We keep a close eye on our old dog around here as well. Coyotes aplenty and mountain lions spotted once in a while hereabouts too, though never by me. I wouldn’t want to shoot either of them, but wouldn’t hesitate to to save our pup.
Can you imagine gardening in some parts of Africa? You might have to keep your head on a swivel for things that weren’t necessarily after the tomatoes.
The poisonous snakes (mambas, cobras, vipers) in Africa give me the heebie jeebies, too. Around here, we just have Copperheads (Timber Rattlers in the mountains about 2 hours away - see plenty of them hiking; water moccasins 2-3 hours east)). So far, no Coppers in the garden, but we do have a lot of Black Widow Spiders. I don’t pick anything up with my bare hands (boards, pots, buckets, etc.). I’ll take a hoe, rake or something like that to turn over first what I’m picking up. I have an old trash can I use to store water for the sun to heat up - had to move it about 3 weeks ago & was careful with the lid (leather gloves, for one thing) & sure enough, there was a big fat Black Widow under the edge, guarding her very large egg case.
Heavens, and all I worry about are deer! I shall consider myself lucky.