Neapolitan Mastiff
Posted on 12/07/2011 11:07:16 AM PST by skeptoid
At least two wolves chased down and killed a teacher who was jogging on a road last year outside a rural Alaska village, according to a report released Tuesday by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...
Don't understand "unable." Is it illegal? Don't the neighbors have guns? What's up with this?
“There’s a pretty excellent, albeit relatively concise book by British veterinarian David Alderton, titled, “The Wolf Within.” It’s an approach to dog ownership, training, etc. based entirely on the fact that deep down in their DNA, our best friends are essentially lupine beasts.”
In my suburban coastal area, the local environment has been stirred up, making some species move and adjust.
One such species known to adapt extremely well are coyotes, which are now dining frequently on pet cats. One was ours.
Somebody got a video nearby, at dawn driving into his neighborhood. There on the sidewalk ahead was a coyote, with a cat in his mouth. The coyote put the dead cat down, picked it back up, and strolled fearlessly down the sidewalk.
One thing which struck me in the video was the ease with which the coyote held the cat.
Ironically, for years my wife kept our cats inside, so they would be safe from cat fights, night howling, etc. She’d let them out at dawn for a piss and a bite to eat.
I guess the coyotes figured dawn is a good breakfast hunting time. My wife was more devestated over the loss of this pet, than over any previous loss.
He was a very cool guy. He was born in our closet, to a nearly feral mother.
*NOte—cat in video not ours.
I come from a ranching family, and the area I live in is not as remote or nearly as wild as Alaska, but it is all ranches, woods and acreage neighborhoods. We do not have the California-type predator problems because most people here have lived in the country for many years, although the gated neighborhoods have lots of transplanted townies.
After being nearly hunted to extinction here, mountain lions/cougars were quietly re-introduced to this part of Texas some 30 or more years ago, and are still a protected species. Because there was no big fanfare about the thing, people simply took better care to fence or bring in livestock at night-or put a couple of donkeys or llamas out with them. Llamas are very popular for that purpose, and are mean, fearless creatures that probably would try to bite and kick a tiger to death, never mind a cougar-they are very effective at limiting loss of livestock to predators like coyotes and mountain lions-we don’t have bears or wolves here.
I hike and spend a lot of time in the area of the woods I live next to several times a week. There are two resident cougars there who prey upon the almost-tame deer and the townies’ well-fed, slow domestic pets which are allowed to run loose and unfenced-no livestock for them. All the same, I carry a big walking stick, do not use headphones when listening to my music, do not hike alone in areas where there are cougar tracks nor ride my mountain bike on trails in those woods, and I never, EVER run or jog.
A bit of extra trouble, yes-but well worth the caution to enjoy unspoiled, car-free forest im my own back yard. Animals were here before people, period-anyone who isn’t able to co-exist without wanting to exterminate them needs to live in a city and do their jogging, walking, biking etc. on the sidewalk or in a city park.
Could have easily been a Griz, Brown or even a Black Bear..
No excuse for not being armed in Alaska.. especially in Alaska..
No permit is needed for having a pistol in Alaska..
Having a 22. cal pistol is simply just not enough..
Course filling out the paper-work after killing one of the beasts could bore you to death..
She probably appeared to the wolves to be an unattended child—a very tempting opportunity.
I’m so sorry about your cat-being eaten by coyotes is the unfortunate fate of many transplanted townies’ pets out here-dawn and dusk are the primary predator hunting times, according to my game warden neighbor-best to avoid hiking alone or letting a pet out at those times.
You cannot adopt a cat from the animal shelter in this or most other nearby counties unless it is neutered and you sign a paper that you will keep it totally indoors-my cats do not ever go outside, and my Husky only goes out if I’m with her-cougars get over fences to grab even large pet dogs outside alone.
Anatolian Shepherds are also excellent for protection against large predators, although llamas are more interesting animals.
I can imagine that at her height, her stride would have been very short as well, which might have made her even more appealing.
Poor woman. What a horrible way to die.
Neapolitan Mastiff
COULD have elicited a predatory response? They are predators. They always have a predatory response.
Oh my! I hope that annoying Chihuahua survived.
One of my neighbors who has a few fancy sheep has an Anatolian Shepherd that is a pet and sleeps indoors-since the sheep are behind an electric fence with a barn, I don’t suppose he has much guarding to do-he is friendly, but really scary looking and huge-I would not try to go onto their property uninvited...
Well, thank you for that amazing lesson on wolves. I just don’t wan to meet up with one myself! :o)
There is a Bull Mastiff living next door to me. I have a
15.5 pound Boston Terrier who only attacks Mastiffs and Dobermans. Well, He doesn’t actually attack them, but he gives them a good close up talking to, let me tell you. He is so protective! Small dogs no problem. All dogs are as wonderful as their owners are.
Have you read Dean Koonerz’s “A Big Little Life”? about a golden retriever he once had. Great book!
I have a friend who has an Anatolian Shepherd. A local tough guy sicced his pit bull on the shepherd. No more pit bull.
the your = your dog
Your dog obviously doesn't enjoy eating as much as Chunky Lucy does:
.
Yes, I can understand that. Wiki says these pups actively hunt predators in the vicinity of their flocks, even taking on wolf packs, and are capable of taking down lions.
Seems that as house pets they're not really into chew toys or playing fetch.
Lucy is lovely! Oliver loves to eat, but I feed him, according to instructions from our vet, 1/4 cup of Taste of the Wild kibble, with a tablespoon of Blue Buufalo meat twice a day.
No matter how early in the morning he eats his first meal, he is somehow able to tell me wihen his 3PM dinner time has arrived! Of course he gets a few milk bones and bread crusts in between meals. He also enjoys a tablespoon of ice cream for dessert in the summer time. He knows where it’s kept, too! :o)
Aren’t Bosties the greatest?
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