> I would've thought that coyotes wouldn't bother dogs -- aren't they > similar lineage somewhere down the line?
Yes, but they will definitely pick off a dog or cat, no problem. I wouldn't even let a bigger dog out, but then, both of ours stay in a yard and come in at night mostly b/c I've had problems w/ neighbor dogs bothering my animals, and I don't want mine to be a nuisance too. But I won't take the chance on coyotes. I once watched a coyote (a very hungry female, apparently) go after the neighbor's dogs, at about 4:30 in the afternoon in the summer. The people were gone, left their dogs out loose--2 med sized and 2 small ones. The coyote would chase the dogs up to the house, where the dogs were more comfortable, at which point they would turn and chase the coyote away to the edge of their safely zone. Then THEY would turn around and run back towards the house, w/ the coyote chasing THEM. This went on for about 45 min., and the coyote almost caught one of the little ones a couple times. Robyn S
