raccoons are nasty if you get them mad. they bite, and they might have rabies.

i feel for the germans (and i never thought i'd say those words in my lifetime.)

I have to agree with Skippy. My boyfriend used to live in the mountains, and the racoons would come in if someone forgot to close a window... they weren't in the least bit afraid of humans, not even when my 6'2" broad-shouldered boyfriend would roar and charge at them. Cautious, yes -- afraid, not a bit. Once they've chosen your house, they can really be a problem.

I heard someone run past the side of my house so i went out to investagate. I got into the backyard and there was some serious snarling going on, i grabbed a million candle light power flash light and shined back there. I saw about eight or nine small dogs or large cats wrestling, biting, and growling. I was trying to figure out what the crap was going on. I turned off the flashlight for a moment and turned around. I then heard someone yell at me from the house and i turned around to hear the sound of stampeding cattle coming straight for me. I thought they would stop once I shinned that bright ass light in their faces, but they didn't even slow down. Full speed ahead they kept coming I turned and ran for my front door. Just as I was about to the front door I felt one rubb up on my leg trying to savagly rip it off. I kicked him as hard as I could. I got in the house and slammed the door it wouldn't shut. I looked down only to see half a raccon in my house I squeezed that door closed so hard that the racoon's eyes about popped out of his head. The racoon squeezed his way out the door, escaping the terrible death I was plotting for him. Racoon's are dangerous, it is no joke.

Hi there,

Every year around this time the raccoons start coming out. It is very scary for me because at 6am my son, dog and I have to leave the house for daycare. This morning at 5:20am I was sitting outside my front door when I saw a raccoon crossing the street coming towards me. It walked all the way up to me so I went into the house. Then I looked out my Dinning room window and it came up to the window and was looking at me. I banged on the window to get the thing to go away, but it would not. I had to call my Dad and have him come escort us to my car. The raccoons have never tried to hurt me YET, but they get real close and will not go away. I know that they are looking for food and do not intend to hurt, but it is very scary for me mostly because of my son and dog. I carry my son, so I know that the raccoon cannot get to him, but my dog walks and so I worry that the raccoons may attach him. I don’t know what to do and the city I live in will not do anything about it.

Today I was walking with my mom, sister, and grandmother out to a gazebo out by the pool of the hotel we were staying at. We watched as a racoon came around the corner of the building and made its way into a grabage can about 2 ir 3 hundred yards away. I was eating crackers so they told me to go by the corner of the building and put them on the sidewalk so that he would find them on his way back. Bu, before I could throw them over there, he poked his head out of the can and spooked me. So, I threw the crackers on the grass and full-out sprinted back to the gazebo. For some reason the racoon started chasing me back. When I got there I jumped the railing and fell on the wooden floor of the gazebo and scraped/bruised my right foot and left knee. The racoon went underneath it and so I left quickly before it decided to coome back out. I wish I had a video camera because my sister said it was the funniest thing watching it chase me the whole 200 yards and seeing me completly fall over the railing. I'm sure I will now tend to be a bit more cautious around them or maybe just more terrified.

Skinnerian conditioning. A human drops food when you scare him, so keep scaring him and maybe he'll drop more. It works when shaking trees for fruit, right? It's the closest thing animals have to logical facilities, and can be used to train animals toward behaviors we find advantageous. Screw it up, though, and you end up training a racoon to attack people for food.

Folks, we are hearing lots of folk tales. An animal, including racoons will attack if 1. sick, or 2. provoked by agressive behavior on your or your pet's part. Racoons are primarily scavengers. You moved into their territory, it's your responsibilty to make sure you are not causing the behavior you describe. First, make sure your garbage cans are sealed with lids that fit tight, then make sure you either feed your pets inside ot feed them then pick up their bowls afterward. This will leave the racoons no choice but to seek food elseware. It always amuses me when city folks move into the wild then want to exterminate all everything that lives there...go back the the city if you want to avoid the wild things...

My dog just got in a fight with a racoon. I heard my dog screaming for hes life, and ran downstairs. The racoon and my dog Coaster were as one under the patio table. My dog was able to move from underneath the table, but the racoon wouldn't let him go. Thats when I had no choice but kick him off my dog. After a few kicks, they came loose and my dog was able to go inside. The racoon tried to go after Coaster. I screamed at the animal, and he turned towards me. Thas when I grabed a plastic chair and threw at him, and it finally went away. My question now is: do I have to take my dog to the vet for vaccination agaisnt rabis?

Yes...take your dog to get rabies shot ...