Residential coyote deterrent?

December 24, 2023 12:38 PM

I'm looking for advice on keeping our small dogs from becoming coyote Scooby snacks.

We live in a residential area outside Portland. Our yard (about 1/2 an acre) backs up to a creek, so we have lots of wildlife in the area and in our yard. We knew there were coyotes in the area, having seen them at night on the wildlife cameras we put up in our yard, as well as having seen one on the street nearby at dusk and heard from neighbors about run-ins (again, around nighttime).

We have two small dogs (dog tax), and have been cautious when letting them out in the yard at night. We never leave them unattended, and turn on the lights and check the area close to the house (their potty zone) before letting them out. Well, we just had a daytime run-in between a (very healthy looking) coyote and our younger dog, in broad daylight. Granted, daytime is a relative term; it's very overcast today and the amount of light is similar to summertime dusk. The coyote was pretty close up to the house, though not in the area directly outside the house.

Fortunately, my husband saw the coyote and started yelling, which likely helped scare it away. Our dog backed the coyote down and out of the yard, which is surprising, given she's about 15 lbs. But she's not the brightest bulb, and if the coyote hadn't hightailed it out of there, she probably would have tried to make friends with it. We also have an elderly dog, who moves much slower and would not have been so fortunate. So, I'd like to explore more proactive options for keeping the coyotes out of our yard, at least while we and the dogs are out there.

Constraints to consider:

• Our yard is fenced on three sides. Due to the creek at the bottom, it isn't amenable to fencing the far side. Even if we did, they'd likely come up the creek itself, as it isn't especially deep. When installing the fence, we considered fencing in a portion before the creek, but this would diminish the enjoyment of the full yard (which was a big selling point for us when we bought the house).
• I've looked at some resources for coyote deterrence, and most of the scent based deterrents require reapplication after rain. Living in Portland, this makes them largely useless for the majority of the year.
• I also saw light and sound based deterrents. We try to be good stewards to the wildlife that lives in our yard and the surrounding area. Our yard is landscaped with native and wildlife supporting plants, and we have a healthy ecosystem that lives in it. We have a beaver hut in our portion of the creek, along with lots of birds and small mammals in the yard. I don't want to disrupt the existing wildlife, so something like constantly flashing lights seems like a no-go. We also have neighbors across the creek from us, who would likely not appreciate such a thing themselves.
• The main goal is to ensure the yard is free from coyotes when we let the dogs outside. I'm not especially concerned if they travel through our yard or hang out at other times. If there were a sound based deterrent we could use before letting the dogs outside, that would be ideal.
• I've also seen things like the Coyote Vest for small dogs. We might get some for our dogs, but it's a lot to get them both dressed before every bathroom break. I'm also skeptical if they actually protect/deter predators.

posted by bluloo to Science & Nature (8 answers total)

Response by poster: Forgot to add this to the question: is there a way to make scent based deterrents work? Maybe a covered container or something else that might be resistant to the rain?
posted by bluloo at 12:49 PM on December 24, 2023

Best answer: I think you're right that using scent-based deterrents will be quite a hassle in your rainy environment.

An easier method in your situation would be to go outside and make some noise with a whistle, air horn, or a coyote shaker [pdf] before you let the dogs out. Turning on some floodlights at the same time would also help. This would usually scare off any coyotes in the vicinity. Always accompany your dogs while they're outside, even after doing this.

Here's some good info [pdf] that includes links to other noisemaking products, although they tend to be meant for use on farms and rangeland to keep predators away from livestock.

Those vests will help deter coyotes and raptors from carrying off small dogs, but it's still possible for the dogs to be harmed in an encounter, since their heads are exposed.
posted by theory at 2:10 PM on December 24, 2023 [1 favorite]

Preventing Conflicts section of the Washington State Dept of Wildlife website has some good ideas, including fencing solutions.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/canis-latrans#living
posted by Arctostaphylos at 2:31 PM on December 24, 2023

The only way to be 100% sure a coyote will not get at your dogs is to have you out there with them, leashed, as much light as possible and a stout stick in your other hand. Or pepper spray or an airhorn or a pistol, something that will stop a coyote. That is probably not ideal for you, but it is what I would try to do if it were my doggos.
posted by vrakatar at 3:46 PM on December 24, 2023 [2 favorites]

we considered fencing in a portion before the creek, but this would diminish the enjoyment of the full yard (which was a big selling point for us when we bought the house)

You might consider fencing in a smaller portion of the yard as your safe-for-dogs zone and confine the dogs to that area when you let them out. You can install additional gates if you want easier access to the far side of the zone. The full area outside the zone would still be accessible to local wildlife; your dogs don't need a full half-acre to themselves.
posted by Umami Dearest at 8:16 PM on December 24, 2023 [6 favorites]

I see you've picked theory's answer, but please consider what vrakatar writes: you need to be WITH YOUR DOG. Our dog was taken by a coyote a few feet from our house while I was nearby making noise. (I managed to chase off the coyote but our dog was badly ripped up, poor creature, and we got big vet bills). When it's time to feed their pups coyotes are particularly unafraid.
posted by anadem at 8:37 PM on December 24, 2023 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: Hi folks, as a reminder, we already are with our dogs in the yard. Please focus responses on deterrents, with the constraints listed in the question. Thanks!
posted by bluloo at 9:06 PM on December 24, 2023

The only reliable way to keep a pet safe outdoors from medium to large predators is to put it inside a fenced area that animals cannot dig under or easily climb over.
The same system applies to livestock such as poultry or rabbits. Hutches and coops provide shelter, but are not protection by themselves.

Coyotes are one threat. Depending on your location, so are bears, wolves, wildcats, feral pigs, and stray dogs. Dealing with more than one predator at a time is another possibility.
It just takes a moment for a predator to dart in and attack or for your pet to slip a leash/break loose and run away.

Lights and sounds are helpful to a point. They can also annoy your neighbors.
Dusk and dawn are prime hunting times, but an attack can occur at any time. Brush and structures are used as hiding places while waiting for prey to appear.
Predators return to places where animals eat and defecate. Smells are an indicator of what is found in the area and how often prey returns.
Predators will learn your routines. If you bring your pet out at the same time and location each day and make enough noise, they will be ready.

Clean up scat and do not leave food outside. This can attract other animals to the area for predators to hunt.
Consider having personal protection in case of an animal attack. Pepper spray works for me against small predators. Otherwise, I would use something with more force on a bobcat or a boar.
posted by TrishaU at 11:45 PM on December 25, 2023 [1 favorite]