sneak up behind on the poor exhausted dog, well that's too much! He weighs 128 lbs. but I don't think he could outrun a pack for too long. Guess I won't be walking him without taking a bull horn or pepper spray after reading these forums!!

Just saw your post. I'm a professional trapper and I've hunted Coyotes with dogs. It is true a pack will kill your dogs if out-numbered. I've taken to keeping a couple of my dogs as half Elk Hound and so far that has fixed that problem. A killer dog can handle 4-5 Coyotes but a regular Coyote dog can sometimes lose one on one. Coyotes are pretty formidable.

[ps16]

Yet again, out at 5:30 a.m. walking my German Shepherd and 2 coyotes scamper across the road in front of me inside my complex. To think I chose the route I did because it was NOT on a trail and it should have been "safer." These coyotes were skittish, not bold, but slightly curious from a distance. They quickly moved off into some yards and headed away from me and my dog. They were heading toward the north county rail trail at the other side of my complex. I guess they were part of the pack that lives there. My Shepherd definitely saw them this time, and since he believes he should be the only 4 legged being in the complex, he went off...barking aggressively. Maybe that made them a little more apprehensive. I was wishing I had something to throw at them. Problem is at 5:30 in the morning, I hate waking the neighbors with obnoxious barking and noises. So once the coyotes scurried off, I headed toward the street. I was spooked, however, and would not take the long route for a good work out. Instead I headed to the comfort of a coffee shop and a double espresso.

I absolutely HATE being controlled by these vermin. Yeah, yeah, I know they were here first, but we are here now. We have the right to a safe community. I carry a large stick with me now on my walks. I probably cause a few chuckles traipsing through town with my big stick and trusty German Shepherd at 5:30 in the morning.

Saw the post about the cats and the Great Pyr. Searched out some ranch sites and you tube video some weeks ago about coyote problems. Ranchers are having success with using Great Pyr. Having 2 of them on a ranch has kept livestock safe from coyotes and even mountain lions. Not that the pyrs actually hunt down the predators, but their size and bark is deterrent enough in most cases. These dogs seem to stay with the herds and protect the perimeter. They can kill coyotes easily if they get a hold of them however. Don't know if it would work the same in an urban community like 4S Ranch, but I would be comforted. I would also keep the cats indoors.

[Vegas28]

Thanks for your replies about the great pyrenees and my cats. I never leave my dog outside unless I'm at home since Pyrs have a tendency to bark, especially at night, but I'm glad I have him to sit out on the patio at night if my 16 yr. old cat, who can't jump the fence, is sitting out there and I might run in the house for a minute as I feel like the cat might stand a little bit of a chance having the Great Pyrenees there to protect him, although it doesn't sound like I should leave either the cat or the dog out there for too long. Maybe everyone in North County needs to get a Great Pyrenees and we can eradicate the coyotes with our dogs? At least it would be fun to have a Great Pyrenees club going!! I agree it doesn't seem fair to be scared to walk with so many coyotes around, regardless of who was there first. When I lived in Tennessee coyotes were coming into neighborhoods and stalking children in neighborhood yards and you were not allowed to do anything to get rid of the coyotes. Better to lose a child than a precious coyote I guess? Kind of like pigeons and rodents, I guess we should protect them all and let them overrun us? Oh well, had to get that off my chest!!

[ps16]

Ha! Yes, maybe we should live like ancient Romans with mastiff type protection dogs roaming our properties. I think I would feel safer. I believe you have to show damages before you are allowed to lethally remove a coyote, however. You also have to exhaust non-lethal means. Seems that the urban coyote is not being taken seriously as a threat.

[trace17]

Saw a coyote in my backyard today - we live off Paradise Valley Rd. Wierd! Lept through my yard, to my neighbor's, then to another yard -very fast! No more outside for the kittehs!

[ps16]

Saw a coyote last night around 11:30 p.m. quickly trotting down the middle of the street like he was onto something. He was a block from my house, I saw him as he ran under the street light, very tall and lean, head and body up, ears erect. He looked a lot like my German Shepherd who was right beside me. A young woman walked past my yard just after I saw the coyote. She was walking her small dog. I called after her and warned her about the coyote I had just seen. She thanked me and headed directly home rather than going down to the end of the block. Earlier last night night, around 8:30, the small dogs in the neighborhood were going nuts, and it sounded like there were several coyote yips in the mix. Even my indoor dog was running from window to window and sniffing under all the doors. That always freaks me out. Don't know if all the dogs are safe or not. Crazy!

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by ps16

Ha! Yes, maybe we should live like ancient Romans with mastiff type protection dogs roaming our properties. I think I would feel safer. I believe you have to show damages before you are allowed to lethally remove a coyote, however. You also have to exhaust non-lethal means. Seems that the urban coyote is not being taken seriously as a threat.

Originally Posted by ps16

Saw a coyote last night around 11:30 p.m. quickly trotting down the middle of the street like he was onto something. He was a block from my house, I saw him as he ran under the street light, very tall and lean, head and body up, ears erect. He looked a lot like my German Shepherd who was right beside me. A young woman walked past my yard just after I saw the coyote. She was walking her small dog. I called after her and warned her about the coyote I had just seen. She thanked me and headed directly home rather than going down to the end of the block. Earlier last night night, around 8:30, the small dogs in the neighborhood were going nuts, and it sounded like there were several coyote yips in the mix. Even my indoor dog was running from window to window and sniffing under all the doors. That always freaks me out. Don't know if all the dogs are safe or not. Crazy!

Have a slight change of heart here?

[Kele]

I live in Poway and had my first coyote sighting (here) a couple of evenings ago. It ran across the street in front of me to the open hills and fields across the street from the community I live in. I've been told by neighbors that they frequent the community and that it's not a good idea to allow small dogs or cats outside unsupervised and NEVER left out at night. That's not a problem for me, my cat is an indoor cat anyway.

I feel sorry for the coyotes. They were here first--what are they supposed to do as people continue to encroach further and further into their living space? People attribute far too much malice to these animals. They are merely trying to survive--they don't understand the family poodle isn't meant to be a food source. You can't blame them for eyeballing Fluffy or Felix. Their food sources are also disappearing as people continue to use up every available plot of land in the area.

From past experience with coyotes in Wyoming, I've found that they are really very leery of people, so keep your animals in the house if you can't be there to supervise them. You can't blame a wild animal for acting like a wild animal.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by Kele

I live in Poway and had my first coyote sighting (here) a couple of evenings ago. It ran across the street in front of me to the open hills and fields across the street from the community I live in. I've been told by neighbors that they frequent the community and that it's not a good idea to allow small dogs or cats outside unsupervised and NEVER left out at night. That's not a problem for me, my cat is an indoor cat anyway.

I feel sorry for the coyotes. They were here first--what are they supposed to do as people continue to encroach further and further into their living space? People attribute far too much malice to these animals. They are merely trying to survive--they don't understand the family poodle isn't meant to be a food source. You can't blame them for eyeballing Fluffy or Felix. Their food sources are also disappearing as people continue to use up every available plot of land in the area.

From past experience with coyotes in Wyoming, I've found that they are really very leery of people, so keep your animals in the house if you can't be there to supervise them. You can't blame a wild animal for acting like a wild animal.

I thought that is what small dogs were for J/K. My sister has a rat dog and I've always wondered why.