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A Hawk came after Bandit!!!

brotymo

brotymo

Well-known member
Okay folks, so my son was just out in the yard with Bandit, Kaya (the malamute mix) and Laddie (the collie) playing ball with them and I was watching from the porch. Bandit looked up all of a sudden at a pair of redtailed hawks flying rooftop level right over the house. I was puzzled at first at what they were after. Bandit ran up under a tree that has already shed its leaves (he was actually following them from the ground) and the hawks came lower, circled around and were eyeballing Bandit. I got a bit nervous and told Tyler to get Bandit and come inside. I didn't like the way they were circling him and circling back lower and lower and eyeing him. I didn't think they'd do something with the big dogs and Tyler out there, but after doing some reading, I realized that I was wrong. They will!

We came inside and I looked up on the internet to see if hawks could be a danger to dogs Bandit's size. I was mortified to read all the terrible stories from people all over the internet! Here is one link to many, many posts:
Scary, scary!
http://www.doggienews.com/2004/12/hawk-attacks-yorkshire-terrier.htm

Bandit currently weighs 10 lbs. Hawks regularly prey on animals twice their weight, which would approach that. They will take larger prey and eat it right on the ground if they can't carry it off. At a minimum, he could be killed. I now feel like I need to have him on a leash even in our fenced yard, even when I am out there with him.
 
Hawks and eagles will definitely take small dogs and cats. I have read a few times about hawks threatening dogs including cavaliers. I know of one US cavalier breeder who keeps a larger breed as well to fend off birds of prey and coyotes from the cavaliers.
 
Hawks

There are many more hawks in our area than there were 10 or 15 years ago. We have a couple that seem to check out our yard between 4 and 5 p.m. every day. I'm always on guard!
 
Gosh, that makes my blood run cold! I've been worried about hawks for awhile. We live on the side of a mountain, and there seem to be a lot of them here. I just asked my husband a few days ago if he thought Jasper was too big to be carried away by a hawk, but I don't think he is. Makes me wonder if I should stay with him outside every time he goes out!

I'm so glad Bandit is okay!

Lori
 
We encountered the same problem recently. Good thing Tricky was frighten enough to run home first before me. He didn't bother to potty. Which was the reason we were outdoors and practically pulled the lead from my hand running all to way to the front door. He had three near incidents with several hawks in the area including an eagle, and a extremely large owl!. He's not afraid of the flocks of wild turkey we have running through our property even though they make lots of noise sleeping 30 ft up in the trees. I keep him closer to me now that winter is fast approaching.
 
:shock: That is so scary. I am glad he is okay.

We had a redtail hawk stalking our girls about a month ago. Both times I was outside but where it could not see me. (I was under a covered patio.)
The first time it swooped over close to them but as soon as it saw me it kept going. I know my DH thought I was nuts when I told him what happened. The second time it actually sat on our fence. (my DH saw it this time) As soon as it saw me it flew off. I have not seen it again but I know he is still around. We make sure we keep a close eye on the girls when they are outside.
 
I am paranoid now myself, and surprised that so many others have had the problem, too. If I were you, I wouldn't feel safe just keeping an eye out on your dogs. Read some of the stories on the original link I posted...and here is one story that ran in the news:

Kid fights off hawk to save dog
By Norman Miller/ Metrowest Daily News Sunday, December 10, 2006

Call it a case of suburbia red in tooth and claw. Young Chris Campo had to fight a wild beast for his puppy’s life on Friday when a red-tailed hawk tried to turn the Weston youngster’s Dachshund into dinner. But a well-placed kick by the courageous Campo to the hawk’s head freed 5-month-old Dimi, who quickly high-tailed it to safety. “I took the dog out to go to the bathroom and he started to run around like he was kind of scared,” said the 11-year-old Weston Middle School sixth-grader. “I felt a tug (on the leash) and I look back and a hawk was on the back of my dog, trying to eat him.” While the dog was yelping, Chris stepped on the bird’s wing, reared back and let loose with a kick at the hawk’s head, he said. The ravenous raptor did not let go at first and so hawk, dog and child started madly struggling until the dog broke loose. “I didn’t really think - I just turned around and kicked the bird,” he said. “My dog was being attacked.” Charles Campo said his son was outside their home for about 30 seconds when he heard the boy yell. “I go outside and there was this enormous red-tailed hawk,” said Charles Campo.“It was trying to carry the dog off, and my son wouldn’t let go and he fought off the hawk. My son was literally fighting a hawk. I was stunned.”

​
 
Wow, I never thought of a hawk coming after the dogs. Thanks for the warning, and I'm glad Bandit is OK. We have several hawks that fly around our house- they go after the rabbits in our yard. Once I saw one grab a bird from my bird feeder and eat him on my patio table. :eek: It was really gross, but at the same time, very interesting to see at such a close view.
 
That is scary! We have hawks and falcons in the woods behind our house, I hear them catching rabbits nearby sometimes.
 
Our next door neighbor has a Westie. When they lived in North Carolina, a hawk tried to carry her off but only got about 4 feet and dropped her. But the poor little dog got one of her lungs punctured and had several puncture marks on her sides!

We have at least one that we see regularly, but since Daisy is such a hunk (28 pounds), I don't worry about them too much. If one did swoop down on her, she would undoubtedly jump up into the air for it because birds drive her crazy. I don't know whether that would be good or bad...
 
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