# Tehya Vs Raccoon



## Gemfire (Feb 19, 2013)

We recently moved to a new house, and I guess we now have to worry about raccoons. I let Tehya out early yesterday morning (5am - still dark), and she immediately saw a raccoon on the fence, which is a 6 foot wooden fence on top of a 2 foot wall. Tehya managed to use the wall as a springboard to jump up and pull the raccoon off the fence. The during the fight, the raccoon bit her ear, and she has a small scratch on her leg. As far as I know, the raccoon is unhurt, although there was some raccoon fur in the yard afterwards. I had to go out and physically grab my dog, and then the raccoon ran up a tree. Yeah, we need more recall work! She went to the vet and they wanted to sedate her and stitch her ear, but it was just too much money for something that was purely cosmetic. Once the vet shaved her ear, she put in this staple which she said may do the trick if I can keep her from pulling it out. That and a round of antibiotics and she should be fine. Ugh. That was one expensive potty break.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Did you boost her Rabies vaccs?


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## Gemfire (Feb 19, 2013)

She just got her booster 2 months ago, so they said she should be fine there. I'll be taking her to her regular vet on Friday, so we'll see if they agree.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Yes be careful. I have to worry about skunks and suicidal squirrels. Midnite almost got a squirrel 20 minutes ago. It happened so fast that by the time I knew what was happening the squirrel made it out of the yard. I have to work on the recall-in the sense I gotta call the dog and not yell at the squirrel to run faster:wink2:


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## Deb (Nov 20, 2010)

We have problems with raccoons as well. My oldest son bought bungies for the garbage cans to try to keep the ***** out, until my younger son opened a can to put garbage in and found a huge **** IN the can! We also deal with possums who think nothing of sitting on the front deck, also armadillos who in the past actually attacked one of my dogs. Squirrels are everywhere and the occasional coyotes come up. Keeping rabies up to date is important.


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## Deb (Nov 20, 2010)

Sorry, won't let me edit. I wanted to say I'm so glad Tehya only suffered an injury to her ear and the scratch on her leg.


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## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

If you know that there are raccoons around, you may want to consider adding Lepto to your vaccination schedule.

I know it's somewhat controversial (and it's been debated here before). Personally, I've watched far too many wild animals walk/drink/swim/pee all over our property where my dogs also walk/drink/swim, so all of our family's canines get the shot. If you're on the fence, run the matter past your vet and see what his/her recommendation is. Mine agreed with me.


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## Gemfire (Feb 19, 2013)

Thanks. I'm hoping the raccoon doesn't come back, but I have a few fruit trees, so that's probably wishful thinking, although there's no fruit this time of year. 

I don't think they can get into the my trash cans, but the neighbors' are easily accessible. Tehya has been vaccinated against lepto in the past, but I think her booster was due in August. Time to get that done!

Funny, I moved from a very rural area surrounded by forest and never had animal trouble, and now live in a regular neighborhood and the squirrels, rats, and raccoons are out of control.


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## Dalko43 (Mar 30, 2015)

My family had a racoon get into their fenced-in backyard once. It put a pretty sizable gash in the family's Australian shepherd which needed suturing. Of course, a 100lb GSD was also in that backyard, so when I went out to investigate what had happened, all I found was the racoon's left rear quarter.


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## Saito (Dec 3, 2015)

For a little while we were somewhat concerned about raccoons getting near. Long story short, our boy seemed to be very protective around the back parameter of our yard where there are plenty of bushes & trees, while trying to sniff out things & marking extra over there. He's been much more laxed about it the past few weeks, though. Perhaps they've decided to relocate? I haven't been hearing the noises coming from back there anymore. I don't see a raccoon being able to be lethal towards him, but I'm sure scratches & cuts could become infected. But they surely could snatch up one of our little ones. Plus, I really don't want to deal with a raccoon carcass. 

Squirrels...he got one the other weekend. I didn't even know for a bit. I had him outside to go potty while I began cooking & checking on him every couple of minutes (back door is through the kitchen, plus a window looking out for 'peaks' between stepping out). I step out and see him just sitting on the deck, just looking at the yard. I bring him back in. Moments later, he's whining at the door to go back outside. "Did you forget to go pee while out there?" Let him out. Turned stove to low and step outside to see him just standing there with a squirrel in his mouth, at the spot he was looking towards just moments before. "Oh...okay... you forgot you had caught a squirrel, huh? Drop it. Good boy. Follow me."
Thankfully, he just catches stuff. Doesn't try eating anything, nor tears anything apart (which is surprising, since he loves nothing more to do with toys than to just tear them apart). He just catches things and then looks at me like, "uhhh...so I caught this...what do I do now?" He's up to date on all his shots, so not too concerned about him just doing a quick snatch & kill.
Same "what do I do now?" face the very next day with the shrew thingy (yet another! When will they learn?) he caught.


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