Dogs and wildlife...?

Question

I'm not talkin' chipmunks, squirrels and skunks.

We're hoping to take a trip to Canada and we would like to bring our dogs. I'm worried about wildlife though. We plan on staying in a cabin on a lake (hopefully secluded). My dogs have never seen bear, moose or even deer for that matter. I'm not sure that my little JRT would back down from anything.

We're not hunters although we will, of course, have guns with us.

What concerns should we have?

(I'm asking those that have experience with northern wildlife and dogs.)

Bummer, didn't want to tie them up. They listen to us, I'm not worried about them running off, I'm worried about what we might encounter.

It would be a summer trip.

Scooter...that's an awesome point, keeping something loud on their collars, I hadn't thought about that.

Answer 1

I live in Canada and have taken my dogs (some anyway) camping. With my beardie, we had deer coming right up to the picnic table and he didn't make a sound - just watched them. You do need to watch out around bears - black bears are afraid of dogs but grizzlies are attracted to dogs - wherever you're going, you can check with local fish and wildlife or a ranger if you'll be in a park to find out if there are grizzlies around.

My afghans were of course not given free run because they would chase down a deer.

With your JRT your main concern would be him going after an animal and getting lost, so if he's not reliable, you want to keep him close to you so you can grab him if need be. (A moose or deer would run from a dog, never confront it unless they're trapped.)

Answer 2

Hi there we live in Upper Michigan and run the dogs in the woods all the time, we have encountered bob cats, fox, deer, moose, and bear as well as coyotes Keep an ever watchful eye out on your surroundings if you see something simply don't panic just call them back to you, hubby keeps a leash in his pocket for the lab, he is our mighty worrier! Our dogs stop and can't move when they encounter moose, no barking nothing they just stop dead in their tracks. Deer bear and the like are another story, keep a watchful eye and try this the DNR told us to keep something that jungles on their collars, this alerts the wild life that something strange is about, they will usually go the other direction, it is more the sniffing of fresh tracks than anything that gets the labs interest we just call to him and usually he forgets about it and goes off to explore something else.

Note during hunting season be ever so watchful, hunters will shoot to kill if your dog is on game Have fun and for heavens sakes don't leave the doggies at home they are going to have a great adventure

One more thing if God forbid you ever get seperated from your dog just leave an article of clothing like your jacket, where the dog last saw you, he will return and waite for you

We only lost the dogs once, years ago when they were younger so we tought them they can go as far away from us as they whish as long as we can see them and they can hear us, if they ventured past that point they got leashed. You probably already know that but I saw someone was concearned about dogs running they are dogs as long as we are responsible owners and have good training with our dogs let them have fun! My labs worst behaviour is he likes to chase ducks, swims right out in the middle of the lake after them oh my, yes we have solved that problem too!

Answer 3

We stayed at a cabin in Canada years back with our first two Newfs. They had the run of the area when we were out with them, as it was a very secluded spot.
One day, they went a tad into the woods and cam BOOKING out and ran under the cabin. A moose appeared at the edge of the woods, happy that it ran off the intruders, and then we back into the woods.
After that, we kept a very close eye on them and stayed OUT of the woods.
We have NOTHING like that where we live, and thankfully, the dogs were scared and smart enough to run!!!
(it was funny after!!!).

I totally beg to differ with the notion that a Moose will run from a dog. My dogs could not have had one cornered, and it sure ran AT them!!!!!

Answer 4

hi im form canada! i love it hear wouldnt leave ever! if you are going to a cabin on a lake i harebtee you would have more fun during summer but w/e its prety much snow everywhere except for the eastern part of canada there is a little snow in ottawa though im from ottawa. there is wildlife here alot actually i used to live on a farm and there was snakes and squirls and deer and rarley a mose but there were bears. if your dog is tied to a tree with a suitable amount of slack they sould be fine. happy new year and have a great time this should be a trip to rmemeber for a life time!

Answer 5

If there are bear where you are going you had better teach 'Jack' how to shoot.I have had Pits for the last 25 years ,but have known quite a few Jack Russels.Both do and will hunt Horse ,cattle, mouse or lizard. I would not count on your dogs knowing the danger of bear. Keep them close, if they are city dogs there will be many dangers they are not used to. Be sure to use front line or similar product to protect against "Ticks and Fleas" Be safe , you know Terriers are fearless and need to be held back. P.S. Rather than tieing them ,consider those fold up dog corrals.

Answer 6

I live in northern maine and my dogs, as dumb as they may be,(one of them is a jrt) have never had any encounters with moose or deer or bear,,,,they are not the smartest, but at least they don't go there....
I say not to worry, they should be fine,,,,have a great time!!!!!

Answer 7

Years ago I used to take my dogs on camping trips and such. We went to Alaska in the summer and camped next to a lake. I never let the dogs out of my sight. The only trouble we had was one night when a bear came in to the site looking for food. Of course the dogs went nuts but, the bear just ran off (thank God) Now a days at my age and condition my idea of camping includes room service......Ha Ha..Have fun!!!!

Answer 8

I'd imagine tieing them up would be the worst thing you could do. Tied they have no way of using their only defense against a large animal - running. I'd suggest you only let them loose when you are around to keep them reasonably close, most animals will run if they know humans are in the area. If they don't, you'll have more than your dogs to worry about.

I hope you have a great trip. I know my dogs would love it, and i'm sure yours will have the best time.

Answer 9

i live in the woods( in VT and have in NH) and have all my life. there is one thing u might want to watch out for is like at night time. dont let ur dogs go out of ur sight. there are animals that r out there that can take ur dogs like bears, fisher cats, etc. my dogs chase them. there not afraid of them. and there are wolves and cyotes. i wouldnt worry about deer and moose. they wont hurt them. lol once my chow chase a doe and her fawn from our yard and the doe turned to my dog and charged and then backed off and kept doing that for like 5 minutes, then my chow tried to run after the baby but my chow fell in a small river. but the 2 got back together after 10 mins. just dont let the dogs out of ur sight. they might want to run around to go and look around. im guessing the bears r hibernating for the winter. im pretty sure. but there r the other animals i mentioned erlier. my dogs chase after bears and they aint afraid of them. they love chasing bears. and the deer and the moose.

good luck.

Answer 10

have a concern about your dog chasing i wild animal they really get lost when they do that. they also like to wonder throu the bushes and they get lost if they have never seen a bear and they dont back down and your not there to help they could get killed but i would not worry about it cause your dogs are pretty smart ............have a greaaaat time