# Shepherd vs. Mountain Lion



## gsds_are_the_best (Feb 17, 2009)

Another example of how shepherds are amazing and fantastic animals. Takes on a much bigger animal in an attack, saves the owner in the process and survives the attack. 

Shepherd vs. Mountain Lion 

Video Story


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I hope the shepherd mix survives. What a brave dog.


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## ldpeterson (Feb 13, 2005)

So that beautiful powerful creature gets to be destroyed because a dog and it's owner were tracking through his/her territory. 

Geez. That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Hopefully they won't be able to find the mountain lion.


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## Winkin (Feb 21, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: mamagooseSo that beautiful powerful creature gets to be destroyed because a dog and it's owner were tracking through his/her territory.
> 
> Geez. That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.


I didn't see the article mention anything about the mountain lion being killed (unless it's in the video - can't watch, at work). I would doubt that a lab mix could deliver a fatal blow to a mountain lion. The dog probably just scared it away. And it doesn't mention anything about authorities finding/taking the lion.


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## ArmyGSD (Apr 27, 2009)

SEE DOGS BEAT CATS AGAIN.....YAY. Sorry I got excited. But I love it, this shows the love man's best friend has for his owner.

YAY DOGS


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Winkin
> I didn't see the article mention anything about the mountain lion being killed (unless it's in the video - can't watch, at work). I would doubt that a lab mix could deliver a fatal blow to a mountain lion. The dog probably just scared it away. And it doesn't mention anything about authorities finding/taking the lion.


It's the last paragraph in the article. Whenever a wild animal attacks a human they hunt it and put it down.


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## Winkin (Feb 21, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Jax08
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: Winkin
> ...


Oh wow - I don't know how I missed that, though it kind of blends in with the by-line.

That's a pretty out-dated and stupid rule/law. It's not like it went into some suburban community or something. Hopefully they do not locate it.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

What's especially sad is how many predators who had nothing to do with the incident often get killed until officials find the "correct" one (usually only determinable by examining the stomach contents post mortem).

I'm curious to know what sparked the "attack." Mountain lions can be predatory towards humans, more so than either bears or wolves, but those are a very particular kind of surprise attack and sadly, usually fatal to the human. When they say the animal "charged" them, I wonder what that really means? Like, were there cubs? Was it injured or cornered? Was it actually going for the dog, not the people in the first place? (Dogs often escalate animal attacks by putting wild animals into defensive positions.) Or was this a predatory attack on a human?


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## SpeedBump (Dec 29, 2008)

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/dog-campground-deputies-2393886-downing-department


> Quote: CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST – State Fish and Game authorities called off the hunt for a mountain lion Tuesday night after a Wildomar man whose dog was injured by the lion revealed that the cat likely acted in self-defense.
> 
> “It doesn’t look like the lion was interested in the dog as a meal,” said Fish and Game Lt. Dan Sforza. “It was just defending itself. We have a policy to determine if this is a public safety threat and I am not classifying it as that.”
> 
> ...


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

And there you go!!! 

Thanks for that. That is a very different spin on the situation and honestly, a much more plausible one, given the various animals' normal behavior. 

I LOVE hiking with dogs, but this is an excellent example of why they should be on leash or under good verbal control. Loose dogs frequently escalate wildlife encounters into injury, where they would otherwise have resolved with no contact at all.


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## Kayla's Dad (Jul 2, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: pupresqWhat's especially sad is how many predators who had nothing to do with the incident often get killed until officials find the "correct" one (usually only determinable by examining the stomach contents post mortem).
> 
> I'm curious to know what sparked the "attack." Mountain lions can be predatory towards humans, more so than either bears or wolves, but those are a very particular kind of surprise attack and sadly, usually fatal to the human. When they say the animal "charged" them, I wonder what that really means? Like, were there cubs? Was it injured or cornered? Was it actually going for the dog, not the people in the first place? (Dogs often escalate animal attacks by putting wild animals into defensive positions.) Or was this a predatory attack on a human?


The mountain range around and leading to Lake Elsinore is pretty heavliy populated with mountain lions and is also heavily used by people who thrive in the outdoors so the proximity plays a lot into the picture there. I spent a lot of time in that area when I lived in So Calif traversing and going to and through the mountains over to Lake Elsinore. Lots of hiking, mountain biking and camping. And a lot of encroachment from development. There have numerous encounters and I think one of the last fatalities in Calif was in that region. There was an attack on a woman mountain biking through some of the trails who was feature in one of those Animal Planet shows about folks who survive animals attacks.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

Oh, totally agree - encroachment is a huge part of predatory mtn lion attacks. So are natural game shortages which can be related to development. 

It was just that in this case, the description (even in the first article) didn't sound like the predatory attacks on mountain bikers and joggers that you do sometimes see. In those, typically it's a lightening fast surprise attack. This sounded more like what I guess actually happened - the mountain lion was not being aggressive but the dog provoked it into a defensive attack. Seen that a lot with bears too. Usually everyone just goes their separate ways but the dogs don't understand that and they get all keyed up and go for the animal.


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## mmarie (Feb 25, 2009)

I'm surprised I haven't heard about this one, I live in Lake Elsinore, moved from Mission Viejo a few months ago, take the drive through Ortega 4 days a week, and went camping at those camp grounds every year as a kid! Guess I've been in my own little bubble from finals crunch!


It's a shame that this happened, but I'm glad to hear the dog should be ok. Growing up in the area, knowing about the numerous attacks that happen, I don't think I could ever feel safe walking my dogs on a hike up there (on or off leash). When I went camping there as a kid there were ALWAYS notices posted around of people seeing a mountain lion warning people to be on the look out. We've had some bad attacks over the years, I hope this serves as a warning in the community and to members of this forum to be careful.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

I was stalked by a mountain lion while on a hike in southern California. He seemed to come from out of nowhere. I'm not sure what set him off. My dogs were near me; we were on a trail, and he suddenly appeared in a tree above us. 

I walked 3 miles backward, mostly downhill, with Grover next to me, carrying Zamboni who was so terrified she couldn't walk. I was scared. The mountain lion didn't back off until I was in my car. Then he walked off. 

I was dating a NPS ranger at the time, and when I got home, told him about the incident. He speculated that perhaps we got too close to a kill and the lion was backing us off of his dinner. I'll never know. I didn't notify the Forest Service because I didn't want the animal harmed. 

But the area that I was in was in the middle of Forest land. I was in his territory. But we hiked that area literally 4-5 days a week, almost year round. I'm sure he had seen us plenty of times before. Why that day? I don't know. 

Why did the cat in Blue Jay really attack? We don't know. 

I believe we take nature as we find it. And I'm as big of an eco-freak (actually bigger) as anyone, and that the mountain lion should not be destroyed. 

But there is no saying that the couple did anything wrong or that they weren't "careful" either.


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

I have to say, that looks like a lab/pit, not shepherd mix... My brother has a lab/pit who looks identical.

Cool story, glad they didn't take it our on the cat. Everyone went home.


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