# totally creeped out



## cherper (May 8, 2009)

About a wk or 2 ago I took leila out to potty and I heard a Hooot hooot, well i've never heard an owl before but not suprised that we have them as we live in a pretty wooded neighborhood. It wasn't even dark out, and well it just suprised me a little i guess. Well last night hubby wakes me up and told me to listen..and you could hear it hooting really loud and he said he heard another one answer back. Then he went on to say that it must be really big if we could hear it that loud. **shudders** needless to say it made me feel sick.  He doesn't think I should even take leila out to potty after dark anymore. But I dont' know how to avoid it I mean when she wants to go she stands by the door and she wants OUT!. Now I have and will NEVER EVER let her off leash but still...after the attack i read about i guess it may not matter anyway. 
I feel so creeped out  He was also telling me about one time he saw an old horned owl that was dead when he was working *ups driver* and he got out and looked at it. He thinks they are really neat. Anyway he said it's claws were as big as his hands. :nshocked2:


----------



## Eclipsica (Nov 23, 2010)

I think it's better to be safe then sorry after that last incident.


----------



## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

EEEE! I am terrified of owls too, we had pet ducks as kids and they were always eating the ducks brains. I agree...leash her, leash her, leash her! Maybe just keep her harness on her so when she needs to go out its really easy to just clip her in and let her go.


----------



## foggy (Oct 12, 2009)

If you let her out at night, I'd always use a harness and keep close to her side. I think you should be ok if you do that. If you bring your bigger dog out at the same time, that would likely keep an owl away too.


----------



## cherper (May 8, 2009)

Oh kristi she is ALWAYS on leash. I never ever have let her off. I am verrry verrry protective of Leila.  She is my baby for sure.
The only thing about letting winston out too is he usually runs to the back of the yard and goes all over while we stay near the house. I don't know what i'm gonna do.


----------



## cherper (May 8, 2009)

I need a taser or something.  LOL


----------



## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

I think she will be fine if she is on a leash, hun...Winston barreling around like that probably scares anything off that's out there anyway?


----------



## Island Protector (Dec 31, 2010)

Yeah there are loads of owls where I am. I hear them making really weird sounds sometimes at night when I'm outside, usually when we are walking our dogs. It sounds as if we're in a jungle or something when they're fighting between each other or whatever the reason is that they're making those noises. We have to be careful because we've had them fly over our heads many times while we're walking our yorkies and maltese.


----------



## cherper (May 8, 2009)

oooh yikes!! Well after the story of the person with their dog on leash and the owl came down and tried to take off with the little chi I thought WOW they are really brave to do that!! Eeek! I told my hubby it would have one heck of a fight on its talons  i'd beat it's eyes right out of its head if it even tried. He jokingly said it may take off with me and leave leila. hehe (i'm 5 ft so yeahh)


----------



## Eclipsica (Nov 23, 2010)

I'd whip out my mace spray first and then maybe my hunting knife both items that I tend to carry for self defense. 
Don't think you'd want to tackle an owl with your bare hands if you can avoid it. I mean there's a good reason falcon trainers and handlers wear those protective gloves.


----------



## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

I hear them here in uk,only at mating time,sounds spooky at night


----------



## KayC (May 3, 2005)

I wouldn't even let her off leash during the day, I would be to worried


----------



## Dragonfly (Jun 6, 2010)

That is freaky!!! We took care of a injured owl once and it was huge. These things can easily pick our babies up and be gone =( I would just die.


----------



## cherper (May 8, 2009)

Zoey's Mom said:


> I wouldn't even let her off leash during the day, I would be to worried


She is only off leash in the house. lol 



Dragonfly said:


> That is freaky!!! We took care of a injured owl once and it was huge. These things can easily pick our babies up and be gone =( I would just die.


Yes indeed . Big AND creepy!! yuk!


----------



## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

There was a post a long time ago about a guy who was a lineman and when he'd crawl up into trees or onto those big telephone poles to work on the lines, he'd sometimes find eagle and owl nests. He said invariably he'd see little dog collars in the nests. He always fished them out and if they had tags, he'd take them to the address and let the people know where he found the collars. Many people will let a small dog outside and it disappears. This way they would at least know what happened to it. Very sad and terrifying.


