How to train a ratter?

[ladyt25]

Right, watching this World of Dogs programme has confirmed my dog is definitely terrier x (well, I knew this anyway really) as she has a very good terrier 'kill shake' thing.

However, how do you actually train them to rat? We have stables and every blooming year we have an influx of rats. Now we did have a stable cat (who quite frankly was useless) but he got shot and, following an operation for a fracture jaw and 6 weeks recovery, it's been decided he will not be put back down the stables as is enjoying a life of luxury at my parents. So, we still have a rat problem.

Now our old dog was fab at ratting but he's 16 now and essentially deaf so can't do the job anymore.

My dog is 2 (ish) and loves hunting BUT, although a year or so ago she helped dispatch a nest if baby rats, she has never seen full grown rat so doesn't seem to get what we are doing when we go in to the hay store and try make her search for them! I am convinced if she saw them she would be fab (she is an obsessive squirrel chaser).

The question is HOW do you start/train them? Do I hold her and wait whilst my dad pulls up the pallets and hope she sees one (that's before I leg I screaming to the car!)

Thing is, you spend that much time telling them not to chase this that and the other, you then have to tell them it's ok!

Any tips?! (I am not keen on another winter of rats running down the walls when we enter the tack room!)

 

[Orangehorse]

My terrier is now 2 and although she spent a lot of time poking her nose into interesting places, I always thought she was too slow to catch a rat. Then this summer son was clearing out cattle sheds and there were lots of rats. She was finding nests, and killed them but lost interest when they were dead and didn't eat them. Then she soon realised that if she kept close to the tractor shovel she was in a perfect place to pounce on the escaping rats. The first one took a bit of killing (I wasn't there to witness) but she got the idea after that. Once they were dead she lost interest and was looking for the next.

She is still very cautious around cats. This is something that I was worried about, but I there was a cat where she was born, and the cat must have whacked the puppies a few times. She is friendly and wants to play, but she won't chase the cat if I call her away.

The best idea might be to try and find a friend with a good ratter, but if no luck with that, then just try and see what happens. Have a handy shovel to hand in case you need to whack them.

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

It will come naturally to any good terrier once they have been bitten, a Good terrier shouuld be able to to kill a rat in one clean bite not waste time shaking the rat. Bite dead rat on to the next one not shaking the rat whilst others escape 150 Rats to the Barrow full.

 

[ladyt25]

Well, I don't need her to eat them just kill them nice and quickly. our other dog was fab, he got 7 in one day one time. He was so accomplished and was always dead pleased with himself (although sometimes when he brought a not yet dead rat to me to 'show' me was not that fun!!).

See, I know mine is pretty obsessive about things and she has caught, killed and eaten rabbits so she does KNOW what to do and has the instinct but I guess because she doesn't know a rat smell and hasn't ever seen one run it's hard to teach her what she's looking for!! She just barks (yeah, that's not going to encourage rats out!) and wants me to throw her ball/stick/whatever!! lol.

One day I am determind to crack it. My sister's Rottie x GSD has more idea but he's not small enough to get in to rat holes whereas mine is!!

 

[ladyt25]

It will come naturally to any good terrier once they have been bitten, a Good terrier shouuld be able to to kill a rat in one clean bite not waste time shaking the rat. Bite dead rat on to the next one not shaking the rat whilst others escape 150 Rats to the Barrow full.

See, our older terrier x would grab and shake = dead rat. I thought that's what they did? he was very, very quick.

Our GSD x (although keen) used to grab rat, rat would bite, she would yelp and drop it and that'd be that! Rat wins! Lol

 

[Copperpot]

I took my 4 month old pup today for the first time. They soon learn. I let him watch my older terrier first and then let him join in. He soon worked out so be on the scene when we lifted things or when the chain saw was going.

The older jrt dug out a best and the pup did eat a hairless rat baby. Made me feel a tiny bit sick lol.

 

[Copperpot]

Nest!! Stupid phone!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

IME two dogs are better than one on the job as they will compete with each other and also work together.

Here, the two dogs crack on with dealing with Ratty........ then the cats realise that there's a Rat-Raid going on and will come and sit around on the outskirts in case any goodies come their way.

Every little helps

Deffo this thread not a fluffy-bunny hug e'm and kiss 'em variety

 

[blackcob]

Shifting stuff around to force the rats to break cover was what made one of mine a decent ratter. She'd always shown a vague interest in sniffing around the barn but it wasn't until she saw the swines run that it became an obsession and now she will actively seek them out in these sort of places.

I should add that she is not a terrier but has a very high prey drive. My boy dog of the same breed is rubbish, the one and only time he got within snapping distance of a rat he neglected to bite it and instead tried to stamp on it with his front legs.

 

[ladyt25]

Hmm, well I think I am going to have to work on this - maybe hold her and make her blooming watch whilst my dad turns the pallets up etc!

I see the rats more than her. The problem is they liv within the field shelter walls and the little b*ggers poke their heads out - I can see them but of course for a dog it's hard as they are not 'moving' so the dog doesn't see. Evidently she hasn't learnt what the smell of a rat means either. I can only think she accepts the smell as having always been there since I got her as most of the time she is really, really good at picking up and following a scent snd she gets really hooked to the extent her recall's out the window when she's on the scent of something!

I think that's why I find it odd she can't find the rat scent but maybe she doesn't know what the smell's connected to? Could that be the case? She goes bonkers for squirrels and could spend forever chasing them as they jump from tree to tree!!

 

[AengusOg]

I used to hunt the terriers along the edges of a field which had been recently harvested for grain. There are always rat holes. If the dogs marked, I would stop up a few holes and dig along a tunnel until I came to the rats. From there it was a case of taking a spade of earth out and letting the terriers investigate. A few rats would bolt, but most were pulled out and killed. The most we had in one set of holes was fifty two rats.

If you are planning to shift stuff around to disturb rats, see if you can run a length of rabbit netting around the area first. Rats which bolt will come up against the netting, and the terriers will have the advantage.

 

[Jericho]

If it runs, a terrier will chase and instinct kicks in and it will just know to shake. We never taught our JRT but she has caught a number if rats and rabbits if they cross her path and although nasty for the animal concerned its all over so quick it's actually quite amazing to watch how efficient the terrier is. Interestingly she never does a sustained chase, more if it darts in front if her. Can't beat a good terrier

 

[Dobiegirl]

Some dogs do need encouraging with an older experienced dog, all my Lancashire Heelers have been excellent ratters just acting on instinct even my Dobes kill rats.