O.T.Rat Terriers

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 11:19 am

Reading Joe's post about His Mom's dog really made Me think. It's been a few years since I had to put My last Dog down.and I miss haveing one.Without a Dog to take Me for a walk everyday I feel alot older than I am. the coyotes have pretty much eliminated rabbits around here and the Grouse We had when I was a kid are long gone.
One critter We have is lots of Fox Squirrels. last week We went to a Family Party and My Wifes Cousin in Pittsburg has a Rat Terrier.I have never had much use for small dogs but this Little Dog just blew me away. Smart as a whip and fast. I had a ball just playing with it. ran circles around the other Dogs. Anyone have one? I wonder if it would be a good Squirrel dog.?
It looked like this one.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rat_Terrier_head.jpg

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 11:43 am

I have the rat's flat faced cousin, the Boston Terrier.......I love terrors, er, terriers.....Just be prepared. They have two speeds: asleep and full speed. If you are the only other living thing around, you will be pestered to play as long as they are awake. Personally, I like this sort of attention as it beats being alone in the house. I've no doubt you could get him to tree squill.....

Terry Murbach · Post by **Terry Murbach** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 11:46 am

WE HAVE A WEST SCOT TERRIOR, PISTOL, THAT IS A WONDERFUL DOG. SMART AS A WHIP AND FUNNY AS ALL GITTOUT. HE IS A KILLER TOO AS SCOTTIES WERE BRED AS RATTERS AND MOUSERS AND IF YOU THINK OF A CAT FOR THOSE JOBS, THE SCOTTY LEAVES A CAT IN THE DUST !!! I WOULD NOT HAVE BELIEVED IT IF I HAD NOT SEEN HIM AT WORK LAST YEAR WHEN HE DETECTED A MOUSE IN THE HOUSE. THE HUNT WAS ON AND IT NEVER STOPPED UNTIL SAID MOUSE WAS CAUGHT. THE SCOTTIE KILLS BY HEAD SNAPS THAT BREAK THE BACK AND THEN HE PROCEEDS TO BREAK EVERY BONE IN THE MOUSE'S BODY UNTIL IT IS ONE VERY DEAD GRAY BAG OF GOO. THEN HE SNAPS HIS HEAD TO THE RIGHT AS HE SPITS IT OUT TO ABOUT 6' AWAY AND WALKS AWAY PAWING THE GROUND LIKE A CRABBY OL' BULL. AT THREE YEARS OLD HE IS AS PLAYFUL AS A PUPPY AND LOVES SERIOUS TUGS-OF-WAR. I TOO HAD NEVER HAD A SMALL DOG SINCE I WAS A KID AT HOME BUT I WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SCOTTY DOG IN MY LIFE NOW IF I LIVE TO BE 140.

O.S.O.K. · Post by **O.S.O.K.** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 11:57 am

Guys- I too have a terrier - a Welsh Terrier - we had two, but alas are now left with just one.

If you are not feeding your pups a fish oil tablet each evening, then you are denying your friend a very good supplement that can have near miraculous effects.

Button (our female Welsh) had dry flacky skin, her coat was ratty looking and she was just obviosly feeling poor and then I read about fish oil for dogs. So, I figured, what the heck - and started giving her one gel tab every evening.

Shazam! Within a few days she stopped scratching at her coat - in a week it was externally better - the little bumps and dryness were dramatically reduced. After about a month, her coat had thickened and the color returned. Longer term effects seem to be joint improvement. I see no down side to this.

She comes into the bathroom every night looking for her fish pill - eats it like a jujabee - like a treat.

She is 13 going on 14 and runs around the back yard like a puppy! Her eyes are bright too - I could swear that they improved after the fish oil started... but can't be sure.

So, please give this a try if you haven't already.

And while you're at it, take some yourself!!

madman4570 · Post by **madman4570** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 12:58 pm

Besides our yellow Lab, we have a breed that AKC says is also in the Terrier group.
Mini Schnauzer(its a squirrel/cat chasing machine)notice I said only chasing.
Anyone with dog allergies (daughter had some years back but grew out of)--this type is the dog for you, but they bark a lot.But honestly,you take a dark navy velux blanket and let them lay/play on it.(not a single hair/dander)nothing.Only thing about once every 6 weeks you find this tiny round little ball of their fur somewhere,nothing else.

