How to protect our 18 pound dog from coyotes and mountain lions in foothill home of Santa Monica mountains.?

Question

There have been sitings of mountain lions and cayote. Will the latter dig under a fence? Can a cayote scale a chain link fence? Cayotes have been seen midday. Will these two preditors attack during the day if we, as adults, are with the dog in our enclosed yard ? How high does chain link have to be to protect from a cayote?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Coyotes can dig, and both coyotes and mountain lions can jump. Most coyotes and mountain lions are not anxious to encounter humans, but some have become accustomed to them, as people encroach further and further into the predator's habitat. If you see one of these animals, do not approach it.

Here is some good advice, from Wildlife Officer William Taber of the Inland Valley Humane Society & SPCA in Pomona:

"The best protection against coyotes and other large predators is to keep your pet inside, particularly at night, or in an enclosed yard with a fence that is at least 6 feet high, Taber said. Since some wildlife can scale such walls, he suggests topping it with a roller-top extension that makes the animal slide off.

Additional measures that Taber suggested against animals that might invade your yard include:


Installing motion-detector lights along the perimeter of your property, since most wild animals tend to shy away from lighted areas.
Feeding pets inside.
Spaying and neutering your pets to prevent them roaming and getting into turf wars.
Disposing of ripe fruit on trees or on the ground that might attract coyotes, or rodents, which in turn attract larger predators.
Trimming overgrown trees and bushes that may provide cover for coyotes.
Removing birdfeeders, since they also draw rabbits, squirrels, mice and gophers.

The CVMA suggests making sure your pets are leashed and trained properly, especially when walking in areas where they might encounter predators.

Taber advised hikers to carry a stick, a golf club or even a baseball bat in case they run across a coyote, mountain lion or even an aggressive dog.

Mountain lions, like other wild animals, generally avoid humans, but run-ins have increased as people have moved into the animals’ habitat.

“Mountain lions tend to focus on things that are smaller and things that are moving fast,” said Jon Klingborg, a Merced-based veterinarian who is president of the CVMA. “Walking or jogging with your dog may actually attract a mountain lion by stimulating the predator response.”

If you encounter a mountain lion, do whatever you can to make the animal know that you are not prey, Taber said. “Don’t start running. Stay calm and back away slowly to a safe location. Don’t roll into a ball. …If you have a rock or even a backpack, throw it. Wave the stick. Yell and scream at [it] and make yourself look human. Always fight back,” he said. “Keep an eye on the animal, but don’t stare them down. They’ll see that as a challenge.”

If you have a dog with you, hold it back. Don’t hike alone , he said, since animals usually won’t attack a group of people."
http://www.latimes.com/extras/pets/preda…

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Most helpful info. Thanks.

Answer 2

Coyote attacks on small pets in So. Cal are very common..if you have small pets, do not let them outdoors unattended, espcecially at night. Day attacks can happen but are not as common. Coyotes can easily jump over a fence as tall as 6 feet. Mountain lion attacks on pets are much less common, but can still be possible. Mountain lions disperse in the winter months..so now would be a time that they may be in neighborhoods that they do not regularly inhabit, so this would be an especially dangerous time to let your pets outside alone. Coyotes are out and about year round. If you are out in the yard with your pet, coyotes are not going to bother you. They will usually not bother large dogs either, as they are actually not very large themselves. I see coyotes often, daily during the spring season and have never been threatened by one. I am much more worried about running across stray dogs while out working...much more unpredictable and dangerous. Moutain lions will avoid humans whenever possible, attacks on humans ALWAYS turn out to be an injured or sick animal that was not able to hunt it's normal prey. As long as you accompany your pets outside..they will be safe.

Source(s):

me: wildlife biologist who lives and works in So. Cal and who has treated many pets attacked by coyotes during a 12 year veterinary career.

Answer 3

There was a mountain lion somewhere in SoCal a few years ago that jumped into someones back yard and jumped out, over a 6 foot chain link fence, with a 70 lb huskey in its jaws. Lions are much more likely to attack at night but they can get disparate. They are shy compared to coyotes which would usually be kept out by a normal fence of 6 feet but they could dig under it. Perhaps you could put rocks or concrete to prevent that.

Answer 4

Coyotes can scale 8 feet fences easily. And Mountain lions have been known to scale 18 feet fences.

Answer 5

Teach it to run like a fleeing rabbit.

Answer 6

keep it in the house, if you don't want your dog to become a snack for a wild animal