You wouldn’t think your dog is at risk of anything, especially in the safety of your own home. However, many wild animals love to come by your home as it offers food and shelter. If you’re unlucky, those animals will try and attack your dog.
This is why it’s so important to protect your dog from wild animal attacks. It’s especially important in the winter, as they look for warm places to nest and shelter from the elements. Here are some of the best products you can buy to protect your furry friend.
Wild Animals That Pose a Risk to Your Dog
Firstly, you need to know about the different wildlife you need to be looking out for. Which wild animals pose a risk to your dog?
Most animals won’t attack your dog unless they are provoked. If you come across them in your yard or while walking the dog, they’ll probably run away when they see you. However, some may attack if they feel especially provoked, so be aware of this if you ever do come across a wild animal.
Raccoons: It’s hard to think of raccoons as anything other than cute and cuddly. However, they can be very vicious towards your dog if you’re not careful. The problem has been made worse by some people feeding raccoons, making them less fearful of you. If you move to chase a raccoon away, then they may attack rather than run.
Coyotes: In most cases, coyotes won’t come to your pets unless they’re desperate. They mostly eat rodents and fruit but have been known to eat feral dogs and cats if driven to it. Luckily, most coyotes are wary of humans, so if you keep your pet close to you they shouldn’t come to you.
Skunks: Skunks are well known to nest under decks and other areas in your yard, so you’ll need to keep an eye out for them. They can cause problems in your home if they spray, but they do also pose a threat to your dog. If a dog gets too curious and comes near the skunk, they will spray them. Then, you’ll have to deal with getting the smell out of your dog as soon as possible.
Rodents: Rodents, like mice and rats, are well known for making their nests in people’s homes. If your dog manages to catch one, then they are in danger. Even if you’re not using poisoned bait to get rid of them, someone else might be. That rodent may have eaten poisoned bait, and so your dog will ingest it. That will lead to an emergency vet visit, so you’ll want to avoid that if at all possible.
Birds of prey: Do you have a smaller dog that’s five pounds or under? If so, they are at risk from birds of prey, like owls and hawks. They will sometimes attempt to carry a dog off as their prey, so you’ll need to be careful when you’re out with them.
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The Best Products to Protect Your Dog
As there are plenty of wild animals that can pose a threat to your dog, you’ll need to find ways to protect them. Luckily, it’s easier than you’d think to keep them safe, whether at home or on walks. Here’s what you can pick up to deter those wild animals.
A good leash: When walking your dog, it’s vital that you keep them on a leash at all times. That’s even more important as the nights get darker, as you don’t want to lose your dog in the shadows. Plus, with a leash, your dog can’t chase off after a wild animal and potentially get attacked. Pick a leash that allows you to control how far away your dog can get and is strong enough to keep them near you if they do see an animal.
Secure fencing: If your yard isn’t fully fenced in, then now is the time to get a fence put up. This will help keep a lot of wild animals out, keeping your dog safer when they’re out in the yard. Note that those fences won’t be able to stop all pests, so you’ll need to keep an eye on your pets whenever they use the yard.
Automatic lighting: Many wild animals are put off by bright lights. Animals like skunks and raccoons will be put off by them, so installing some lights is the best way to deter them. Try installing automatic lights in areas that the animals tend to frequent. They will be set off by movement, putting the animals off.
Sealed trash cans: Speaking of raccoons, you want to deter them from coming into your yard. If you stop them from getting food, then you can keep a lot of them away from your home. Raccoons are well known to rummage in garbage cans to get food, so look at yours. If the lids won’t seal on, get a garbage can that does. This will stop them from getting in, putting them off, and stopping them from coming into your yard.
One-way pest doors: Have you got wild animals in your attic? It’s a popular spot for animals as it offers shelter, being high up away from predators. If you’re hearing them move around up there, or have found signs of nesting like torn up insulation, then you can start keeping them out without needing poisons. Find the spot where the animals are coming in, and buy a one-way pest door to put over it. When properly installed, once an animal leaves the attic, they won’t be able to get back in the same way. This will deter them and keep your dog safe.
It’s important to keep your dog safe from wild animal attacks. As naturally curious creatures, you may find them investigating wild animals when they find them. If you want to keep them safe, pick up these products to deter as many wild animals as possible. Use these products, and keep a close eye on your dog, they should stay safe.