We never used to have coyotes
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Same here, lots now in this rural area. They are bold, a big dog coyote followed my nephew to his tree stand! But the injuries suffered by LL’s little dog sound more like raccoon. They are wicked fighters and will tear up a dog.
A little dog doesn’t have a chance. My neighbor got a video on his critter cam of a coyote carrying his Jack Russell off. One jumped the fence with another dog in its mouth. They never bothered my two Black Mouth Mountain Curs/Ferals, but my little dogs are inside after dark or I’m with them outside.
Little dogs are prey to all types of wild animals, including raccoons. Raccoons flip onto their backs and gut the dog with their feet. They have deadly claws. I have seen them mangle a hunting dog. A groundhog killed my neighbor’s beagle a few years ago. My big Rottweiler/Catahoula Leopard hound mix killed the groundhog a few days later.