Post by **Hobie** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 1:28 pm

madman4570 wrote:Besides our yellow Lab, we have a breed that AKC says is also in the Terrier group.
Mini Schnauzer(its a squirrel/cat chasing machine)notice I said only chasing.
Anyone with dog allergies (daughter had some years back but grew out of)--this type is the dog for you, but they bark a lot.But honestly,you take a dark navy velux blanket and let them lay/play on it.(not a single hair/dander)nothing.Only thing about once every 6 weeks you find this tiny round little ball of their fur somewhere,nothing else.

I would never have had a small dog either but for my wife's prejudice against larger dogs (since abated). Bailey is the best little dog ever!

Cliff · Post by **Cliff** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 1:45 pm

Rat Terriers were in demand and welcomed in the trenches in WWI. They had big problems with rats and such and found these little dogs hearty and effective in helping reduce some of the rats. You might want to do a search and see if there is any rescue groups devoted to these dogs. You can usually find some good ones. There is also "Old dog rescue groups" for elderly people who want a companion dog but don't want to raise one from a pup. A lot of the adoption agencies are leary of letting some people adopt young dogs if they feel they cannot give the dog proper exercise and such. They had a good write up in the locale paper, sounded good. May be a good place to start if you are not wanting the problems associated with raising a young one. Just a thought. Good Luck.

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 1:48 pm

All sorts of terriers are very popular over here, used for digging fox and badger(illegal) ratting and mice, even seen them flushing pheasant and tracking deer.
The secret to a good behaved one is not entering it to game to young, let it have it's puppy hood first and then when it listens to you start it hunting.

One of my fav's is a beddlington crossed with a whippet or greyhound

N.

madman4570 · Post by **madman4570** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:24 pm

Hobie wrote:I would never have had a small dog either but for my wife's prejudice against larger dogs (since abated). Bailey is the best little dog ever!

Ya, those little buggers are somthing!

Me,being a tease one of the things I do now is our male yellow lab being 5 1/2 months old and him picking on our adult female Mini Schnauzer and somtimes she nails him usually either on the ear or lip when she has had enough.He reminds me of the cowardly lion on the Wizard of Oz.He will while tail wagging raise his lips at her and woof/snort at her,then go total chicken when she has had it and puts him in his place.
Anyway, when he does that stuff I will say to Gabby(the mini) "Watch Em Girl", Watch Em,"He is going to Old Yeller ya"(while he is playful snarling)and I then tell her "Coon em" take em out in deep water and drown em.referring to the racoons pulling that trick in the water on coonhounds.She kinda jumps up on the couch while he is on the floor by her and she puts her front feet on his head and growls/snarls.actually playing.
While doing this I somtimes playfully lightly slap/pat her back which really cranks her up.
Well, two days ago I did that and she was so caught up in the frenzy,she spun in a nano second (so much for all the marial arts training

)and fully sank all her teeth in my wrist.Major full bite.My whole wrist is black and blue about the size of a tennis ball with 4 deep bite marks.
I mean it's bad,I cant believe a little dog can do that much damage.Finally my fingers are starting not to feel like they are a sleep.

Moral of the story" Be careful teasing even the little ones,and I think I will pass on teasing the Big one too much.

Wife just looks at my arm and says I am an idiot!

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:46 pm

Some rat terriers can make an ace squirrel dog.

