Barbara Ray answers this question from December 2019
In November and December, coyotes are beginning their courtship season and scoping out potential den sites. Young, transient males are seeking their own territory and mates, so conflicts with domestic dogs over territorial boundaries can ensue. Usually this happens when a domestic dog pays attention to, barks at or approaches a coyote.
Coyotes give off signals to other canines to stay back or retreat, but our domestic dogs are not accustomed to such territorial signaling. They ignore it, and are often excited to see “another canine.” This response distresses some coyote to the point of approaching the offending dog to ward it off. The coyote has no way to know the dog IS in his “territory” of his backyard, as our dogs do not mark their boundaries methodically the way coyote do.
Some coyote actually DO understand the dogs in their area and the “backyard territories” and simply skirt around those yards. Owners can help train coyote to understand the boundaries by shooing them off when seeing them while a dog is outside. Clap your hands, shout at them in a serious voice saying, “go on, get out,” or whatever phrase you like, while waving your arms and looking generally big and scary. No healthy coyote will continue hanging around for half a second unless they have a pup nearby.
Walking dogs in parks from December-March and in areas with dens from April-June should be done with care. Coyote often den in the parks, which are the places they can live and hunt relatively unnoticed. There are currently about eight denning pairs in the city and there have been for several years running. Dogs walking through the parks can be seen as territorial trespassers. Head here for tips for walking your dog near coyote territories.
Dog owners should also be on high alert during fawn season in the spring. Deer with fawns less than three weeks old will defend their vulnerable babies, especially around dogs.
In cases where an individual coyote or deer poses a repeated threat to people and pets, the Ohio Division of Nature and Wildlife assists with removal of that animal. However, removal means the death of that animal, as there is no biologically sound way to relocate an animal safely with this kind of behavior. Most residents want to work with wildlife, giving them space while babies are young and adults are defensive, and hazing wildlife when appropriate to condition them to avoid people and yards.