As Kirsten said..no spring here! we're lucky to break 10degrees nevermind 80! We have snow piles taller than houses at this point. Although, I dream about warm weather if that counts for anything! :rolleyes:
Beautiful but scary hike today
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I took Buddy on a 2 hour hike up in the hills today and it was beautiful out. There are parts that are open and other parts where it's dense forest and brush and you have to keep your ears and eyes open for Coyotes and Mountain Lions. As we were coming down towards the bottom it was a dense area and I heard the leaves rustle. I look back to my left and there's a coyote approaching with his eyes on Buddy about 30 feet away. I stop and yell really loud waving my arm at it to go away and it backs up about 5 feet then starts approaching again. I yell again at it and I can see it's growling with the lip quivering. So I picked up Buddy and moved very slowly on looking back and we get a bit out of sight and a group of people pass and ask if everything's OK. I tell them to watch to their right there's a coyote. That must of helped distract him. I just kept moving and looking back. I should of quickly whipped out the camera for a shot of it.
You can see how dense it gets.
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What a beautiful scenery.. I'm jealous..
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Oh that is scary!! Years ago when we lived in the Mojave desert we used to hear the coyotes howl really close to the house at night. Some people say they're trying to lure dogs out into the desert to kill them. Coyotes hate dogs! I'm glad you and Buddy are okay.
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What beautiful scenery and i think you were brave not to just run. I think if I lived there I'd get myself another Anatolian Kangal to look afetr my Basenjis!
Our walks are much less challenging - rabbits, deer, badgers, foxes and the occasional poisonous snake (which the Basenjis ignore) and that's about all!
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OMG Dan, that's scary. I worry about Malaika meeting unfriendly Dogs, but Coyotes and mountain Lions …...........:O
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Oh that is scary!! Years ago when we lived in the Mojave desert we used to hear the coyotes howl really close to the house at night. Some people say they're trying to lure dogs out into the desert to kill them. Coyotes hate dogs! I'm glad you and Buddy are okay.
I've read that they see dogs as competitors more than a meal unless it's like a Chihuahua or some small type dog. I don't know if it was just real curious or was interested in some African food. He looked about 40 lbs. When we were at the top a large buck ran across the trail about 20 feet in front of us and Buddy wanted to give chase of course. Given both situations I'm glad he was on leash.
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Coyotes and mountain lions… and bears? (oh my!)
Yeah, I've definitely heard of housecats and lap dogs getting swept up by coyotes -- chihuahuas, shih tzus, poms and various -poos. Coyotes themselves aren't that large, though. 30-40 pounds sounds about right. A basenji might be too big for a coyote, but I wouldn't put it past them to try (and do some serious damage in the process).
Mountain lions, on the other hand... the thought of them does make me nervous! There's a few heavily forested trails that I've taken my shiba to, but haven't been back since we got our basenji (she would definitely be on leash if we ever go). Every now and then I hear about mountain lions attacking joggers, but that's become more of a general caution than any citeable story now. The closest that any "scare" has come to me was my friend who regularly walks these trails said he was going for an early morning walk, saw a part of a deer leg along the path, and promptly turned back around.
nobarkus, you mentioned that you saw a coyote last time too. Just out of curiosity, what time of day do you go to this trail? Does it matter, with coyotes?
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Coyotes and mountain lions… and bears? (oh my!)
Yeah, I've definitely heard of housecats and lap dogs getting swept up by coyotes -- chihuahuas, shih tzus, poms and various -poos. Coyotes themselves aren't that large, though. 30-40 pounds sounds about right. A basenji might be too big for a coyote, but I wouldn't put it past them to try (and do some serious damage in the process).
Mountain lions, on the other hand... the thought of them does make me nervous! There's a few heavily forested trails that I've taken my shiba to, but haven't been back since we got our basenji (she would definitely be on leash if we ever go). Every now and then I hear about mountain lions attacking joggers, but that's become more of a general caution than any citeable story now. The closest that any "scare" has come to me was my friend who regularly walks these trails said he was going for an early morning walk, saw a part of a deer leg along the path, and promptly turned back around.
nobarkus, you mentioned that you saw a coyote last time too. Just out of curiosity, what time of day do you go to this trail? Does it matter, with coyotes?
Today it was between 9:30 and 11:30. So we saw it at around 11. The one we saw run by last week was at around 2pm. I've read they hunt like Mountain Lions from dusk til dawn. I've also read they're nocturnal but as you can see they are out during the day.
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Glad to hear that both you and Buddy are OK!!!… How scary is that?....
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What beautiful scenery and i think you were brave not to just run. I think if I lived there I'd get myself another Anatolian Kangal to look afetr my Basenjis!
Our walks are much less challenging - rabbits, deer, badgers, foxes and the occasional poisonous snake (which the Basenjis ignore) and that's about all!
LOL, those dogs are huge!
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Wow! I bet you hugged your b extra tonight!
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Wow! I bet you hugged your b extra tonight!
He always get's extra hugs so he won't notice Sharron.
But I am always grateful to have him. -
Wow, Dan, you and Buddy are lucky. I would've been so scared, yet adrenaline pumping protective of my pet and myself..
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Wow, Dan, you and Buddy are lucky. I would've been so scared, yet adrenaline pumping protective of my pet and myself..
You know Petra I've been hiking all over in those hills with Buddy for a year and never saw anything and in a week I see 2 of them. And yes, the adrenaline was pumping but you just automatically protect your animal. It was a surprise to turn around and see one staring at us and slightly approaching. I just did what they tell you to do on the signs posted all over….look big, wave your arms, and yell at them. When he started to approach again after he jumped back I thought "oh no you don't". There were 2 guys and a woman walking with a Lab about 50 feet in front of me and if I would have yelled help real loud I'm sure they would have ran back and then 3 people we're walking toward us as well and they saw it when I pointed it out.
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Dan, instinct kicked in and had you pick up Buddy instead of go for your camera. I think that was a wise move. Glad you both made it home safe and sound.
