Close ecounters of the WRONG kind!

[Dar]

Quote:
O thinks goodness.... I can honestly say I have never seen a coyote up-close and I dont want to

 

[KKatknap]

Yeah - my guess is dog. Coyotes are generally the size of a medium dog...and I would bet money they would check out the coop before coming to your back door.

 

[OverEggstended]

Perhaps this will help:
http://facultyfiles.deanza.edu/images/donahuemary/wolfcoyotefoxsizecomparison.jpg

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...+size&hl=en&sa=N&um=1&ei=t49WS5OkOKLENJqmpdEE

This one is pretty helpful as it has pawprint measurements: http://www.huntwolves.com/assets/images/wolf-vs-coyote.jpg

 

[SunnyDawn]

I'd guess you are right. If your son saw the neighbor's dog that's probably what it was. Plus KKatknap had a very good point, if it was a coyote or a wolf, it most likely would have headed to the coop first. It sounds more like dog behavior to go to your back door (looking for handouts) instead.

 

[the Pollo Loco]

any votes for bigfoot?

 

[Ariel301]

If the kids think it was as big as or bigger than the malamute, it was a dog. Coyotes are pretty small, usually 20-40 pounds. Coyotes can get really bold though, we've had them come right up to the porch. A wolf would not likely come that close to anything smelling like people unless it was already used to people, and they don't normally travel alone either.

 

[theFox]

Been any grey wolf sightings around your area, you do have them in Ontario.

http://www.discover-southern-ontario.com/grey-wolf.html

They aren't exactly small like a 'yote.

Can't really tell from the photo what made those tracks except it is a canine of some type.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

A coyotes tracks will be narrower than a domestic dog . The front 2 toenails will almost touch. You have a stray dog running around.

 

[Dar]

Quote:
my son does not know what the neighbors dog looks like... our closest neighbor who has a dog is driving distance.. ..

But I am feeling better that it was just a dog... phew.... thanks everyone

 

[Randy]

Those look like dog tracks to me. To be honest though, as far as your kids go, a lot more people are killed/mauled/bitten by dogs than coyotes so I would be more worried if it was a strange dog.