Coyotes can and do sometimes eat dogs, especially small ones, but it is not their primary food source and these incidents are relatively uncommon compared with their normal diet of small wild animals.

Quick Scoop

  • Coyotes are opportunistic predators that mainly eat small mammals like rabbits, mice, voles, plus fruits and other vegetation.
  • They will attack and may eat small dogs (and sometimes cats) if the opportunity is easy enough, especially in urban and suburban areas where natural prey is scarce.
  • Medium and large dogs are more often seen as rivals or threats than prey, so coyote aggression toward them is often territorial or defensive rather than purely for food.
  • Attacks are more likely at night, during breeding/pupping season, or when coyotes have become too comfortable around people due to access to trash or pet food.

Do coyotes eat dogs?

  • Yes, coyotes have been documented killing and eating small dogs, and many wildlife and humane organizations explicitly warn that small-breed pets are at risk.
  • They do not “regularly” rely on dogs as a staple food; instead, they mainly target small wild prey and will take a dog if it is an easy or unprotected target.

In forum discussions, people in coyote-heavy areas (like parts of California and the Great Plains) frequently report that coyotes will eat small dogs if given a chance and will also sometimes attack larger dogs, especially if they are alone or roaming.

Why would a coyote attack a dog?

  • Hunger and opportunity: When natural prey is scarce, a small dog can look like any other small mammal meal.
  • Territorial behavior: Coyotes often see dogs as competing canids and may drive them away from den sites or food sources.
  • Protection of pups: During mating and pupping season, coyotes can become more aggressive toward any dog that comes near their family area.

Some pet owners online also note that dogs and coyotes do not have any instinctive taboo against eating other canids; to them, meat is meat if they are hungry enough.

How to protect your dog

  • Supervise: Keep dogs on a leash and stay with them, especially at dawn, dusk, and night.
  • Don’t leave food out: Bring pet food and water indoors and secure trash and compost so coyotes are not drawn into your yard.
  • Yard safety: Use secure fencing, motion lights, and avoid leaving small dogs outside unattended, particularly in known coyote areas.
  • Hazing: In many communities, people are encouraged to shout, wave arms, or use noise-makers to scare off bold coyotes so they don’t learn to feel safe near humans.

Latest chatter and context

  • In recent years, as coyotes have spread into more suburbs and cities across North America, reports on forums and local groups about coyotes taking cats and small dogs have become a recurring trending worry for pet owners.
  • Wildlife and humane organizations consistently stress that coexistence is possible if people don’t feed coyotes (directly or indirectly) and keep pets supervised and secured.

TL;DR: Yes, coyotes do sometimes eat dogs—mainly small, unsecured ones—but it is preventable in most cases with supervision, leashes, secure yards, and by removing food sources that attract coyotes into neighborhoods.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.