Barcelona Rick · Post by **Barcelona Rick** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 4:43 pm

Since childhood I have had 4 Rat Terriers.....still have one...she is 14 1/2 years old and really slowing down. They have all been wonderful companions. The only male was a terrific hunting dog....he self taught and was really fast and keen eyed. One of the female would literally try to climb a tree after tree rats or coons. They are very playful and mine have house trained easily. OT funny (to me) story...my brother brought his 100 + pound dalmation over one day....he was afraid to put his dog in my yard...thought his would swallow mine whole. Well they growled a couple times each and the big dog bared his teeth....my Rat Terrier took off running....my brother started laughing until my dog charged under his and took a pretty big bite of the big dogs sack.....big dog screamed and chowered in fear the rest of the day... get one you will love em..

rick

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 5:32 pm

Nath wrote:All sorts of terriers are very popular over here, used for digging fox and badger(illegal) ratting and mice, even seen them flushing pheasant and tracking deer.
The secret to a good behaved one is not entering it to game to young, let it have it's puppy hood first and then when it listens to you start it hunting.

One of my fav's is a beddlington crossed with a whippet or greyhound

N.

+1 on the Bedlington cross whippet too.

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 7:48 pm

Thanks To All. Just may be one in the future.Jim.

Nazgul · Post by **Nazgul** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 7:48 pm

My daughter had one for 8 years, had to put him away a month ago because of kidney probs. Phoenix had an attitude as big as all outdoors, he was a ball to have around.

Don

John in MS · Post by **John in MS** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:00 pm

I, too, have never been a fan of small dogs, but recently fell in love with a terrier mix that looks just like a miniature German Shepherd, except its ears won't stand fully erect. Otherwise, he is virtually a carbon copy of my Shepherd. He is smart, lightning fast, affectionate, alert/vigilant, and loves to play. He keeps my older dogs playful, and just looks hilarious when play-fighting with my Shepherd. It's not unusual to see her just standing there with a grin with this little (15 lb) dog hanging off her neck fur, having "gone for the throat." He has spirit and is not hesitant about defending his place, etc. from the big dogs, but gets along well with them. They've learned they aren't going to catch him, so when he runs circles around the couch, they just wait for him to race by, and then pounce on him. He has a personality that just won't quit, and I think I'll always have at least one like him around, having found out how much fun they are!

John

765x53 · Post by **765x53** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 12:26 am

One of my uncles made most of his living with a .22 and a fishing rod. He always had a rat terrier and it's name was always Buster.
Squirrels, rabbits, Raccoon, possum, skunk, if it could be eaten or had a pelt to sell they hunted it.

soon 2 retire · Post by **soon 2 retire** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 8:37 am

My cousin had a rat terrier named Chester and he lived 18 years. He hunted with my cousin and would indicate when there was a rabbit or pheasant close in the thick stuff. When he got cold my cousin would put him in his game pocket. He had a lot of heart. He came home with his scalp flapping because he thought he could beat a big dog. One time the neighbors called my cousin to come get Chester. They had a female German Shepherd in their basement in heat. Chester jumped in their open basement window. They found him trying to work out the logistics of the size differential. He only killed 3 rats in his life. But even in his last years if you yelled "Chester, rats!" , he would run to the garage and start to dig. In his 18 years he had most of the foundation of that single car garage dug up.

Bob in NE Indiana

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 8:43 am

We always had Rat Terriers when I was a kid. They were great at chasing rabbits out of brush piles and treeing squirrels. Good times.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:05 am

This is Skittles, one of 14 Yorkies at the Sixgun homestead. She lives in the safe.

Yorkies make a lot of noise, don't shed their fur, eat very little, and hate 99.99% of people---just the way we like it around here.

We keep one at every window

Skittles guarding the ammo supply

Festy loading the weeks ammo

Suzy catching up on her reading,

Around here, our dogs have their own guns. Eddie chooses a levergun, made especially for him

rock-steady · Post by **rock-steady** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:23 am

We have had Rat Terriers all my life. They are by far my favorite breed, smart, fast and gritty. So here's the names of my friends who have passed on: Mantou, ZKiller, Porkchop, Ol' Jack, Cricket and Bullet. I have a 1/2 Rat Terrier 1/2 Jack Russell named Emma Pearl that is watching me type this. Get a Rat Terrier and you'll have a friend for life!

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:44 am

I wasn't much of a small dog guy until Blondie brought home this little
Jack Russell mix.
Just about 4 month old now and quite the terrorist!
She and our Great Dane are best buddies.
She's picking up the house training amazingly quick and just the sweetest little dog.

