# An owl just tried to grab my puppy...



## llombardo

I was in the yard with the dogs when out of the corner of my eye I seen this huge thing swooping down and going back up. It was going right for my puppy, thank God Midnite ran to the puppy to play with him. I'm sure Midnite doesn't know what he did, but I believe he saved the puppy's life. The puppy will now be on a leash out in the yard, until he gets bigger. That was scary.


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## selzer

How old is the puppy?


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## Chicagocanine

Wow, glad he's ok! That is scary! I've heard of small dogs being injured by hawks trying to carry them off before (even if they were too big to actually fly away with them).


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## llombardo

The puppy is 14 weeks, he is a little taller then a large skunk. The owl would have been able to grab him, but I'm not sure it would have been able to hold him.


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## shugarhey

Wow, how crazy... did the puppy see the owl coming? 

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## llombardo

shugarhey said:


> Wow, how crazy... did the puppy see the owl coming?
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Not at all, he was to busy playing.


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## llombardo

Before I moved I was outside with Robyn(full grown female GSD) and a hawk came at her. It swooped up when it was about a foot above her head. She didn't even flinch, but boy did I jump.


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## brembo

There is a Barred Owl  around here that might possibly make off with a puppy. It's huge, makes crows look like sparrows. I know this because the crows chase it off when it comes around.

I watched a barred kill a rabbit while out riding trails a few years back. It had a bit of issue carrying the rabbit in flight, but it ended up with a 2-3 pound rabbit 30 or so feet up in a tree.


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## JanaeUlva

I had what I think was a Barred Owl swoop down right over the heads of my two full-grown GSD. I reflexively ducked my head because I was just a bit behind them. I thought maybe he was just checking us out  but I was surprised how low he got over the dogs!


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## pets4life

probably pissed off, and has a nest near by or chicks or prey, owls also just don't like canines

it was not going to eat your puppy though i doubt


barred owl is a medium sized owl they are not that strong like a great horned owl, they don't have the feet power, there is a lot of myth about them going on. They weigh a max of 2 pounds I think IF that.


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## LARHAGE

I have a pair of Great Horned Owls on my property, they nest there every fall through Spring when they raise their young, they are in the Joshua trees right outside my arena, they have seen me every Fall for 11 years and have never bothered me or my dogs, including my Chihuahua who wanders around my property, but, they attacked and killed one of my barn cats and are very aggressive towards my cats, I love looking at them and listening to them at night, and I love to get up close and look at their babies when they start to sit on the tree branches, they are beautiful birds.


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## selzer

My puppies start carrying themselves outside at about 3 weeks. I worry about hawks and eagles, not usually owls. 

I usually put up a sun screen over the kennel area so that the birds wouldn't be able to swoop down and carry them away. So far I haven't lost a pup this way. I worry just as much about snakes. I mean black snakes are docile, but they can eat a rat or other small critters, and they get big. They could eat a puppy. So far, it hasn't been an issue, and the little copperheads I have found are even more scary, but I have only seen two since I have moved here.


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## doggiedad

oh boy, i know that was scarey. we have hawks, owls,
fox, raccons, shunks, possums, humming birds, sparrows,
mosquitos, ugly people, etc. none of which i trust around a puppy.


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## selzer

doggiedad said:


> oh boy, i know that was scarey. we have hawks, owls,
> fox, raccons, shunks, possums, humming birds, sparrows,
> mosquitos, ugly people, etc. none of which i trust around a puppy.


The ugly people are ok, because everyone is watching out for them. It's the good looking people you have to worry about. 

At my place, I don't like spiders and snakes. Not too fond of the big birds either, but so far, they have stayed away from the house. The fox, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, and bears really aren't a problem, because my crew sound off, and the wild things generally decide not to tangle with the GS pack up on the hill -- they don't bother my outter fences.


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## doggiedad

you can't hear an owl approaching.



shugarhey said:


> Wow, how crazy... did the puppy see the owl coming?
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## shugarhey

doggiedad said:


> you can't hear an owl approaching.


Yes, I figured that... just wondering if the pup had gotten a glimps of the owl as it missed him .
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## blehmannwa

A Great Snowy Owl once was very interested in my Papillon. We were staying in a cabin in Montana and I was 19 or so. I let my little dog off leash to romp in the mountains. I was watching her when I saw movement in a tree. An owl had ruffled her wings and pivoted its head to watch her.
I called her right back but on the way she found a garter 
snake which she proudly carried into the cabin.

