Raccoons can be somewhat of a menace, there are reports of these animals going around terrorizing and even killing all types of pets in urban and suburban areas. They can be fierce if they want to, but are raccoons afraid of dogs? This article looks into it
Whether raccoons are afraid of dogs depends on the size of the dog and its level of aggression towards the raccoon. Larger more aggressive dogs will scare raccoons
Table of Contents
Are raccoons afraid of dogs?
Urban raccoons are seen as more aggressive and less afraid of other animals than wild raccoons, however, this doesn’t mean that they aren’t afraid of dogs. Both wild and urban raccoons can be afraid of dogs.
Whether a raccoon will be afraid of a dog depends on the size of the dog and its aggression level towards the raccoon.
Size factor:
Different-sized dogs exist, from small to medium to large. Most adult raccoons are the size of a housecat, a dog’s size dictates whether a raccoon will fear it or not.
Raccoons don’t see dogs that are smaller than them as threats or as anything that they should be afraid of. Dogs that are of a similar size to raccoons are seen as peers to raccoons.
Raccoons see dogs that are larger than them as predators. Raccoons will be afraid of large dogs.
Aggression factor:
Animals know to avoid animals that are acting aggressively towards them, raccoons included.
If a dog goes about its day and avoids interacting with a raccoon, then the raccoon will do the same. If a dog is acting aggressively towards a raccoon then the raccoon will get scared and try to flee the scene.
Raccoons are quite docile and unconfrontational, they will do their best to avoid confronting a dog especially if the dog is large and acting aggressively.
Raccoons avoid dogs in an effort to keep from being injured. Raccoons don’t like to waste energy fighting other animals, they keep to themselves and avoid fights with other animals.
Does dog hair repel raccoons?
Raccoons have a strong sense of smell. They use this sense of smell to find food and to figure out if there are predators in the area.
Littering dog hair all around your property repels raccoons, the smell of dog hair makes it seem as though there’s a dog on the property. Because raccoons are non-confrontational, they will rather leave the scene than interact with a dog.
Does dog pee scare raccoons?
Predator urine is often recommended as something that you can spray around your home to keep raccoons away. The thinking behind using dog pee to scare raccoons is similar to the thinking behind using dog hair to scare raccoons
Predators in the wild frequently urinate on their territory to show that it belongs to them. Other predators and small animals will know to keep out of the area if they don’t want to be attacked. Using dog pee on your property will have the same effect
Will dog poop keep raccoons away?
Using dog poop is another way to keep raccoons out of your garden, this may seem disgusting but it works on the same principle that using dog hair and dog urine does.
Dog poop lets raccoons know that there is a dog in the area, this will scare raccoons away.
Can a dog kill a raccoon?
If a dog and a raccoon are of a similar size then the chances of one killing the other are about 50/50.
A larger dog will have an easier time killing a raccoon because it is stronger. Smaller dogs don’t really stand a chance against a raccoon, these small dogs will likely be killed by a raccoon.
A medium to big dog can do some real damage to a raccoon in a fight but this does not mean that the raccoon will take this lying down. Raccoons can defend themselves using their razor-sharp teeth and claws, these teeth and claws will wound the dog if the two get into a fight.
Raccoons may run away if they’re caught trespassing in a dog’s territory, but they will protect their territory if a dog wanders into the raccoon’s territory and if the dog gets too close to its young.
Are dogs scared of raccoons?
Dogs aren’t scared of raccoons but they should be. Your canine may love the possibility of a fight with a raccoon but it may not fully understand what raccoons can do.
Raccoons will scratch at a dog’s eyes and bite the dog with speed and velocity. This biting can do some serious damage to your dog’s chest and lungs. Raccoons can even go as far as trying to drown your dog in a fight, it will do anything to come out victorious.
Can dogs get rabies from raccoons?
Yes, dogs can get rabies from raccoons. Rabies is transmitted when the saliva or tissue of an infected animal comes into contact with the eyes, nose, mouth, or mucus membrane of another animal.
Contact between the saliva of an uninfected animal and the nose, mouth, or mucus membrane of an infected animal can happen during a fight as the two animals bite each other.
That being said, it is true that raccoons can have rabies but most cases of rabies in animals come from bats not from raccoons. Unfortunately, raccoons are widely seen as the biggest carriers of rabies, this is incorrect.
What animals are raccoons afraid of?
Raccoons are not only afraid of dogs, there are a variety of other animals that these animals will try their best to avoid. These animals include:
- Great horned owl
- Bobcats
All these animals are quite large and are skilled at hunting. Predators need to be large and skilled if they want to prey on raccoons
Conclusion
In conclusion, a raccoon will be afraid of a dog if the dog is large and aggressive towards it. If the dog is of a similar size to the raccoon, or if it is smaller, and if the dog is not aggressive, then the raccoon will not be afraid of it
Dog hair, dog urine, and dog poop will also help to keep raccoons away. Other animals that raccoons fear include great horned owls, coyotes, and bobcats.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other raccoon related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Can You Make Raccoon Poison With Coke?, Can You Repel Raccoons Using Ammonia-Soaked Tennis Balls?,