The two dogs, one a German Shepard and the other a black lab, were standing beside the road and on top of a 10-foot high basalt cliff. Both were panting hard with their tongues hanging out. They were looking for something as their heads moved left and right, scanning the countryside.

It was an interesting and curious sight, two farm dogs along the road. I pondered the situation as the Jeep traveled south on Highway 17. A mile later, the rest of the story unfolded when a coyote appeared and began nervously checking his backside before crossing the road.

The farm dogs had been chasing the coyote and the sneaky animal gave them the slip.

Although not seen everyday, coyotes are common in Washington State. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife puts their numbers at 50,000 or more.

While coyotes are thought of as carnivores, they are actually omnivores, which means they eat grass, insects, fruits, fish and birds, in addition to meat.

The animal lives up to 10 years in the wild, according to WDFW. Annual litters of three to 10 pups assure a sustained population.

Coyote packs are usually formed when a breeding pair is raising a family of pups. Normally they work alone or in pairs, where the wily critters have been known to kill domestic animals. The most common story, told from pioneer days to the present, involves one coyote staying out of sight while a second begins playing with a small farm dog in a friendly way.

As the two play, the coyote works the dog farther and farther from the house, until the second coyote jumps the dog.

A television wildlife program once featured a coyote killing a rattlesnake. It slowly circled the coiled snake, again and again, until it straightened out and could not strike. Then, at a quartering angle from behind, the coyote dashed in and killed the snake by biting it just behind the head. There are accounts of domestic dogs also learning this trait.

The call of the wild most commonly refers to the howl of a wolf. Around the Columbia Basin, it's the yip of the coyote. They make so much noise, coyotes are known as song dogs.

Human and coyote encounters are few on this side of the Cascade Mountains. West of the mountains is another story. Jennifer Babcock, WDFW enforcement customer service person in Olympia, answers several calls a year about problem coyotes.

"We have more problems on the Westside, where coyotes are taking cats right off the porch," she said. "In Eastern Washington, you just deal with it."

WDFW Public Information officer Craig Bartlett said there are no statistics for human contact with coyotes in Washington, "But they are having problems in California."

Southern California reported 53 coyote attacks on humans for the 10-year period of 1988 through 1997.

A recent attack by a coyote on a family dog highlights the need for the public to aware of coyote dangers. Last Friday a man took his 42-pound Keeshound for a walk in a park near our state capital. When he unleashed the dog, it jumped over a log and was attacked by one or more coyotes and chased into the woods.

The dog was later found with 10 bites on its back and stomach. It survived, but a smaller dog might not have been so fortunate. The thought of a young child encountering a group of coyotes in the same situation is the substance of a parent's nightmares.

WDFW suggests people keep their pets confined or on a leash when walking. Wildlife feed should not be on the ground. Ground cover near play areas should be cleaned to avoid coyote hiding areas. Be aggressive when a coyote does not show a fear of humans. Feed your pets inside. Securely store your garbage, including fruit around trees.

WDFW does not list the coyote as a game animal. However, a hunting license is required to pursue them. The sustaining population is evident in the bag limit, none, and the season, year round.