Dogs and Beavers

[Ken]

There is a beaver pond on the woodlot behind our house.   The last 2 times we have taken our dog out for a walk to the pond there has been a beaver swim to within 5 or 6 feet of the dog and slap its tail on the water.  The beaver will do this several times.  Thankfully this lab does not like to swim so it hasn't gone after the beaver.  Last summer our older lab which was a good swimmer would swim around the pond chasing a beaver which would seem to be taunting the dog by surfacing at different spots forcing the dog to keep swimming. 

Will a beaver attack a dog in the water? 

[54Dutchman]

I do not know if a beaver will attack a dog, but my Plott Hound kills beavers and she is only about a year and half old.

[clww]

I've never heard of a beaver attacking a dog, but if there were young around, who knows?
Of course, I've never heard of a Lab that didn't like water, either.

[Axe Handle Hound]

I've never personally witnessed it, but I've read about beavers attacking dogs.  From what I read it sounds like they can do some pretty good damage with those incisors.  I wouldn't be inclined to let my dogs hang around with them. 

[talldog]

My father's Lasapslo {sp?} dog had a run-in with a beaver in a ditch a couple of springs ago. This is a little dog with a lot of attitude . the dog came out with some blood on him. Don't know what might have happened if it was deeper water. I'd keep my dog away if possible.

[DDDfarmer]

Yes they will attack dogs in and out of water.  My aunt had a dog that was getting stiched up every month.  The one time its abdomen was almost opened right up.  Not sure just how much they spent on that one dog that summer, but im sure it was a lot.