I took this picture the day I found out about her. I thought we were just going for a vist and on the way
she told me about our "new" puppy!

Here's a more recent picture with Lucy our Great Dane.

jb

txpete · Post by **txpete** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:17 am

hoover a RT mix.

Doc Hudson · Post by **Doc Hudson** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:49 am

madman4570 wrote:Besides our yellow Lab, we have a breed that AKC says is also in the Terrier group.
Mini Schnauzer(its a squirrel/cat chasing machine)notice I said only chasing.
Anyone with dog allergies (daughter had some years back but grew out of)--this type is the dog for you, but they bark a lot.But honestly,you take a dark navy velux blanket and let them lay/play on it.(not a single hair/dander)nothing.Only thing about once every 6 weeks you find this tiny round little ball of their fur somewhere,nothing else.

Nothing against Rat Terriers mind you, but here is another vot for Mini Schnauzers.

Back in 2000 when we lost our Yorkie to Cushings Disease, my then wife and I tried to decide what small breed we wanted next to keep our old Golden Retriever company. We narrowed the choices down to four breeds, which I don't remember and couldn't narrow it further. I suggested we talk to our vet for advise and info on the breeds. I talked to Dr. Johnson a few minutes and he agreed. When I gave him the list of breeds, he thought all of 10 seconds and said:

My first choice would be a Miniature Schnauzer.

My second choice would be a Miniature Schnauzer.
My third choice would be a Miniature Schnauzer,
And my fourth choice would be a Miniature Schnauzer.

The best dog I ever owned was a Miniature Schnauzer and after I retire and don't have 17 dogs, 10 cats, three horses and a hundred head of cattle to tend, I gonna get me another Miniature Schnauzer!

Mini Schnauzers are either running wide open or are snoring. As a puppy I saw Pepper running across the floor in a dead run and crash to the ground sliding dead asleep. My Dad called her a "Flying Dog" from the way she'd leap more than halfway across a room from a lap.

Yeah, they can be a bit yappy, most terriers are. But highly inteelligent, affectionate, and playful. I miss Pepper a darned sight more than I miss my ex. After my Pry passses on, I will get another miniature Schnauzeer.

madman4570 · Post by **madman4570** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:26 am

Doc,
You have just made yourself another fan! (my wife)She said, now theres a man that knows his dogs.
I said yep,and also he probably has forgot more about guns than I will ever know!

Take Care

Charles · Post by **Charles** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 12:24 pm

Terriers can be hard headed and difficult, but I do love them. I have had Scotties and I have now an Antique Cairn that is pretty well used up.

I don't know if I would ever get another dog as losing one is far to hard. But, should I decide to get a new dog, a Rat Terrier would be at the of the list. At one time in this country, every farm and ranch had at least one of those gizmos. They will sound if anybody is on the place, are very protective of their home and their people, will fight an elephant and in general are good utility dogs for just about anything you would want a dog for. They are hyper, fast and active. They don't belong in apartments or with folks who don't have room for them to run.

piller · Post by **piller** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:59 pm

My wife (Pillher) has an Atlas Terrier, an offshoot of Jack Russell but they are solid color, and Sparkle has killed several rats and mice. She can't stand to let a mouse or rat live. Sighthunter has a mixed breed which is mostly Rat Terrier and it has caught and eaten several squirrells in the yard. Sighthunter's dog, Lady, loves people and she would do almost anything to please any person who comes out in the back yard to pet her. Just don't smell like a squirrell and you will be fine with her. I plan on having some kind of terrier from now on as I hate having mice come in to the house. Miniature Schnauzers might be OK, too, as they are good mousers.

Post by **Hobie** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:55 pm

Charles wrote:I don't know if I would ever get another dog as losing one is far to hard.

Charles,

I would rather have another best friend for only five minutes than miss the fun of it for the rest of my life. Dogs are absolutely the best of friends. I waited almost 24 years to get another dog. I don't think I'll put myself through that again!

PS - We measure our friends by how much we miss them. A dog's passing hurts sso much because they are such good friends...

