# I think a bird or hawk tried to get my Stewie!



## Kristi (Oct 19, 2005)

Has anyone else had this experience? My little Stewie came in last night from being out in the backyard with Rosie and Oreo acting very strange. He had his tail between his legs and was shaking. He also was constantly looking up and twisting his head from side to side. He stuck close to me all night and even when I got up in the night to go to the bathroom he followed me in there. He was just really freaking out. He's fine now but I just wander if a large bird or hawk tried to swoop down on him and it really scared him.


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## Jen (Sep 13, 2005)

it's sounds like something spooked him poor guy  do you have a lot of hawks around you? maybe it was another animal like a opossum or raccoon :dontknow:

i'm glad he's okay and wasn't hurt.


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

I can tell you first hand that Hawks and Owls will try to get them:-( I was sitting on my front porch last year with my Great Dane and Weim with Yoshi walking around in front of me on the porch and I noticed a shadow and looked up and there was a Hawk not 8 foot from me swooping down for Yoshi right there with me and all the dogs standing there. Thankfully I saw the shadow and reacted quickly and grabbed Yoshi. Those birds of prey are ruthless and do not care what is around you apparently. 

I saw on a home video show where a man and his son had brought their guinea pigs cage outside and had just taken the guinea pig out of the cage and set it on top of the cage and within seconds a hawk came and got it, it freaked me out!!! You can at least see hawks and their shadows during the day but owls are silent and invisible at night:-( I know a lady that had her Yorkie on a leash when a Hawk grabbed him, although he was on a leash the and she was able to pull him back the lacerations from the talons were so bad that they couldnt save him:-(

I am so glad your baby is alright, bless his heart what ever it was it must have scared him good:-(


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## Pauline Leland (Oct 9, 2006)

I'm glad he got away. I heard the hawks crying, fortunately, so I picked up Boop, and the birds flew off. I think these tiny dogs can't be left alone outside.

The latest is a raccoon that visits my yard. I think it might enjoy a chi snack. I tried to scare it off, but it just climbed a tree.


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## Kristi (Oct 19, 2005)

"I think these tiny dogs can't be left alone outside"

I think you're right. We have a fenced in back yard that we normally just let them out to play and potty when they go to the back door. My husband has told the kids that from now on one of us needs to go out with them. I remember when Rosie was a puppy, my next door neighbor told me she saw some type of bird circling over Rosie. It's very scary that they could get our little babies.


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## cocochihuahua (Jun 2, 2006)

God how scary!
I think that would possibly be teh worst thing that could ever happen. I live in teh uk so its really only owls that could do anything like that but i think about it all the time! Just sounds like teh most horrible and scary thing ever!
That story about the Yorkie nearly had me in tears  And taht poor guinea pig.


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## Pauline Leland (Oct 9, 2006)

Only owls? Are you sure? I thought falconry was a sport in the UK, and I think the hawks are caught wild/stolen from wild nests. Foxes and badgers could be a threat, too.


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## cocochihuahua (Jun 2, 2006)

Yeah your right 
There are lots of bird if i think abotu it actually- Buzzards, Falcons thinks like that but i would have thought thigns like Eagles that you have in America are more like Blood thirsty and bigger 
Foxes and Badgers arnt realy a problem as i would never let my dogs out at night


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## Pauline Leland (Oct 9, 2006)

Anything that can catch a rabbit would have no problems with a chi.

As I've said before, it's like having a toddler. You have to keep your eye on them all the time outside and baby-proof the inside for their own safety.


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## Isolde (May 9, 2006)

OMG, the poor little guy ! this is actually one of my fears. Chi’s are so small that some birds could easily get them!


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## xultar (Jul 26, 2007)

A trained hawk or falcon used to catch rodents took a ladies Chihuahua in Central Park NY. The bird didn't hurt the Chi because of the trainer but still.

We've had the same problem in Atlanta GA. 

I'm building an all sided chain link kennel for my back porch so my babies can play outside without fear.


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

my guys dont go out alone...if were going out its only with 100% human supervisation, anything under 5lbs (rabbit size) is at risk from many of the larger birds of prey (as well as many of the wild naimals that come out at night)

i used to do falconry before moving to the us so am pretty aware of the behaviours of most raptors, i keep a close eye on the sky for low circling, any sighn of the larger bird were straight inside.
its all about the respect, its the only way to live with the local wildlife.


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## Pauline Leland (Oct 9, 2006)

One thing I do now is listen for birdsong. If they are quiet, there may be a hawk around. If they are noisy, it's probably clear. This isn't totally reliable, but it helps, usually when I really need to run in to get something.

Did I mention that I've seen a raccoon a couple of times during the day? I live in a built up residential area, but they've become urban animals.


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## BellaLina's Mom (Mar 16, 2007)

Oh my! This is terrible. Glad to hear Stewie is okay and safe. 

Chihuahuas are so small and delicate that they could be taken by birds of prey or coyotes. We never leave Bella outside alone in our fenced backyard for her protection.


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