Is There A Message in “Pooping”?
12 Mar 2010 2 Comments
in coyote behavior, coyote scat, coyotes and dogs Tags: coyote behavior, coyote scat, coyotes and dogs
I noticed a couple of coyotes showing curiosity, at a distance, towards a dog walking along a path with its owner. The owner later told me that the coyotes had actually tried sniffing her dog’s end. This dog is one that is not interested in coyotes — the dog is not oblivious to coyotes, but does ignore them. By the time I had met up with this walker and her dog, the two young coyotes had moved ahead and now appeared on the path some distance in front of us. They had their eyes in our direction — they were watching the dog and they were obviously curious about its not reacting to them. The coyotes stood there, so the dog owner asked her dog to sit, to keep it from getting any closer to the coyotes. The dog did so immediately. So we all watched each other.
The closer coyote was especially curious and even headed our way a few paces. But its bravery waned as we all began to hear voices on the path from where we had come. But before running off, this coyote squatted down and pooped, right there in front of us, on the path, facing us and keeping its eyes on us! I have seen this exact same behavior before, but in this case there had been no dog with me. Was this a message? Coyote scat is often found right in the middle of paths. Was there meaning to this, to either the scat itself or the pooping process, or was it just that “when you have to go, you have to go”? Others have asked this same question.
Apr 08, 2011 @ 22:52:33
We live at the crest of a hill, with a paved, winding driveway that climbs a few hundred feet to reach the house. We are surrounded by orchards and cattle grazing land. Coyotes frequent the area at night. This week I found coyote scat right in the middle of the driveway at two different elevations. I don’t know if the coyotes are aware of our two dogs, who don’t venture outside of the barbed-wire-fenced homesite. But it was interesting that the coyotes seemed to “mark” the area on the path to the house.
Apr 09, 2011 @ 02:40:23
Hi Randy –
Thank you for your input. Yes, the marking behavior is very interesting — right in the middle of pathways and roadways. The markings are a form of communication for the benefit of coyotes in and outside of the pack. A pack is always a “family” group. Of course, dogs are considered outsiders. But dogs protecting a homesite consider coyotes outsiders and will keep them out, as far as I know. I’ve only studied urban coyotes. In urban areas, dogs are almost always kept indoors, but they will bark if they hear a coyote outside — mostly in park areas. In the city, we advise people never to leave food out if they don’t want uninvited coyote guests!