PARKER, Colo. -- Walkers on Denver metro area trails and open spaces may see an extra set of eyes on them -- or worse yet, their pets.

“It’s denning season,” said Colorado Division of Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill, referring to the spring and summer seasons when coyotes are protecting their young.

“If you get close to just about any wild animal’s young, you’ll see aggressive behavior on its part,” Churchill said.

Coyotes will typically stay with their pups for nine months, Churchill explained. She added dog and cat owners should take special care to protect them from the wild animals.

“I’ve had nightmares every night,” said Kendra Hockenberry of Parker.

Hockenberry told 7NEWS she was jogging on Cottonwood Trail in Douglas County Monday when her dog Charlie was bitten by a coyote.

Hockenberry said she began to run and the coyote followed her and the injured Britney Spaniel for some two miles.

“So I picked up a stick, and started yelling,” Hockenberry said. “(The coyote) took off at that point.”

Charlie the dog received staples for his wound on his left side, Hockenberry said.

Churchill said, while any attack on a pet is of concern, the coyote didn’t sound to be unusually aggressive.

Coyotes will occasionally follow people as if to escort them out of their home, Churchill said.

Attacks on people are considered extremely rare.

Hockenberry said she’d like to see warning signs posted in the area -- an idea both Parker Town officials and a Douglas County Sheriff’s spokeswoman said could be considered. The Division of Wildlife has also posted signs and distributed literature to neighborhoods where coyotes have been seen or attacked pets.

Coyotes have been spotted in all areas of the metro area, Churchill said.

“It was surprise to us,” said southeast Denver resident Steve Warneke.

Warneke’s told 7NEWS Wednesday his five-year old dog, Lilly, was killed by a coyote in January that jumped a chain link fence in his backyard.

“We don’t back up to a park, or a lake, or wildlife preserve, just houses,” Warneke said.

Both Warneke and Hockenberry said they wanted to share their stories to warn other pet owners.

Churchill said reports of coyote sightings in urban areas tend to increase in warmer weather when more people are outside. The DOW has not noted an uptick in the number of coyote attacks on pets this year. However, any encounters where a coyote is appearing to lose it’s fear of humans should be reported.

Churchill discouraged the use of retractable leashes because they could impede getting to a pet quickly if a coyote approaches.

“Some dogs have been taken on those long leashes,” Churchill said.

“We don’t have any simple solutions. The solution is for us to coexist and protect ourselves and our pets,” Churchill said.

For more information about coyotes: Colorado Division of Wildlife