Comments on: Best Coyote Deterrents & Repellents: Protecting Your Dog from Coyotes

By: Richard Vella

Richard Vella — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 22:32:14 +0000

I was walking on a rail trail with my two Golden Retrievers in the very early morning when it was still dark. They were off leash. They have really good recall but they do not go off leash anymore. The part of the trail we walk is wooded. I also carry a very bright flashlight. I heard a growl and the dogs were off chasing a coyote. I frantically yelled for the dogs to come back. As I did I heard an off in the distance dog bark to which I thought did they just star chasing another dog? I finally got both back and on their leashes. I then see the eyes of the coyote looking and following us as the dogs barked and wanted to go after the coyote. We walked backwards and after a little bit the coyote just watched us back away until we got to a road that’s very busy even for very early in the morning. I was told the reason why the coyote was barking is because she was protecting a den. So the dogs are never off leash when I walk them and I am very careful to try and know what is around me. My neighbor has told me he has seen three coyotes in his back yard and I now notice tracks on the road.

By: Lisa Smith

Lisa Smith — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 03:29:27 +0000

Here in the outskirts of Los Angeles there is a lot of trails and open terrain. Every few years we’ll get a coyote in our neighborhood that just won’t leave. All of the wild rabbits are gone. Haven’t seen a cat in months. We keep our trashed cans locked behind gates and the garbage company comes once a week and will not allow us to put out cans that are overflowing. However, we do have a neighborhood park where people come in and leave food and overflowing trash in those cans. We’ve contacted the city and they’re being diligent about picking up the trash. I carry a small sun gun that I bought at Walmart and having encountered many coyotes over the decades and they absolutely hate the sound. It’s a pretty good defense tool. I walk my dog in my own backyard, which is well lit and I keep him on a leash. And most neighbors know about the coyotes so they’re being better about keeping their dogs inside. Hopefully the coyote in our neighborhood right now will eventually move on. I love wildlife and would hate to see something bad happened to him.

By: Ben Team

Ben Team — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 11:03:31 +0000

In reply to Susan.

Hey there, Susan. We’re glad you enjoyed the article.
As for fences, some certainly can be effective (think 8-foot-tall privacy or cement fences), while others (such as 4-foot-tall chain link fences) aren’t. It’s also important to note that coyotes differ quite a bit across the U.S., with those in some areas being more aggressive and capable than others.
Just be sure to keep your little Yorkie leashed and put that vest on him.
Best of luck!

By: Susan

Susan — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 15:24:41 +0000

Thank you for the great clues for deterrents, including the helpful links to buy them. The comments left were also extremely helpful.
Most people do not know how easily coyotes can scale a tall wall and have faith that that will deter, when in fact it will not.
I have also heard that for bigger dogs, they will send one outside a fence to play with a dog and make friends with it and luring it out that way, where the pack is waiting to attack.
They are getting more and more bold and fearless, even recently grabbing a toddler walking with it’s parent on a pier in Huntington Beach, CA (obviously at a very public place and on a very beaten path) and also one standing in line at another public place!! And another recent attack at a front screen door trying to get in to get a cat. When even our children are at risk, it is getting crazy and we should be able to do something to curb/prevent this. I don’t get that they were here first and we have intruded on their territory – so they deserve to live and multiply among us getting bolder and bolder !
As far as whistles go, I saw a documentary where they put out a large chunk of meat inside a tall fence and when it was attacked by coyotes and a whistle was blown, they ran off – only to come back and then NOT to be scared off by the whistle and continued to eat the meat.
We live in a community with lots of open wild space and ravines and across from a designated wildland area and you can hear them howl when they find a feast or when sirens go by.
We are very fearful of attacks on our dog and are constantly outside with him. But, he is an active Yorkie on a constant search for lizards and bunnies and birds, and is very hard to keep up with him. He runs so fast, that he will be out and around the corner of our long house before we hardly even get out the door. We do have the coyote coat, but it is such a hassle to put off and on – and my husband is not good at doing that, but, your great article is a great reminder to do so. I am also going to remove the bird feeders as much as I love seeing and hearing the birds. (We do put him on a leash when it is dark – even in our own backyard – and sometimes he will just sit as he hates it so much.) I hate being in such fear all the time and seeing all the comments on the Nextdoor app of animals missing.
So thank you for your article, but with the increased problems and boldness, you may want to revise – emphasizing on how fences do NOT inhibit intrusions – no matter how tall they are, whistles may not be effective anymore if they have heard them before and that our babies and toddlers and even we adults are not safe anymore. It’s a sad world when wild animals begin to have more rights than us – even if they were here first.

By: Ben Team

Ben Team — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 10:37:20 +0000

In reply to Susan.

Yikes, Susan — it sounds like you’ve got some bold coyotes on your hands. Just remain vigilant out there!
We wish you the best of luck.