hawk
by Mary
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
I have just gotten my furball Maltese baby and she is such a delight. She weighs 2 lbs. I live in the suburbs of the city of Atlanta and we have two resident red tailed hawks in our neighborhood. Whenever I take the puppy into the backyard they appear either sitting in the oak tree or flying overhead. I am sure the dog looks like a rabbit bouncing around and I stay right with her, but this is really scary. As a bird watcher I am very aware of this potential danger. Would like any thoughts on this and wonder if anyone else has had this experience.
DISCUSSION:
Hi Mary, over the years I have heard several horror stories about this and would urge you to stay very close, maybe keeping your new baby on a leash if you see the hawks. I have had them circle around Sugar up along the Chattahoochee north of Atlanta and she is 7 lbs. This really scares me a lot. Good luck and have fun with your little one - you will LOVE being a maltese mom!
Jeanne and Sugar
Be careful, keep you baby on a leash. This is a very real worry you have. Check the archives for more info!
gail,cody & ashleigh
See there is an advantage to living in brooklyn, New York. No hawks circling overhead. Good luck with all the country life offers, good and bad
vita
LOL Vita - I live in Manhattan, no hawks, but we do have to worry about pidgeons (sp?) and the dirty poop that goes along with them!
Mary 4 Vita
Do not EVER let your dog run free without a leash. These birds can swoop down and steal your baby even if you're there. Your baby is a juicy snack to them. I have even heard that one woman with her dog ON A LEASH was attacked and that she pulled her dog out of the bird's grasp with it. Please be very careful. At ALL TIMES.
Isabel
I also have had an experience with hawks. I live on the plains of Texas where birds of pray are quite common. I was taking our boys out in the back yard. I heard the phone ring and I was going to run into the house the get it. I am so thankful that I didn't because what comes swooping in looking for a tasty maltese nibble, but a big red tailed hawk. He was certainly eyeing our youngest maltese. I ran out to the yard and grabbed our boys so fast. I put them inside and started to chase the hawk away from the yard. I learned my lesson. Be really, really careful. I also used to live in Atlanta (hopefully will find a job there soon). There have been sightings of coyotes in metro Atlanta as well. They are normally afraid of humans, but still be careful. The ones around here look just like regular dogs until you get closer to them--not advisable. Give your pooch a smooch from Cotton and Nike!
Georgiann and Cotton
Yes, I too heard of a hawk attack on a Malt while on leash! Im sure you are being extra careful with your baby, but let me add: dont leave her side for one second when she is outside!!! There are pens with wire mesh across the top. You may want to find out more about them so she can have some time off leash to romp, with you right there of course! :) Congratulations on your new baby!
BeeGee
Here in Missouri, we have hawks as well as owls. Before I moved to my condo, I lived in a house that was closer to the country, and all my neighbors had large areas of land around. I even had deer in my back yard from time to time! But we also had owls, and I think they might have been more threatening than the hawks. They would even swoop down on my neighbor's 25 pound Schnauzer! I don't know much about birds, but aren't owls the most agressive? I wondered if you could go to a gardening center and get the fake plastic owls to put in your yard and scare off the hawks? If the hawks get to be too much of a threat, call a wildlife center and ask for their advice.
Denise R
Hi Denise - I just read your post and here in Manhattan, we use the plastic owls to scare away the pigeons!!! Who's poop (pigeons) can put a human in the hospital, can't even imagine what it could do to my Bailey!!
Mary 4 Denise
| Please bear in mind when reading topics pertaining to health issues, that most of these questions were answered by helpful Maltese owners with no formal education in veterinary medicine. When in doubt seek a professionals advice. |
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