I was getting ready to head up to bed and I checked the cameras …
The weird — what is that possum doing just sitting there and I’ve never seen the possum and the raccoons at the same time. I wonder what happened after the camera timed out?
And the scary — Keith walked Finn out front just 5 minutes before the coyote showed up on the camera in the back. Finn seems to be looking around – I wonder if he senses something out there?
I love seeing all the wildlife around us … I just prefer they visit when Finn isn’t outside! And did I mention that Keith is traveling the next few days? That will be me taking Finn out after dark!
Yikes. Maybe you could have a big, strong flashlight with you and keep moving it around as you walk out there and/or blare music on your phone while you are outside. The disturbance may keep the wildlife away while you are outside. I think that’s what I would try.
Also, my little dog is the type that would run after something. Although we normally take her out without a leash at night, I would put a leash on her in those circumstances especially if I was home alone.
Finn definitely knew the coyote was there so watch him and know that his actions will give you warning. The wildlife officer at the national park says coyotes will avoid human interaction. The racoons and opossums visit in our yard while respecting one another’s territory.
We got a big coyote on film last week on the trail camera….we thought it looked almost as big as a WOLF!! Scarey!!
I’ll bet Finn scented that coyote long before you captured it on film!!
When we were dog-sitting for Kota she would awaken in our bedroom and whine and jump to look out our back window –we figure she knew there was an “interloper” out there in HER territory;)))
Do be cautious taking Finn out at night–tho’ my husband says they give humans a wide berth….at least we certainly hope so, right?
Hugs, Julierose
I am experienced with coyotes in the yard. I take a strong flash light ( more like a lantern) out with me and put all the outside lights on, we have lights on the 4 corners of the house. I also talk to Karlin (the dog) the entire time we are out there. I have seen coyotes out there in the wood while I am scanning the light back and forth. They did not approach but Karlin and I went in very quickly. In Connecticut I don’t go out with him for too long after dark, especially in the winter when the coyotes seem to be more hungry.
I saw something on NextDoor that a lady posted last week. There have been frequent break-ins where she lives and she said she always keeps wasp spray close at hand just in case. That stuff sprays at least 20′. Or, get some long-range pepper spray. Both can be found on Amazon. The longer the range, the better. You don’t want to wait until it’s right on top of you or Finn. Being the animal lover that you are, you might be hesitant to go that route. A very bright tactical light is wise.
Shine it right at them and they can’t see a thing. It will allow you to escape. They also make head gear with bright lights. The more lumens, the brighter. Inexpensive, too. You can go out there in commando mode. And always keep Finn on a leash at night.
Interesting – but definitely a bit scary. I imagine Finn could probably smell or hear that coyote. They are pretty skittish (around here anyway) and will run/hide when humans are near. But it would still make me nervous too!
Wow, please be careful with Finn. If a coyote is hungry they will grab a leashed dog right away from you. This happened to a neighbor who was out walking her dacshund on a leash on a sidewalk. It jumped out from a bush and grabbed the dog. Luckily she was able to save it but not without some injuries. Owls, eagles, etc. will also swoop down and grab a small dog. And raccoons can do a lot of damage to a small dog. We live in a populated area in a neighborhood and still have all those critters to worry about with our small dog. We do have a fenced yard but take her out on a least anyway. We have a den of coyotes that live just down the street. Do not trust them, they are very sneaky!!!
There was a possum right at our back door on the top step late one night this past summer. It just sat there and seemed to be swaying slightly. It would turn at look at me when I gently tapped on the door. It could hear me talking to it through the door, too. I took some pictures of it and that didn’t seem to bother it It acted as if it was depressed or lonely. Finally it went down the steps, inspected some of the landscaping and yard and then left. We live in town on a busy street and our backyard is fenced in but internet research tells me they can easily climb trees & fences. We’ve had raccoons in our yard and trees before, too.
Hope all goes well with Finn’s nighttime bathroom breaks.
Teresa F.
Yikes!! Do be careful next week, Mary.
If you’re going to live in nature don’t be afraid of it , just respect it. Too many whites blame the animals, which causes them to be destroyed , when it’s their own stupidity. You are living in their home, respect it.
Finn smelt that coyote for sure. And he could hear him. My little dog hears everything and barks loudly too, she is our warning sounds. Be careful walking Finn.
Do be careful with Finn. Don’t let him get far away from a human when he’s outside. My brother lost a fairly large dog to a coyote in a matter of seconds… Outdoor cats, I can’t believe how much survival sense they must have…