Doc Hudson · Post by **Doc Hudson** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 12:00 am

Hobie wrote:
Charles wrote:I don't know if I would ever get another dog as losing one is far to hard.
Charles,

I would rather have another best friend for only five minutes than miss the fun of it for the rest of my life. Dogs are absolutely the best of friends. I waited almost 24 years to get another dog. I don't think I'll put myself through that again!

PS - We measure our friends by how much we miss them. A dog's passing hurts sso much because they are such good friends...

I'll say a big old "AMEN!!! to Hobie's comments.

IMO, a house without a dog is just not a home.

Do yourself a favor Charles, get another dog. It is the only real love money can buy.

gundownunder · Post by **gundownunder** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 7:07 am

Best rat terrier I ever saw was my dearly departed rottweiler.
The wifes cat brought in a rat that was too big for him to handle so he cornered it in the bathroom and howled for reinforcements. The rottie walked in, took one look at what was going on, feigned left, pounced right and crushed the rat in those beautiful great bonecrusher jaws of hers, you could hear all its bones breaking. Then she did something that had me in fits of laughter for hours, she turned her head to the side, spat the rat out, and then gave the cat the most contemptuous look, before walked out of the room.

If I was going to get a small dog it would be a standard German pinscher. They are excellent vermin hunters, and also serious guard dogs. I've heard they're half the weight of a doberman with twice the attitude.

madman4570 · Post by **madman4570** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:55 am

Doc Hudson wrote:
Hobie wrote:
Charles wrote:I don't know if I would ever get another dog as losing one is far to hard.
Charles,

I would rather have another best friend for only five minutes than miss the fun of it for the rest of my life. Dogs are absolutely the best of friends. I waited almost 24 years to get another dog. I don't think I'll put myself through that again!

PS - We measure our friends by how much we miss them. A dog's passing hurts sso much because they are such good friends...
I'll say a big old "AMEN!!! to Hobie's comments.

IMO, a house without a dog is just not a home.

Do yourself a favor Charles, get another dog. It is the only real love money can buy.

+1

Charles · Post by **Charles** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 1:22 pm

Hobie and Madman.. I love all critters and most people. Right now, I have Murphy, Chuy and Beamer (three cats) that share my shop, bed and world. They pretty much get the job done of looking out after me.

Cats and dogs are different critters, but they scratch the same itch in my heart. I may have another dog after Abby the Carin is gone and maybe not. The wife will have a dog and to tell the truth, her critters always take up with me. Most animals do and even a few humans.

Post by **Hobie** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 1:26 pm

Charles wrote:Hobie and Madman.. I love all critters and most people. Right now, I have Murphy, Chuy and Beamer (three cats) that share my shop, bed and world. They pretty much get the job done of looking out after me.

Cats and dogs are different critters, but they scratch the same itch in my heart. I may have another dog after Abby the Carin is gone and maybe not. The wife will have a dog and to tell the truth, her critters always take up with me. Most animals do and even a few humans.

Coldfingers · Post by **Coldfingers** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:29 pm

I NEVER liked small dogs. I thought highly of Blue Heelers though. My ol heeler got killed and I refused to get another dog since it was soooo painfull.

A dozen years ago I was going through a bout of black hole, Maggie in the Mouth depression. My wife, at her wits end, made a desperate move and got me a dog.

I had never heard of such a thing as a Jack Russel Terrier and sure did not like the pictures of the little yappy things I saw when I looked at what that little teacup sized pup was supposed to grow into.

I stand today, being totally convinced, that there is more "dog" in a 14.5 pound Terrier than in any other critter on earth. What a hunting machine with an attitude to spare. We now have two of the darn things and they bring me more pleasure than most everything else in life.

My little male has logged over 650,000 miles in the big rig and has not missed seeing (or smelling through the vent!) any critter even close to the road. He is a better mouser than any cat ever thought of being, will stay on a squirrel in a tree till I either kill it or carry the dog away so the squack can head for the hills. He is afraid of nothing that I have seen and will fetch both ducks and pink salmon till he gets hypothermic and near drowns himself.