This is why I live in the city.


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## jafo220

doggiedad said:


> you can't hear an owl approaching.




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This. 

There is nothing like walking into the woods at 4:30 am and being dived on by and owl. Problem is, you don't notice it until they are right over your head or almost over your head. Thier wingspan make them look amazingly huge, especially when they suprise you. I was always amazed at how well they can fly or glide through the trees in thick cover. I have trouble walking through an empty parkinglot.


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## Nigel

blehmannwa said:


> A Great Snowy Owl once was very interested in my Papillon. We were staying in a cabin in Montana and I was 19 or so. I let my little dog off leash to romp in the mountains. I was watching her when I saw movement in a tree. An owl had ruffled her wings and pivoted its head to watch her.
> I called her right back but on the way she found a garter
> snake which she proudly carried into the cabin.
> 
> This is why I live in the city.


Nothing like the feeling of knowing you're not on top of the food chain anymore, lol. That said, I feel safer walking through the forest at night than I do in some parts of the town I live in. I'd rather take my chances with critters.


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## pets4life

a black rat snake could never eat a gsd pup, they cant eat cats either they are terrified of them they look big but they max out at 3 pounds when they are 7 feet 

a 7 foot black rat snake is very rare


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## pets4life

the snakes with venom can hurt a gsd but none of our non venom snakes other than introduced giants can hurt a gsd pup our largest snake is the indigo snake it lacks the expanding ability of other snakes and feeds on other snakes like full grown rat snakes using its power to just chomp them down alive. If it sees a cat or a puppy it will ignore them. Or just avoid them. Its not into chickens either. King, racers, and indigo all eat copperheads and rattlers.


Owls are scary if they don't like you. I am way more scared of an owl that is mad at me than a pack of coyotes. I just know the coyotes wont do anything. The owl will. I love them tho. They are brave powerful beautiful birds. They usually win every fight they start.


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## mbussinger166

When my terrier was a puppy I had a similar incident involving a hawk. very scary, I'm glad he's ok. The owl most likely would not have been able to fly away with him, but could have done substantial harm.


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## Neko

Wow glad all is ok!


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## selzer

I saw a HUGE black snake in my yard, years ago. And, because I don't like spiders and snakes, I did not actually go over and measure how long it was or weigh it. But it was definitely a large black snake. A GSD puppy is born about 12 ounces to 20 ounces. by week three they are about 3-4 pounds. So, you are probably right, the black snake is not a problem at that point. 

Perhaps it is like people who fear dogs, GSDs look huge to them. As I was ducking out of the way of a mud wasp today, I thought how ironic it was that I have no fear of a critter that is between 60 and 90 pounds and has pretty formidable teeth, and I am afraid of this miniscule instinct that flies and stings. 

That snake was funny though. It was actually moving above the grass, and curved up taller than the grass. It was big. So far the snakes haven't been a problem, probably because it isn't possible, but I still worry about them. I mean I was thinking they eat rats and rabbits. But its mostly rats, mice, chipmunks, etc. Very young puppies are not much bigger than a rabbit.


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## Dainerra

actually, a black snake that large can TRY to eat a GSD pup. It's not uncommon for a snake to "bite off more than it can chew" and leave the body behind when it finds it can't swallow it.

We ended up having to kill a 5 1/2' black snake last year once he had decided that eggs were an easier meal than catching rats. Hated to do it, he had lived in the old barn for years without a problem and kept the copperheads away. But it was kill him quickly or put out fake eggs that would kill him slowly.
Anyway, he had also killed a young rooster. Much to big for him to swallow but you could tell that he had tried and then left it.


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## belladonnalily

Years ago a hawk kept swooping down at my female Blue Heeler. Finally he got too close and my heeler grabbed him, shook him and it was over for him in seconds.

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes. I knew she was quick and tenancious, but that hawk never had much chance to realize his mistake 

And I have no idea why he was after a 50+ lb dog...

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## pets4life

hawk did not try to kill ur heeler it was a nest protection defense they can get so brave they become suicidal here let me show you guys, NOT EVERY ANIMAL they attack is prey i will show you

HEre you see a hawk land and attack an eagle, the eagle is not prey, the hawk is very angry the eagle flew by its territory, so mad that the hawk commit suicide they say it was after the chicks no hawk is going to dare touch an eagles chick while the eagle is there, the hawk was furious for other reasons. 

