So Ruby the Corgi and I are on our way home from our early-evening peregrination of the park when we encounter a wandering neighbor.
“There’s a coyote in the park!” exclaims she, her voice radiant with fear.
No kidding, think I. Y’know, they were here first….
Oh, well. I manage to keep my yap shut, except to thank her for the dire warning.
By and large, coyotes — even the urban variety — are more afraid of you than you are of them. If one approaches you, the correct response is to turn and face the little fella, glare at him, and firmly utter these words: No! Ba-a-a-d dog! BAD dog! GO HOME!!!
The standard coyote response to this is a horrified look that says, clear as any human language could say it, Good grief! This one’s crazy! Said realization crossing the critter’s mind, your dire enemy turns around and trots away from you.
LOL! But seriously: the presence of our coyote fellow citizens is the reason I carry a large, sturdy walking stick on the doggy-walks. Get smart with me, Fang, and I’ll knock you into the middle of next week!
By and large, though, coyotes are not interested in getting smart with you. They tend (wisely) to be afraid of humans. And so, nine times out of ten, if they spot you they’ll turn tail and trot off to the wide-open spaces. When walking your dog in our parts, your job (among several) is to keep your eyes open and maintain plenty of space between the wild canid and your pooch.
Remember: They’re more scared of you than you are of them. 😉