horse farm friendly ratters

[Crockpot]

We have always had aussies so used to smart high energy dogs- just lost older girl and was going to get another aussie to keep my other girl happy but this year we have rats suddenly in the barn.

I know there are other ways to deal with that (already doing it) but thinking maybe next pup should be a ratter.

Barn cat is great but he is older and can handle mice but probably not adult rats- may get another cat too but my old cat wont like that.

My question is really about which ratter dog is the easiest for a horse farm. Just looking at the descriptions I think a rat terrier may be best for us but I would love to hear personal experiences.

Jack russels seem hit and miss in terms of barky and chasey- yes yes yes I know training is key. I am not new to high energy smart dogs.

I guess I am just looking for some input from farm people with experience on best ratter type to live on farm with horses and barn cat (and I think with puppy that cat thing can work out)

Also if you want to suggest a breeder please send me a PM. I want to get another pup soon as my aussie girl is bereft and needs a new friend

[Bluey]

I would get the kind of dog you like, not one just so you can kill a few rats here and there.
Which may indeed be a rat terrier, just that you really should like the dog for itself, even a ratting breed individual may not have any interest in rats.

Everyone is having an explosion of mice and rats, here you see big brown rats crossing the highways in the early mornings in packs.

No one has seen this many by far ever before, but not sure any one dog can keep those numbers at bay.

My rat terrier is a wonderful lap warmer and is killing, at 10 years old, several big rats and little mice in the barns and yard daily, two or three every evening by the door to the house.

Cats, dogs, no matter what you have, if it is a bad season for rats, as we are having this year, there is no way you can control them other than traps and poison if you can use poison safely, not also kill other, like maybe your own pets.

A neighbor has the bucket with a stick trap set in his barn and is finding too many to count in there every morning.
Scary how many we have, one of the El Nino effects, so much vegetation growth, warmer weather and so tons of food for rodents, that are exploding in numbers.

I was shredding weeds the other day and a big, fat eagle was sitting on the fence and swooping down to pick rats off as they ran out in front of my tractor.

I expect this too shall pass.

Bucket and stick trap:

[Where_sMyWhite]

If you are looking for a dog that will hunt/kill rats, that is going to be the individual dog, not a breed IMO.

I have 2 terriers (Borders) who have very little prey drive while I’ve see other Border’s that do have a strong prey drive…

[eventerchick517]

Growing up I had West Highland White Terriers. The Westies were wonderful about killing rodents! Mind you, they also liked to chase the domestic rodents I had as pets(hamster, guinea pig, etc). But they were very good about killing the wild sort. White is a bit of an unfortunate color for a barn dog, but they more than made up for it with their wonderful personalities.

[Crockpot]

@Bluey;8405331

I would get the kind of dog you like, not one just so you can kill a few rats here and there.
Which may indeed be a rat terrier, just that you really should like the dog for itself, even a ratting breed individual may not have any interest in rats.

As I said:

I know there are other ways to deal with that (already doing it)

Obviously you have missed the point of my post. I would not choose a puppy just to kill the odd rat. I am looking for the best dog to fit into our farm life and be a pet.

That was the whole point of the post-

[Crockpot]

[QUOTE=eventerchick517;8405353]
Growing up I had West Highland White Terriers. The Westies were wonderful about killing rodents! Mind you, they also liked to chase the domestic rodents I had as pets(hamster, guinea pig, etc). But they were very good about killing the wild sort. White is a bit of an unfortunate color for a barn dog, but they more than made up for it with their wonderful personalities.[/QUOTE]

Thanks =looking at those and cairn terriers too=just looking for personal feedback so thank you

As for some other replies- Of course dogs are individuals but with some breeds you can generalize a bit.

I am not new to dogs- anyway thanks to those here and in PMs who understood what I am asking

[Epona142]

I rat with a Chinese Crested, but that’s pretty unusual, even though they were bred to be ratters originally. She’s GOOD at it too, and a valuable asset on a dairy farm. Lots of fun. The Border Collies catch quite a few rodents as well, but mostly on their own, while Ana has learned to follow direction as it will earn her more chances to chase and catch and kill.

[kasjordan]

I would go with a Jack. Especially if you have the land and room for them to roam and run all day long. They’ll help take care of groundhogs in your fields too. I’ve seen some terriers that weren’t hard wired for finding,hunting,destroying…but never a JRT.

[D_BaldStockings]

Get a Parson Russell instead.

http://www.prtaa.org/

-Or head to a shelter and find a herding breed/terrier cross.

Or you could go with an Irish, Welsh, Smooth Fox, Manchester, Lakeland or other small but normal legged terrier or cross.

Cattle dogs and crosses are ‘tougher’ than Aussies, so that may be a ratter direction to go. You want the high energy so they will keep hunting and not quit if bitten or they have killed many rats at a time.

I suggest a cross because you want something biddable: to me that means a herding cross in there somewhere.

You want a good small lurcher, LOL!

