Terriers First Ratting Experience - Help Please

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Tamollymoo

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Hi,

I have 2 terriers - the first one is a year old JRT. She has had some baby mice before and killed them by 'batting' them with her paw (!?) not really the killer ratter. She is rather pathetic and I have a feeling that if a mouse/rat turned and bit her she would squeal and drop it and leave it alone.

The second one is what I would call a true terrier - 6/7 month patterdale bitch. She is nearly finished teething so I have avoided the temptation to let her mouse/rat. That and the fact that the little bleeder will NOT re-call. Goes very deaf as only a terrier can.

Thing is I really want to give them the opertunity to do what they were bred for, but whats the best way to start? Do I need to 'catch' something for them to start with. I have had the JRT bitch in the hay barn and the little mice are practically giving her v signs but she is rubbish at sniffing them out. Tips and advice please, the paterdale for sure needs to have a go, far to bright to waste.
 
Before Mouse came back to me she'd started to be trained for ratting. Her owner got a dead rat and wound her up with it and got her retrieving it and ragging it - not nice but that's how she started her off
 
You don't need to teach terriers to catch rats, they have an in-bred ability to do it.

In the same way that GSD's guard, whippets chase rabbits and collies round stuff up.
 
If they shake toys to death, they wont need any training with rats. If they dont, they'll probably need a lifetime of training, I think ratters are born not made so the Patt will be great and the JRT just not keen, unless the Patt gets them interested whern they do it.

I never had to train my Border terrier, she lived for it from Day1 :-))) The Doberman tries to join in, but just gets earth in his face and looks a dope.
 
I agree with born not made, our little cairn x is an expert (better than the cats!) at getting rats, knows how to get them etc. and we've never shown her.
 
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