No hole in Gods Green Earth is ever deep enough to suite them. Further excavation required!

I once watched ol Halbert drag a full sheet of 3/4 plywood, with much tugging and pulling and chewed corners, till he flushed the mouse that was seeking refuge under there.

They are a hoot. A clown in a dog suit. Seldom a day goes by that they do not do something that gets my belly hurting from laughter.

Halbert once chased a mouse full bore into the end of a chunk of 6" stovepipe. He was STUCK...I was laughing pretty hard till he started backing up, shaking the pipe around and backed full tilt into a 5 gal bucket that then stood up with the poor fella sitting in the bottom waving the stovepipe in the air. That tore it. Seemed like me and the boss rolled on the ground for five minutes before we could even begin to help him out.

Yeah, I like "terrors" and will get another when these wear out.

I met an old feller down in Valdez a few years back who asked about Halbert. Seems he had one that had gotten hit by a car. He burried it in the back yard and cried like a baby he said (had tears showing when relating the story) The next day, he heard something on the porch and there was that darn JRTerror, busted up, bloody, dirty and dragging itself to the door. The vet patched it up and it lived another few years. He told me that as soon as his wife died, he was going to get another Jack. His wife just snorted at him. We were both getting teary eyed by that time.

They grow on you.

Enjoy.

Scotty

Doc Hudson · Post by **Doc Hudson** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:42 pm

Thanks Scotty!

i by thunder needed tohose laughts and tears if nobody else did.

I like Jack Russells too, but Yorkies and mini Schnauzers have my heart.

BTW, I've never met jac Russell that was not a real fireball for energy, with a head full of good sense, and just dripping affection. Grand little dogs.

rock-steady · Post by **rock-steady** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:44 am

Years ago, I hunted in the river swamp with Mr. Lamar. He was a Korean War vet and kept a pack of Rat Terriers that would run deer. In my mind's eye, I can still see that liitle old man rattling down a pigtrail of a dirt road in "The Yellowjacket" (his old Chevy truck) with four or five Rat terriers in the front seat with him and a well-worn Remington 1100 in the rack. Them little dogs would run the hair off a deer. They wouldn't bark until they actually saw a deer, so when they opened up, you knew a deer was close and heading your way. Sometimes they would run out of hearing and stay gone for a while. Mr. Lamar would spit out his chaw of Beechnut and we would return to that spot hours later and the little dogs would be there waiting. He gave me a little female puppy one time. She was no bigger than my hand so I named her Cricket. She was as fine a squirrel dog that has ever lived. She hated squirrels with a passion. One time, me, my pal Marty, and Cricket was squirrel hunting along a creek bottom and ol Cricket went MIA on us. I called and whistled but she was gone. Then Marty said, "Hey rock, thar's yore dawg!" and he was pointing up! A hurricane had blowed a giant yellow pine over at about a 45 degree angle and Cricket had run up the log all the way to the top, at least 50 feet above the ground. My blood froze as I thought she would fall and surely get killed. But after a while she turned and run full speed back down the tree like it was no big deal, just stood there wagging her stubby little tail. I will never forget Cricket.

bdhold · Post by **bdhold** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:16 am

.45colt wrote:I wonder if it would be a good Squirrel dog.?

my dad's squirrel dog when he was a kid was a rat terrier. He said it was a great squirrel dog and would climb trees after them.

L_Kilkenny · Post by **L_Kilkenny** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 2:52 pm

I'm another big dog to small dog convert.............kinda. Over the years I've had an assortment of big dogs including labs, goldens, huskies, hounds, pointers, curs, mutts, etc. I always swore I would never get a smallish dog. Dang ankle bitters anyway. Over the years my taste have changed till the point where my 2 dogs are a Mt. Fiest (terrier type cur) and a German Jagdterrier (look em up, their hunting ability is unsurpassed) and our shop dog is a Mini Schnauzers. While the Fiest is a bizarre little dog, the Jagd is hell on wheels. It will tackle anything. She also sleeps next to me, rides in my truck a lot and over all is my buddy. If I have one issue with her it's that she is always on the hunt. I've never seen a dog including any terrier, hound or cur that has more drive than this dog. It hurts her in the pet department. I'd like a dog that was a little more worried about where I'm at and less where the critters are at.

