Encountering Coyotos on a Dog Walk

What To Do If You Encounter a Coyote on a Dog Walk 

1. Stand Your Ground

The Urban Coyote Project recommends making yourself tall and assertive looking. Do not move and do not turn your back.

While your first instinct (okay, my first instinct) is to run with arms flailing. This is a horrible idea. Do not do this. Running away will only instigate the coyote to chase you like prey. 
Most coyotes will be afraid of humans, so use this to your advantage and look like the biggest, scariest human you can possibly be.

2. Pick Up Your Dog

If you can, pick up your dog or pull him close beside you to use your human-ness as a shield. The dog's movement on the ground can again trigger the coyotes prey instincts and if you're 6 ft away from your dog your scary human qualities may not be enough to ward off a hungry coyote.

3. Scare Off the Coyote for Good

Also called hazing, this process involved doing whatever you can to scare the coyote away and out of the neighborhood forever.

An important note: Hazing should not be done during breeding season - February through July. Coyotes may be defending their pups and territory and you will only make things worse by trying to scare them away.  

 

Between the months of August and January however, the Urban Coyote Project recommends: yelling, stomping your feet, popping an umbrella (that one made me feel good), shaking your jacket, flashing lights, or even throwing rocks until the coyote is out of the area.

Your can also make noise makers, such as cans filled with pennies, or use small keychain items like an air horn or even pepper spray.  

4. Call Animal Control

If you live in an area where coyotes just exist or come and go regularly without conflict, then you probably don't need to report every coyote you see. But if a coyote seems overly aggressive or stalks you or your pets, do let someone know. 

5. Tell Your Neighbors 

If possible, let your neighbors know so they can take precautions. If a coyote is still at large, don't go door to door, but engage the neighborhood phone tree or posting your neighborhood's social network.  Read the entire article

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