Dogs will keep black bears out of your camp, but grizzlies will come in just to kill and eat
the dog.  Coyotes shouldn't be a problem for a lab, but smaller dogs are in real danger from
them.  Coyotes are smaller than you think (usually about 30 pounds, sometimes a bit more) and
won't usually tangle with anything their size or bigger.  Remember, there are no vets in the
wild, and they can't afford to get injured.  There are no grizzlies around here, but where I
live, we get LOTS of coyotes right in our backyard, along with javalina, deer, occasional black
bears, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, gila monsters, and now jaguars have been reported in the
Winchester mountains, which are about two miles away.  If they are there, they are probably
here as well.

Bill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Harmon Seaver" <hseaver@CYBERSHAMANIX.COM>
>
>    I've camped with dogs (and cats) for years, wouldn't have it any other
> way. Dogs are especially nice when bears are around. Depending on the dog,
> however, it's not a very good idea to let them just run loose. Coyotes will
> definitely entice them off, then kill them. Wolves will kill them and eat them.