# Hawks/Snakes Concerns...



## RC28 (May 8, 2012)

Our 1 year old Chi, Baby-Waby, apparently has a knack for ferreting out small grass snakes of a harmless variety that are local to our area. Bigger snakes, both venomous and non, are not that common in our area but are certainly not unheard of. Do Chis have a natural fear of snakes that could be hazardous to them? Also, we have the occasional smallish hawk pass thru our airspace. Recently I saw one whose bulk-of-body-size was about the same as a 2 liter soda pop bottle in a tree adjoining our property and this is about as big as I've ever seen them around here. Would such a bird be likely to prey upon a 4-5 pound Chihuahua?

Thanks.


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## dadsbrat (Feb 4, 2013)

we have all of those here in phx, plus rattle snakes and havalinas.
my brat has never delt with snakes, but the hawks do go after small dogs! 2 very small poodles last year were taken by hawks. do as i do never let your chi out without you being with it.


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## cmartini (Oct 16, 2012)

Where I live, we have everything as well. Barnyard owls, rattlesnakes, coyotes, javelina, hawks, scorpions, and gila monsters. Sophie is never outside without me and her on a leash.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

Don't let your dog out without you if you have hawks. They will try to take them.

As for the snakes, around here fish and game does a rattlesnake avoidance class. I am enrolling Douglas this year. Last year we took my lab mix.

They use live snakes (bull snakes, who pretend to be rattlers as a defense) and shock collars. It's traumatic for us humans of course and the dogs cry and it's just hard, but we have a ton of rattlers here and the way I look at it, is one round of shocks to keep my dog ALIVE is worth it, because if we are out in the hills and he gets bit, he would be dead before I even could get to a vet. I would see if there is something like that in your area because it is very worth it.


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## Evelyn (Oct 14, 2012)

Yes, we have them here, my dogs never go out without me. I am always looking to see what is around. I know Ike would walk right up to a snake, he is curios about everything. I think that is why he is so smart..


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## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

I don't know a lot about snakes. I live in a well populated area and just don't see very many at all.

But for hawks . . . Keep your baby close! I will pretty much always take Angel out on a leash in our backyard. When he was a baby, hubby and I were sitting outside with him and we saw a hawk circling above us. We went inside with him. I believe they could carry him off if he's only 4 or 5 lbs. And if they couldn't, they definitely do some damage!

I will let Angel outside off leash if I am outside with our golden. Even then, I worry and it's only for about 2 or 3 minutes literally.

You can't be too cautious with our sweet little ones!


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

We have snakes and travel to areas with birds of pray. My rule is that in a fenced yard that I can inspect I have no problem letting Kerri run off leash. With me right there the risk of hawks is minimal and I will see a snake. I guess there is some risk there but you can't just live life in fear and I strongly believe dogs need fresh air and a little run every so often. My own yard is smaller and in a very urban area so I don't worry too much about hawks and let her out on her own from time to time, but I don't have a dog door or anything because I feel the risk is too much to have her out there while I'm not home.

When we are camping and hiking even when it is legal for Kerri to be off leash she never is. In the wilderness there is just too much risk of birds and rattlesnakes and even tortoise (could take off a leg!) and those sorts of things.

As far as rattlesnake aversion they only make shock collars so small, as far as I know they wont allow you to enroll a dog under 15lbs around here, with Kerri at 5lbs 12 oz we are nowhere close! I have thought about it for my bigger dog but he is a very submissive and fragile soul. I used one of those ultra sonic bark things in the yard once and he was afraid to go outside for a month. I think a shock collar would be entirely too much for him so I didn't look any farther than that. For certain dogs in certain areas though I agree the temporary trauma may outweigh the risk but you have to know your dog.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Where I live across the street from woods there are definitely hawks and owls, and we have a lot of moccasins. I have said in other threads that we have had no less than 5 little bitty snakes on our back deck that we come and go out of our house and 3 of those were on my welcome mat! I think the cat might have delivered them to us as a present but very much alive. The bigger snakes, most all moccasins and very poisonous, were on our driveway and in our yard. Needless to say we watch where we step, and I do not let the dogs out not even to run without inspecting every inch of our yard first and not without me standing there. When the dogs go out they are on a leash or Lulu only goes because she will stay right beside me.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

Here I see rattlers a LOT. Both when riding my horse in the hills and when with the dogs. I also see a lot of other snakes, though thankfully we don't have anything else dangerous. To me, the risk is too great.

I will do the class even if they use a tone instead on Douglas. I would just die if he got bit.


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## bubbles61 (Oct 20, 2010)

I'm in the uk so not really snakes, but wen my chi was little I had a problem with large bog standard crows, they used to circle her! I also know that a couple of chis have been taken by kites, I'm terrified even now, u just never know what's got their beady eyes in my chi!! X


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