Florida man says his boxer dog helped scare off 2 coyotes during a walk

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - A Florida man said he encountered two wild coyotes recently while out on a walk with his dog – and credits his dog for helping to scare them away.

Chris Mack told FOX 35 that he was out walking his dog on Wednesday night, when two coyotes came out from opposite sides of the Altamonte Springs neighborhood.

How close?

"Close enough for my dog to bulldoze them back into the woods here," he said, pointing to a wooded area near his neighborhood.

He said his dog spotted the first coyote and tried to go after it, pulling him to the ground. That's why he had a scrape on his face, he said.

"He took off with such force so it kinda took me with him, so I could let go of it," he said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it was aware of the reported incident. You can report unusual coyote behavior to the FWC. Unusual behavior would include a coyote that appears to have lost its fear of humans and approaches people, such as joggers and bikers. Or one that attacks leashed pets.

Are there coyotes in Florida? How common are they?

According to the FWC, coyotes can be found in all 67 counties in Florida. They're located in every state except Hawaii, the FWC said, part of the natural expansion of wildlife from the west. 

"Coyotes are not large animals and rarely pose a threat to people, especially adults. They can be curious but are also timid and generally run away if challenged. If a coyote approaches too closely, there are methods you can use to deter it and frighten it away. Hazing the animal by making loud noises and acting aggressively will typically cause a coyote to leave an area, but you may need to increase and continue hazing efforts until the coyote is effectively deterred and leaves the area for good." the FWC states on its website.

Here to stay

The FWC said hunting, trapping, and removing coyotes is "inefficient" to control their population.

"New coyotes move into areas where others have been removed. Removal activities such as hunting and trapping place pressure on coyote populations, and the species responds by reproducing at a younger age and producing more pups per litter," the FWC states online.

Instead, it's recommended to "haze" or deter coyotes to force them to leave. Options include:

• Yelling and waving arms wildly in front of a coyote
• Using noisemakers
• Throwing small stones near the coyote (but not directly at it)
• Spraying water at a coyote with a hose or using a motion activated sprinkler
• Waving a golf club, umbrella, or stick above your head to make yourself appear larger
• Bear spray
• Audible alarm

Way to avoid coyotes

• Do not feed coyotes intentionally or unintentionally
• Make sure food is not placed outside
• Clean up pet food, fallen fruit, and seeds. Coyotes are considered opportunistic feeders. 
• Make sure garbage cans and compost bins are locked.
• Make sure crawl places, porches, and patios are secured.