Information on working terriers, dogs, natural history, hunting, and the environment, with occasional political commentary as I see fit. This web log is associated with the Terrierman.com web site.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Swamp Tested My New Boots
The boots did great, the dogs had a blast, and the coyotes are clearly hanging out down here if the size of the scat is any indication. Very few ducks down this year due to the warm weather. .
Not really. Well maybe a little when the dogs disappeared for 20 minutes into the swamp yesterday ;)
That said, coyotes around here are very, very rare on the ground, and will generally run as single units and are looking for prey animals that run. The terriers will not run -- they will stand and put out. My dogs are going to look at a coyote as being just a big fox.
An animal that will not run and will stand and fight is so alien to a predator that they often decide that discetion is the better part of valour... a bit like an old farm cat that will not run, but will stand and hiss at the farm dog and so the farm dog is a bit cowed.
But have I know coyotes to take terriers? Oh sure, but life is to be lived. A skunk is more likely to kill my dogs than anything. Terrier work comes with risk. I made peace with that long ago.
2 comments:
Do you worry about losing one of your little dogs to Coyotes, either in ground or above?
Not really. Well maybe a little when the dogs disappeared for 20 minutes into the swamp yesterday ;)
That said, coyotes around here are very, very rare on the ground, and will generally run as single units and are looking for prey animals that run. The terriers will not run -- they will stand and put out. My dogs are going to look at a coyote as being just a big fox.
An animal that will not run and will stand and fight is so alien to a predator that they often decide that discetion is the better part of valour... a bit like an old farm cat that will not run, but will stand and hiss at the farm dog and so the farm dog is a bit cowed.
But have I know coyotes to take terriers? Oh sure, but life is to be lived. A skunk is more likely to kill my dogs than anything. Terrier work comes with risk. I made peace with that long ago.
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