----------



## Eclipsica (Nov 23, 2010)

Brodysmom said:


> There was a post a long time ago about a guy who was a lineman and when he'd crawl up into trees or onto those big telephone poles to work on the lines, he'd sometimes find eagle and owl nests. He said invariably he'd see little dog collars in the nests. He always fished them out and if they had tags, he'd take them to the address and let the people know where he found the collars. Many people will let a small dog outside and it disappears. This way they would at least know what happened to it. Very sad and terrifying.


Yikes. :shock:


----------



## roughhouse (Mar 1, 2009)

That is very terrifying!

We have tons of owls and hawks around here and when the girls are out I can't help but be nervous. I try to have at least two people (myself and one of the kids or hubby) outside and I bring Bo out with us too. He will run off but he tends to hang around if I call him over. I would just die if something injured or killed one of my babies.


----------



## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

We have those among other predators to. You could find a large pin that you could put a top on and just put her in there to go potty at night, supervised ofcourse.

My husband is in Management with UPS in Asheville, NC


----------



## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

roughhouse said:


> That is very terrifying!
> 
> We have tons of owls and hawks around here and when the girls are out I can't help but be nervous. I try to have at least two people (myself and one of the kids or hubby) outside and I bring Bo out with us too. He will run off but he tends to hang around if I call him over. I would just die if something injured or killed one of my babies.



Be careful as birds of prey are very brave. We had been living where I live now for about 2 weeks when I was standing on the front porch with my Yoshi at my feet, my huge (passed :-( ) Great Dane, Weim and daughter also right there with us and a hawk came within 6 ft of getting my Yoshi. If I wouldnt have seen the hawks shadow he would be a goner. They are so fast. I saw a video on television where a father and son had their hamster on the top of its cage outside and the hawk swooped down and took the hamster before you could blink :-(


----------



## cherper (May 8, 2009)

Michelle: what a coincidence about your hubby's job. lol
I am quite a bit more afraid now, even worry about lucy going out at night. she is a mix and much larger than leila but still considered a "small" dog. We have lots of hawks. And we also have coyotes. The lady I babysit for told me this morn. that a girl she knows that lives within minutes of me had a yorkie that was attacked by a coyote and it let her go because of a shock collar or something, she managed to drag herself up to the house but died anyway. (not sure what kind of collar she meant) 
She also told me she and her son saw a pack of coyote in the field across from our neighborhood early the other morning. 
My yard is fenced in with a 4 ft chain link fence.


----------



## Eclipsica (Nov 23, 2010)

I still have to figure out how to keep planned chi safe at my new place.
It's a quiet place on a little dead end road with cemetry nearby and an open field. I know there's a bunch of deer and I think one day I saw a possum. I was mostly thinking coyote and neighbor dog* for potential problems. 

* Neighbor dog is a hunting type dog I found on my front lawn one day when I was moving in. ND was not happy to see me and acted a bit threatening. 
Because nobody was living at my rental house for about a year, I suspect ND has made my yard into expanded territory and was surprised to see an " intruder" there. 

Before I knew about ND, I thought I'd be OK with letting planned chi roam loose in the yard while I was home. 
Before predators are even an issue, I'm afraid ND may come over to defend "their turf"AKA my yard when there's a new dog there. I have inquired about ND with the other neighbor and have learned that ND is rarely loose, still don't want to get unlucky on the wrong day.


----------



## cherper (May 8, 2009)

eh sounds risky to me. I wouldn't let your chi run loose unless yard was fenced and you were in it. And maybe not even then with big stupid birds of prey stalking our sweet little chi babies.


----------



## Eclipsica (Nov 23, 2010)

Yeah that too...As much as I dislike the idea of a dog out on a leash only.


