Terrier scared of rats?

[horseymummy]

I have a beautiful Border terrier cross called Boo Boo she is the sweetest dog you could wish to own. Im not sure how to post photos but I will give it a go.

However i when looking for a puppy 2 years ago when I got her the only criteria I had was that it must be some kind of terrier. I thought that they were good ratters. I have her vaccinated each year againt leptosporosis so she is safe but I needn't worry because she is frightened of rats. She shows absolutely no interest in looking for them and if i have come across them she runs out of the way. Tonight there was a rat in the feed bin when I tried to show her the bin she listened for a minute and then went and sat a safe distance away whilst I sorted it. Is there any way I can encourage her to get rats, what I don't get is she digs huge holes to get to shrews in the field and chases pigeons and phesants.
I wouldnt swap her for the world but I really do wish she would catch rats.

 

[Orangehorse]

Ha! I have a terrier bitch too and although I don't think she is frightened, she certainly doesn't have the killer instinct.

Can you take her with some other dogs who are good ratters. In a pack situation they should get excited and she would get the idea.

 

[littlemisslauren]

Will she chase ones if she sees one run?

My BT sounds very similar to yours, she is a rubbish ratter. But she will chase anything small and furry if she sees it run?

 

[Dry Rot]

Actually, that is not unusual! Working dogs often need to be "entered". I bred a litter of Fell terrier pups and when I went to feed the sheep for the first time, I discovered MICE nesting underneath the up turned troughs. Great! Some fun for the pups! But they were scared of them and the mice all ran away unmolested!

Get yourself a longish stick, like a fishing rod, and tie about six feet of thin string to the end, then tie a small bunch of fluttery polythene onto your string (like a fishing fly!). About 50mm - 75mm of the handles off a supermarket carrier bag is ideal. Get the dog interested in this by gently tweaking it so it moves. That will get the predatory instincts going. When the dog is really keen, transfer to mice (nests under corrugated iron sheets, boards, hay bales, etc.). Once started, these terriers become passionate hunters. Good hunting!

 

[Dobiegirl]

My previous Heelers just knew instinctively, mice, rats and rabbits they were all for the taking.

Our current Lancashire Heeler needed a little help, she is 17months old and is being well taught by Darcy our Dobermann who loves searching for field mice and voles. Pip is turning into a very quick efficient hunter and when we find a rat Darcy will show her what to do.

I would certainly get your dog involved with some other dogs with ratting skills and Im sure it wont take her long to get the hang of it.

 

[MinskiKaii]

Our jack russell is totally useless he's even frightened of our guineapigs!

 

[Clodagh]

What Dry Rot says.
Also BTs are known to be slow starters, but are usually demons once they get the idea. Our old bitch though only ever hunts mice, even mixy rabbits are safe. I think a lot of BTs are show bred now and perhaps not so driven. (But it does make them easier in lots of ways, less likely to go to ground and so on).

 

[Alexart]

My old JRT was scared of rats too until she was about 6 or 7, one ran past her out of the stable one day and she grabbed it, more instinctively than anything, it bit her nose and wouldn't let go until she chomped it!! After that there was no stopping her and she would ferret them out and was a brilliant little ratter right up until old age and her eye sight went, so it is possible they do come round eventually!!