3/24/2013 Red Tailed Hawk tries to attack nest, gets killed by parent. , DFEagleCam Captured on Ustreamuke Farms Eagle Camera Wild Animals



HEre you will see eagles attacking brown bears we know they do not hunt brown bears they attack them out of many reasons, prey they dont like to compete, nesting, they dont want a bear near their nest sites, etc.. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV3ajQRniNg


Or territory these goldens may just not like the bear around where they are hunting 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWaosOaURfU


Here an owl attacks a pack of wolves and pulls chunks of fur out them this owl does have a nest but she will go very far from her nest and attack animals that are far far away, shes not going to take a risk 

Grey wolf video - Canis lupus - ar11 - ARKive


They don't wanna prey they wanna drive away 


NOT always the case a eagle can or owl once in a blue moon may kill a cat or dog (cats are very hard to kill because birds of prey die 24 hours after a cat kill due to infection from bites or claw marks ) But small dogs can be killed and in case of golden eagle desperation a haunting dog may be killed sometimes. 


the hawks we see the small red tails, goshawks, barred owls amost never attack dogs or cats but might once in a blue moon the smallest of them all for prey. Attacks are always defense. Cats are predators of nests, dogs are potential hazards and predators also of nesting owls. 

Like the other poster said not all of them are like this. Canines like foxes and coyotes are just not liked and will be attacked and hit hard, WOlves bears you name it will be smashed.


While swimming my dog has been attacked in the head by mallard ducks, caspian terns, red wing black birds (yes it was funny) On land shes been attacked by blue jays and even crows have attacked her. She doesnt even attack birds or show interest. Out of no where a bird sometimes will just smack her in the head while out in the woods lol 

USUALLY during spring when shes swimming the mallards will land on her head, she just ignores them and keeps swimming. Canada geese also will hiss at her and threaten her with wings. At my parents lake.


Also do you guys see all those crows and sea gulls attacking hawks? word is called mobbing. Sometimes they misjudge and get killed. Sometimes a bigger stronger gull species like a great black backed gull or common raven will kill a smaller hawk or falcon during mobbing.


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## pets4life

selzer said:


> I saw a HUGE black snake in my yard, years ago. And, because I don't like spiders and snakes, I did not actually go over and measure how long it was or weigh it. But it was definitely a large black snake. A GSD puppy is born about 12 ounces to 20 ounces. by week three they are about 3-4 pounds. So, you are probably right, the black snake is not a problem at that point.
> 
> Perhaps it is like people who fear dogs, GSDs look huge to them. As I was ducking out of the way of a mud wasp today, I thought how ironic it was that I have no fear of a critter that is between 60 and 90 pounds and has pretty formidable teeth, and I am afraid of this miniscule instinct that flies and stings.
> 
> That snake was funny though. It was actually moving above the grass, and curved up taller than the grass. It was big. So far the snakes haven't been a problem, probably because it isn't possible, but I still worry about them. I mean I was thinking they eat rats and rabbits. But its mostly rats, mice, chipmunks, etc. Very young puppies are not much bigger than a rabbit.



also they will go for a baby duck young rabbit or chicken but they would not go for a baby kitten with its mother right there, or much worse a gsd. Snakes are not smart but they are not suicidal. Dogs are predators to them just like cats and they will avoid it. I am shocked it actually got in your yard. They only get in mine when the dog or cats are not around because of the birds.


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## pets4life

pets4life said:


> also they will go for a baby duck young rabbit or chicken but they would not go for a baby kitten with its mother right there, or much worse a gsd. Snakes are not smart but they are not suicidal. Dogs are predators to them just like cats and they will avoid it. I am shocked it actually got in your yard. They only get in mine when the dog or cats are not around because of the birds.



Just wanted to show you this, black snakes can take a kitten also but I have never heard of it happening, I think they can sense what is their predators offspring and tend to avoid. 







Just like they never take fox cubs, or weasels, minks etc.. They seem to have limits on certain things they will go for and avoid. A 3 6 or 7 pound black snake wont eat something more than 1-2 pounds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2zJ53S_drc


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## ODINsFREKI

Hawks, eagles and owls up here on the mountain. Just keep an eye on the puppy. Keeping the puppy on a leash would only make things worse. It would keep the prey in one specific area. If you see a bird of prey stalking your puppy or dog, go out and play with the dog and stare at the bird. This most often works, if not, break out the bear swatter and spray away.


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