But over all if I had to chose one size dog to get it would be in the 30-40 lbs range. Always liked Healers (even though I was once attacked by 3 of em) and a good mid sized Mt. Cur is a great all around dog although more gamey than I'd like.

I will add that even though I have had at least one dog for the last 30 years and usually many times that I can see a time when a dog won't be in my life. As the kids get older I'm looking forward to a time when the Wife and I can have some US time where there is no one else "around" to worry about. Nothing to feed, nothing to water, nothing to take outside, nothing to worry about when we take a vacation or long weekend, nothing to lose in the woods, nothing to get run over by cars, etc, etc.

LK

BAGTIC · Post by **BAGTIC** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:02 pm

I have had two rat terriers. Never again. Cute? Yes? Friendly? Yes. Playful? Yes.

Just keep them away from other small animals. I got rid of the first because I could not break him of killing my ducks. I got rid of the second after he killed my third, at least, kid goat.

They have been replaced by an equally delightful cocker spaniel During my life I have had two cockers, a Brittany, and a Springer spaniel. They have all been wonderful non destructive animals. They can chase, catch and eat all the wild critters they want including squirrels, chipmunks, opossums, racoons, woodchucks and armadillos but I draw the line at livestock.

Slick · Post by **Slick** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:45 pm

Uh… Not all Rat Terriers are small. Back in the 1970’s a fellow named Milton Decker set out to breed a “giant” Rat Terrier that could run with horses and fight and kill larger prey. All I know is that I was never so lucky the day I rescued a 5 ½ month old Decker R/T. He’s hell on wheels and can outrun ANY other dog I’ve let him play with.

Their prey drive is intense and they will kill anything smaller than them – so care is needed around other creatures. My R/T’s favorite snack right now is doves. He can launch like a rocket and pluck them out of the air during take-off. He kills rats, squirrels, bullfrogs, birds like doves and blujays.

Even though he’s a “giant”, he’s still only a medium-sized dog at 36 lbs – but he’d light into a Rottweiler if he had the chance. Here’s my lil’ buddy as a 24 lb pup.

He filled out to “Mr. Buff” at 36 lbs…

And he absolutely takes NO crud what so ever.. Note the 2 dark “dots” on his upper right chest, where the possum sank his teeth in making a futile attempt to live.

I just love Rat Terriers, but I want the “extra large” to go. And Yes, his neck has gotten so thick that I can reach down and lift his collar right off his head...

Bronco · Post by **Bronco** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 1:04 am

Howdy,
Got a couple of Schipperkies, and some where in their past a terrier was in the mix to make the breed. Go ground squirrel hunting with them all the time and they bring a couple down on their own. My thinking that anything with a terrier in them they will shake the living sh&t out of it

, if they can catch it, and look another for one! A whole lot of fun in the field.

John

Slick · Post by **Slick** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 2:38 am

Bronco wrote: Got a couple of Schipperkies,

I got a friend who's got one. Awesome little furry black buggers! If I recall, he said they were Belgian boat-dogs for taking rats...

Think "pomerainian" on "Arnold-roids" (attitude-wise)...

Doc Hudson · Post by **Doc Hudson** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 2:57 am

Slick wrote:
Bronco wrote: Got a couple of Schipperkies,
I got a friend who's got one. Awesome little furry black buggers! If I recall, he said they were Belgian boat-dogs for taking rats...

Think "pomerainian" on "Arnold-roids" (attitude-wise)...

Schipperkies are described as 'dogs of all work" on Belgian and Dutch canal boats. That means they are watch dogs, ratters, and if need be thy will jump in the water to retrieve a line or fallen object. They are grand little dogs with lots of heart and lots of personality.

I think I'd like them better if they had tails, even bobbed tails. Somehow it seems wrong to totally deprive a dog of one of his most expressive body parts.