On Thu, 11 Feb 2016 13:18:12 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/11/2016 1:09 PM, wrote:
On Thu, 11 Feb 2016 09:42:53 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"

I doubt a coyote would screw with Ed. He would be giving up 70-80
pounds but the dog I have had that would give him the most trouble
would be Auggie, a bulldog/hound mix. I got him from the pound but the
good old boys around here said he looked like a "hog dog", the dogs
they use to run wild hogs. He was short but 75 pounds of solid muscle.
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/Auggie%20on%20watch.jpg


The big difference is their instincts vs domestication. A dog that has
been domesticated since a puppy basically keeps a "puppy" mentality all
his life. He doesn't have to hunt and kill for food. A wild dog that
has never been in the care of humans will act more like a wolf or coyote
and instincts take over. A coyote knows to go for the throat of
whatever he's trying to kill. A scared dog might just bite you in the ass.


Auggie was definitely more of a country dog than Ed. I was trying to
wrangle a black snake out of the screen cage and Auggie went right
after him. The snake went instantly from threat mode to protect
himself mode. I guess they understand when something presents a real
danger.
I feel the same about a lot of animals. If you just look at them like
a predator, they will leave you alone. That is why when you have a
gun, game runs away. I doubt the animal actually recognizes a gun but
they do sense your attitude and the fact that you are hunting them.

On a smaller scale, try it with a fly and a fly swatter. That fly that
will not leave you alone when you are blindly swatting at him will
disappear when you actually take an aimed shot at him. Same is true of
paper wasps. If you take a well aimed swing at one or just watch them
like you are going to, they will leave you alone. I have knocked down
the nest with my bare hand and not been stung. Just be sure you engage
the "guard" wasp. There will be one. The rest key off him. If he
stings you, plan on being stung by all of them.