What do I do when I encounter a coyote or bobcat?

They’re afraid of people. Yell and they run away.

And as others have mentioned, protect the dog. A coyote or bobcat won’t try to take the dog from you, but I’ve known ten-pound dogs that would attack ANYTHING, regardless of size.

A balance between not appearing as a threat and not appearing as prey !!
Yep,you need to guard your dog as they will definitely make a snack out of it.

I think what you described makes sense. You’re protecting the dog and looking bigger at the same time.

Try to make noise when you’re out for a walk. Talk to your dog, or on the phone.

Scream.

A coyote grabbed my cousins dog in her back yard. She went after it, but the coyote ran with the dog and killed it. He was a medium sized dog. I don’t think I would chance walking it where a coyote could grab it.

Would you really risk your own safety for a chihuahua?! OMG.

If you hold it over your head, what would you defend yourself with when it attacks (and we are assuming it’s going to attack, or there wouldn’t be a point in holding it over your head).

I would scream and run at the animal.

I would talk to the local game wardens and neighbors with dogs.They can tell you what their experiences have been.

We have coyotes here but they appear to scatter when humans are around. However, they and the foxes did pick off all my sister’s chickens, roosters, and guinea fowl.

Bob cats have also been sighted, but I have not heard of any human + dog and bobcat encounter. But better safe than sorry.

I spotted a fox tailing my cat last spring, but I yelled and the fox took off.

Call upon the spirit of the wolf

@mrrich724 Of course she would risk her life for her dog. I would risk my life for a dog long before I would think of risking it for a random person.

Do you have a firearm? Carry it for protection when you walk. Works better than yelling against four legged predators. It is great against two legged ones as well.

I have a German Shepherd that carries a bat for me on our walks in the woods.
lol!I will use it to pummel any coyote that has the nerve to approach us.
Coyotes have been known to go after bigger dogs too.In my area,there was a Labrador Retriever and a Bull Mastiff that were attacked by coyotes.My sister-in-law’s cat was killed by them last year.
I have only seen a bobcat once and it wanted to get away.

Toot an air horn a couple times or shoot a couple of bottle rockets before your walk.

Back away from the bobcat slowly and deliberately
Avoid running away because that could trigger a pursuit response
If possible, spray the animal with water
When possible make a lot of noise (banging pans, for instance, or blowing an air horn)

I’ve seen a coyote snatch a Chihuahua off the end of a leash and run off with it. “Hey honey, want Mexican food tonight?” The hungrier they get the more aggressive they get. I carry a stun baton and a small .22 revolver like this one: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_abaJ0xbRju4/SczxsOmatcI/AAAAAAAABJI/oK_x2zI-e8I/s400/North+American+Arms+Model+NAA22S+mini-revolver,+chambered+in+.22+Short.jpg

This happened to me once. I was walking my dog and a cougar cub stepped onto the road, looked away from me, then looked right at me. I stopped and stared, I didn’t even have a chance to think. After making eye contact it turned and leaped back into the woods. My dog and I continued walking (I went straight home). This was especially scary as the mother must have been near by, and I imagine would have been protective of any perceived threat to her cub! It was pure instinct to just stop and stare it down, it happened very fast. I was lucky I guess.

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I agree with the person who said to carry a firearm. Have a firearm with you so you can shoot the wild animal if it poses a threat, in that situation it is either me or them and guess what I choose me. You dont necessarily have to shoot the wild animal, just shooting the gun, the sound of it will scare them away. If the wild animal is rabid you would want to shoot it to keep it from infecting other animals with rabies.

A fire arm is a great suggestion, only they aren’t very easy to aim. In Illinois, it is illegal to carry, but really who cares. I just get nervous that if the dog and coyote(s) were in battle, I don’t have shooting mastered enough to gaurantee that I would actually hit the coyote instead of my precious doggie. C3 (mase), a knife, or perhaps a bat?
Every time I have seen coyotes in my neighborhood, there are always 3 or 4 of them, then what?

Mace? Pepper spray? Usually coyotes stay away from humans, but a small dog may look like a nice canapé to them.

I am unfamiliar with bobcats. Again I suggest a call to your local aggie extension or the game warden. There should be good resources given the amount of huntable animals on your property alone.

A bobcat, look as big as you can and make as many menacing noises as you can. a coyote submit. roll onto your back and show the whites of your eyes. then get out of its territory while closely watching it.