----------



## rms3402 (Dec 2, 2010)

Brodysmom said:


> There was a post a long time ago about a guy who was a lineman and when he'd crawl up into trees or onto those big telephone poles to work on the lines, he'd sometimes find eagle and owl nests. He said invariably he'd see little dog collars in the nests. He always fished them out and if they had tags, he'd take them to the address and let the people know where he found the collars. Many people will let a small dog outside and it disappears. This way they would at least know what happened to it. Very sad and terrifying.


OMG! THIS IS SO CREEPY! :nshocked1:I don't like that one bit! I don't put Roxy on a leash when we go out, however, now I'm considering it! I just don't want to restrict her, and I'm not sure she'd be okay with it now since I have never once done that. I'm searching google right now to see what birds of prey are in my area! After reading that story someone posted not too long ago, I am also creeped out! :sad5: Every time I hear any bird sound I look over my shoulder and above me... everyone! I go nuts! I saw some kind of bird.. maybe a hawk? I have no idea... but I saw some kind of bird flying above that started 'hooting' or whatever sound a hawk makes. I scooped Roxy up so fast and we headed back inside! This is so scary. :crybaby: Never once did I EVER consider this happening when I was planning and bringing Roxy home. Ah! :nshocked2:


----------



## cherper (May 8, 2009)

I don't feel a bit bad never letting leila off leash! she gets all the wild n wooly running she needs in the house. lol


----------



## roughhouse (Mar 1, 2009)

cherper said:


> I don't feel a bit bad never letting leila off leash! she gets all the wild n wooly running she needs in the house. lol


I agree 100%! My girls run around my house like it is the Indy 500. I don't think there is any reason they need to run loose outside when there are so many different dangers lurking out there. Between flying up and down the stairs, bouncing off the couch and sprinting from one end of the house to the next they are getting enough free play time in the safety of our home.


----------



## ProudChiDad (Jan 23, 2011)

I live downtown in a major city on a zero lot line neighborhood with a fenced back area and when I first moved in I used to let Milo out there off his leash since it's about the size of a small room. I never EVER do anymore after seeing a giant possum back there one night and then the day a hawk swooped down while I was out there and missed my head by a few feet. I felt the wind from his wings on my face as he changed direction! I was standing one foot in front of my back door! Luckily Milo was inside! I agree with the others...a house is like a palace to a Chi....let them run around inside but why take the chance outside when there are so many predators around. I'm not sure about how fast owls are but I can honestly say that hawk was too fast. I wouldn't have been able to react fast enough. By the time I processed what i was seeing it would have been too late.


----------



## cherper (May 8, 2009)

I heard the owl hooting tonight again. Geesh i wish he'd get lost! I went out with all three dogs tonight, had a flashlight with me. I kept leila's leash short enough she was right by my feet when she pottied. And we were just off the patio and I could see fine, with the sky being all white it wasn't really dark. I kept a close eye on lucy as well. She never lingers though anyway. We went immed. back in and i stayed at the door and kept calling my boxer...don't think an owl would go for him but i was still spooked. I hate being scared like this.  Hubby said he thinks we should go out front next time since we can tell the owl is in the back and i think its not in our yard but a neighbors *i'm sure he still sees us though*. My youngest brought up pics of owls on the net last night. some are so cute but others are just downright freakin' scary looking.


----------



## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

I still think that you should use a xpen with a cover to potty her in while supervised. I believe that would put your mind at ease ;-)


----------



## Dazy Mae (Aug 10, 2008)

Yoshismom said:


> We have those among other predators to. You could find a large pin that you could put a top on and just put her in there to go potty at night, supervised ofcourse.
> 
> My husband is in Management with UPS in Asheville, NC



GREAT IDEA...
This is what we are doing in the Spring...building a small dog run that is completely closed in....we too have predators here! Very aggressive bald eagles, owls, hawks, and at night...coyotes, wolves, raccoons, cougars and in some areas bear. The northwest is full of them. I never take the girls out at night, but to let them play and get some sunshine in the warmer months, the dog run will be nice. I will still be there with them to supervise of course
Would she use a potty paper at night if you put it right by the door?


----------

