Coyote Greyhound Encounter

[Guest grey_dreams]

Mine turn into psychopaths when they see a coyote. Even gentle Raven. They get a crazy gleam in their eyes and snarl and bark so hard spit flies from their mouths. You don't need a translator to hear them barking, "Kill! Kill! Kill!" Not sure what it is about coyotes that inspires such hatred, but it's frightening to behold. Several years ago we had a bad experience once involving several coyotes trying to incite my dogs into jumping the fence so they could pack up on them, the dogs flinging themselves against the fence to get at them and me in my pajamas trying to drag two enraged hounds back to the house through 3 1/2 feet of snow without getting bitten. Fun. Not.

 

Wow! That memory will be with you forever! Glad that it turned out ok.

[sobesmom]

Wow - that was exciting! Tracker has PLENTY of prey drive. The fact that he scented, and took chase of a moving target is TOTALLY proof of that. When the chase instinct is totally turned on - if you had tried to call him off - he actaully wouldn't have heard you - his brain woldn't let him. When "chase" kicks in - the neuroresponders in the brain that are responsible for hearing - shut off. It's a physical brain response, not ignoring you. He PHYSICALLY is deaf.

 

So - his instincts kicked in - he chased, he cornered - but he's never been trained on what to do then. So - after getting nipped - the chase is over - the rest of the brain turned back on - and he came to you because he has NO idea what to do after that.

 

Greys that are trained as "coyote-hunters" in the midwest would know exactly what to do. If they were in their 3 dog team. The 2 males would chase down and put down the coyote - then the female would come in for the kill.

 

I think my grey would chase an elephant if it ran fast enough. But after it stopped - she'd be clueless. The chase instinct is still there in our dogs - the kill - when they don't NEED it to eat - is lost. They're now pets.

 

You're VERY lucky that your dog was only interested in the chase. If he'd actually been interested in engaging the coyote aggressively - Tracker would've been toast. A pet has no chance against a cornered, terrified wild animal that KNOWS it has no chance of escape.

Edited November 16, 2012 by sobesmom

[3greytjoys]

I'm relieved Tracker (and you) survived this encounter. Glad you took him to a vet. Wishing Tracker a full, speedy recovery.

 

I think my grey would chase an elephant if it ran fast enough. But after it stopped - she'd be clueless. The chase instinct is still there in our dogs - the kill - when they don't NEED it to eat - is lost. They're now pets.

 

Clarification for newbie readers: The kill instinct towards smaller animals is still strong in many pet hounds, even when they are not hungry. Outside environments = game on. This is one of many reasons to keep hounds leashed to humans when outside, unless in fenced enclosure without other small animals.

Edited November 16, 2012 by 3greytjoys