canid populations that live near people. In other words, fear and flight responses are not suitable in an urban setting, and individuals have a better chance of survival and reproduction if they are confident and exploratory. Although this may be true, people don’ t usually appreciate bold coyotes, and reports of conflict increase when they encounter a coyote that doesn’ t seem fearful. Habituation, or a lack of fear of humans, can happen when people feed coyotes, and intentionally feeding coyotes perpetuates this process. Unintentional feeding, such as leaving trash unsecured or putting food out for other wildlife, can have the same consequences.
Since coyotes are considered opportunistic and will supplement their diet with what’ s available, such as small pets, pet food, seeds from bird feeders, and unsecured trash, their diet mainly consists of rodents and plants. With access to a variety of food resources, urban and suburban coyotes don’ t need to consume dogs. Various studies that investigate coyote diets by analyzing their scat corroborate that they are only consuming domestic dogs in very small amounts. One scat analysis study found that when reports of dog-coyote conflicts increased, dog consumption did not. This data supports the hypothesis that competition, not predation, explains coyote attacks on pet dogs. Coyote attacks on dogs may increase during denning and pupping seasons and are likely a coyote’ s attempt to remove a perceived threat to their food sources, territories, dens, and mates.
Communities must learn and practice coexistence strategies together to keep neighbors safe and coyotes wild. Living with coyotes means pet parents should always be vigilant in their efforts to ensure their dogs’ safety. High fences may help keep coyotes out of yards, but fences are not coyote-proof, and therefore, dogs should never be left unsupervised. Dogs should always be leashed for walks and hikes to avoid escalating dog-coyote encounters, especially during denning season. Although off-leash walks may be enjoyable, the leash is the best way to manage a dog during a coyote encounter. Retractable leashes should be avoided so that dogs can be kept close and away from bushes.
AVOIDING TROUBLE IF YOU SEE A COYOTE
• Pick up dogs that can be lifted; otherwise, pull them in close to you.
• Maintain eye contact and back away slowly.
• Avoid cornering and always let a coyote run away.
• Do not approach or let dogs engage with a coyote.
• Do not offer food or feed a coyote, as this will attract them to you and others in the future.
IF A COYOTE APPROACHES
• Coyotes are much more likely to move away from you, and confrontational behaviors usually correlate with denning season. If one approaches, avoid running away.
• Pick up dogs that can be lifted; otherwise, stand in front of your dog to try and keep the coyote’ s attention on you and not your dog.
• Suggest to the coyote that you are unapproachable by making loud noises such as clapping, stomping, opening your jacket, waving your arms or a plastic bag, popping open an umbrella, or shaking a premade can with coins in it. This is called hazing.
• If possible, continue facing the coyote until it retreats.
• When in doubt, calmly leave the area.
• Choose an alternate route for future walks with your dog.
Remember, coyotes will most likely not pick a fight with a dog; doing so could be detrimental to their own health and well-being. If a coyote approaches your dog, it could simply be asking them to move away, so giving the coyote space is the best way to avoid escalating the situation.
Dogs, integral to our lives, and coyotes, essential to the ecosystem, must now coexist within our human-made world. Despite the challenges associated with this interconnection, communities can come together to design and implement targeted strategies for promoting a safe and healthy environment for everyone. It’ s our responsibility as pet professionals to raise awareness and educate clients about the reciprocal impact between domestic pets and wildlife.
12 Better Training Through Education Photos with permission and courtesy of Janet Kessler, coyoteyipps. com