My dogs are dissapearing...

[Rainstorm]

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No game cam here, and its possible their could be some in there but doubt using a light would work, its a small pond full of weeds, most water in there would maybe be that if the dogs went in the middle it would come to right below their back

 

[catfish/okie]

Are Gators active year round? I ghess in south Florida they are. Is there anyone trapping in your area? I think a panther would prey on deer. A gator or a croc would be the only predatoy in Florida that would activaly prey on another predator other tan a hawk or owl and they wouldnt eat a big dog. Either a gator or a human would be killing dogs. Or maybe their with other dogs and will soon come back home. Do yopu live wihin a couple of miles of someone with cattle or sheep?

 

[Rainstorm]

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About a mile around is cows. But i've never seen anyone around, its just one of those fields you randomly see sometimes. I doubt there with other dogs. My cur and Dalmation was inseperable and they dissapeared at different times

 

[catfish/okie]

Hope you find your dogs. you love them and wish you the best of luck.

 

[mekasmom]

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Good Lord, don't tie them up. That is like a buffet for predators.

You need an LGD breed to keep away the coyotes. Keep them in pairs. And use a fence of some sort until they know exactly where their property is.

 

[Equest94]

I'm so sorry for your losses, but I do have to say I agree with what's been said.


You said that you can't fence areas of your property where you can't even walk through yourself.... is your entire land like this or do you have some clear lawn/yard space? You don't have to fence in your entire property; just a small portion of it.


My dog has a very very strong hunting drive. If you let her out and are not keeping her under supervision, she will run off after all sorts of game and be gone for hours. She came back one day - shot through her thigh with a pellet gun because one of our neighbor's accidentally mistook her for a coyote.... luckily that's all that happened to her, clean wound, she was fine... LUCKY!


Now we have acreage too but due to my dog's nature and to possibly getting killed, my family and I decided to get an invisible fence. We just "fenced in" part of our lot that we use as a backyard (the rest are fields and woods) and that's the only area she's allowed to go in, unless we are with her [and she's on a leash].

I really like the invisible fence. Since it's all underground, your property can maintain that "open look" while still giving your dog boundaries.... if this idea isn't something you are up for, then I recommend getting your remaining dogs (and future dogs) a run of some sort...


Again, I am so sorry for your loses, but please consider some of the options people on this forum gave you.

 

[horsejody]

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yes they roam free, and theres no one out here but us cept occasional people who come to the land next door cleaning up what the hurricane did a few years ago (yeah their slow) but they know our dogs and never bother them. I called the shelter about my lab a few months back and my dalmation last week. Nothing.

My neighbors assumed that their dogs weren't going far enough to bother anyone, but they were wrong. They were killing other people's animals. A dog can roam a very long distance. They become traffic hazards and create problems with other people's animals. Please don't let dogs roam. Check out the predator posts. Roaming dogs are trouble. If you care about your dogs, keep them home.

 

[vfem]

Well, last year my mother has lost 3 cats that left and never came home. She had them for YEARS and they never wondered too far before.

We're pretty sure it was coyotes... and she lived by a busy highway and town. However, we've found road kill coyotes over her way more then double what they have ever seen before. Plus people were reported shooting some in neighborhoods near where I am. This area is becoming more suburban then rural these days.... so there is no way to track where the animals will go. Or if we're in their way, they'll just stay.

I hope they come home!

 

[SarahBeth9394]

Unless you roam with your dogs all the time you can't say that your dogs don't cause trouble. Just because you haven't witnessed it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. You also say that there are cows all around. If there are cows there are cowboys and or cattle dogs. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if your dogs wandered into a cow field and got shot. That's why they call it SSS (shoot shovel shut up-emphasis on the shut up part). Either gators or cowboys most likely got your dogs. If you want to make sure you don't loose anymore then you have to make sure they don't roam.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I just wanted to remind you all that you don't have to fence your whole property. Go on craigs list every day and check the FREE and pet community ads. Place a wanted ad in the free section for used chain link or dog run panels. I have been poor my whole life, and thats what I do when I can't afford someethings (Which is pretty much always) People give away those chain-link dog kennels every once in a while. They also give away those small airline crates sometimes. Solve your problem by taking the time to find cheap or free kennels (Chain link fencing panels meant for dogs - also called dog runs) or used fencing. Lots of times you can have the stuff just by going and pulling the fence up.

Its the most obvious solution. If you do what I am suggesting, it won't matter what got your other dogs, the ones you have left won't be wandering around. End of story.