[EKLay]

[QUOTE=D_BaldStockings;8405748]

You want a good small lurcher, LOL![/QUOTE]

This made me laugh. My sighthound is proving himself to be excellent at dispatching any mice that get into the house, and takes care of small animals in the yard also. I imagine, when we finally get property, he’ll be a great farm dog as well, so a lurcher for ratting I can totally see.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

I vote for JRT. (Never ever thought I’d say that in any context. :lol:)

I’m not a terrier person, and JRTs seem to be the terrierest of the terrierists, so personally I can’t imagine living with one. But even I will admit there is just no better ratter, especially for a horse farm. Not only are they murder on rats, but they are tough little so-and-sos that can take the occasional kickin’ and keep on tickin’.

Naturally you’d want to go to a working breeder, and not someone who produces pets or show dogs. I also know one JRT who wears little dresses, gets her nails done, and would faint at the sight of a cockroach, but she is the product of a pet breeder. And she’s a great pet. Her owner loves her. But she’d be useless as a ratter.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=Crockpot;8405359]
As I said:

Obviously you have missed the point of my post. I would not choose a puppy just to kill the odd rat. I am looking for the best dog to fit into our farm life and be a pet.

That was the whole point of the post-[/QUOTE]

My point was, as when someone posts they want a dog to be a protection dog and train it to attack, there is always the consideration brought forth that we need to realize that some single purpose is but one part of why we get dogs, be it protection, ratting, herding/guarding your stock, whatever.

That is a kind of PSA comment, not to take it as criticism, but one more consideration to take into account.

[hastyreply]

I looked at the title and read Farm friendly rattlers! So much for reading on a device. LOL though a rattler would handler the rat problem but I’m not sure how farm friendly they’d are.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=hastyreply;8406031]
I looked at the title and read Farm friendly rattlers! So much for reading on a device. LOL though a rattler would handler the rat problem but I’m not sure how farm friendly they’d are. :D[/QUOTE]

I did too and for a moment was going to answer, “none, unless you like to live dangerously!”

The intensity of a dog that inherits the ratting instinct is something to see.
No rabbit or bird or any other brings it out like a mouse or rat.
Those get the terrier up on it’s toes and tight as a wire.
They know what’s what instinctively.
Mine will circle a rock a mouse is hiding under for hours, literally.

[Crockpot]

Thanks again for those who offered suggestions. I have been a die hard aussie owner for many years and was ready to get my next one but thought maybe should branch out and consider other breeds.

Cothers always have great input on these issues.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=Crockpot;8406215]
Thanks again for those who offered suggestions. I have been a die hard aussie owner for many years and was ready to get my next one but thought maybe should branch out and consider other breeds.

Cothers always have great input on these issues.[/QUOTE]

Aussies are about the most perfect breed of dog as far as checking practically all the boxes anyone would want in a dog.

The few aussie breed characteristics that may not fit everyone could be size, hair and like you were asking about, certain kinds of hunting, ratting or other special traits that few really need in their dogs today.
They do have herding and guarding instincts.
Any other, they can do anything or be whatever kind of dog any dog owner may dream their dog to be.

Will be interesting which dog you end up, some times we surprise ourselves, don’t we.

[cbv]

Only barn dog I knew that was a consistent ratter was a long legged Jack Russel. Always left the bodies in a bucket of water in the aisle. Also a good tempered dog. But that was my trainers dog 40 years ago!

Just my two cents on a couple breeds/types mentioned. I have a cattle dog and he has brought me a ground hog, but don’t think rats would be on his radar. Also have had a borzoi (sight hound) who could take a ground hog out in a flash, and dispatched a few, but again would not imagine her keying in on rats. Both ok with barn cats, especially the borzoi who was raised with house and barn cats. Cattle dog had to be taught barn cats are not to be chased.

I also have BC’s. Can’t imagine them killing anything but one did have a mouse cornered under a sofa once and spent an hour “herding”, circling the sofa in the crouch and using that look to keep the mouse “penned”.

[Casey09]

A Cairn Terrier might be a possibility. I had one that I adored. Mine would have also most definitely chased a barn cat, but she wasn’t around many cats. I personally prefer a Rat Terrier over a JRT, but of course you need to spend time around different breeds to know what you like. I’ve known Aussies that killed vermin too. An enabler thought would be to adopt an adult terrier known to be a mouser, and get an Aussie puppy. I am a pure enabler though and I like the herding breeds.

ETA: I understand about your old cat. Originally I was going to say that a feral cat has recently adopted my barn and had two kittens there (before I could get her spayed). I see her with huge mice all of the time, so if you have a separate area of your property, feeding feral cats might also help.

[Epona142]

It’s interesting how different lines can be, isn’t it. Our BCs kill more rodents than the dang cats do. Though Ana has them all beat, which is impressive for a dog that looks like a ten pound pony.

[tollertwins]

My neighbors have Glenn of Imaal’s…they had to stop doing ‘earth dog’ competitions because the dogs were ticked that they weren’t allowed to have the rats at the end.

They LOOOVEEE hunting under the chicken house, in tall weeds, and wherever there might be mice or rats…