borders worry with rats

[JP1982 0]

Hi

im looking for some advise with my 20month old border bitch. Im a agricultral pest controller based in gloucestershire and my border comes to work with me daily.

She's a great little dog and has been coming on well with her work but she's taken a couple of nasty bites around the lips and has started to mess about with them. Once she's killed she's straight on to the next one and doesn't loose any keeness in finding. Is this something she's likely to grow out of? is there anything i should be doing?

Any advise will be greatfully recieved thankyou.

[whippet 99 2,613]

your a pest controller and dont know anything about your working dog and how to maintain her. right , sorry i cant help you. something not right here , all the best with your mutt

[gnipper 6,466]

You'll probably find the vast majority of pest controllers don't even own a working dog, I didn't see anything dodgey in the question. Some dogs do mess about killing them mate, try her out with another dog and see if that encourages her to kill them quicker. My lurcher runs round with them in his gob chewing him just so the terrier can't pinch them.

[old school 518]

are you sayin she kills and moves on to the next one??? if i'm reading it right then thats what shes supposed to do!!

[JP1982 0]

Well thanks for that whippet 99 just the kind of advise i wanted very constructive you pr*ck. I am a professional pest controller RSPH level 2 and 3 as well as a field biologist and fumigater and have been for more than 13 years. Run a very successful business. I came here to seek advise from those with more experience and knowledge . I havnt had this before with Jacks ive had in the past.

[Elmer Fudd 2011 39]

rat always have a go back and all dog gets bites from time to time dont worry about it

[whippet 99 2,613]

Well thanks for that whippet 99 just the kind of advise i wanted very constructive you pr*ck. I am a professional pest controller RSPH level 2 and 3 as well as a field biologist and fumigater and have been for more than 13 years. Run a very successful business. I came here to seek advise from those with more experience and knowledge . I havnt had this before with Jacks ive had in the past.

your moaning about your terrier killing a rat and then trying to find another straight away . are you for real. i got something constructive to add before you get any more tools make sure you read the instructions first

[socks 32,253]

Something not right here i am a rural pest controller and to be so you need to have a wide variety of rural knowledge and that includes the basics of dog work .... FFS it's only ratting the meat of agricultural pest control .................

[JP1982 0]

Sorry probably didnt word that quite right she's killing but taking her time about it being very stand of ish. I know its because she has had a couple of nasty bites and im hopeing as she gets more experience she,ll despatch quicker and keep out of trouble. This is the first border ive had and i have been told there sometimes abit slow to get going.

 

Gnipper your right most dont im lucky mostly on farms and she is a real asset to me

[JP1982 0]

Not moaning whippet 99 just concerned. I am pleased as punch with her she been a fantastic asset and is learning well and enjoys coming out with me. I didnt come here for an argument or a slating. Remember not everyone you meet has the same level of knowledge or experience that you have we all have things to learn.

[Rhodey 96]

When she kills them is she shaking them or just biting down on them? If she is biting down and getting bit she just needs to learn to shake them to kill them quicker.

[skycat 6,173]

Some dogs are softer than others, and yours obviously doesn't like being bitten, not that most dogs actually 'like' being bitten LOL It's just that most just fire back even harder when they are bitten. Yours doesn't. Maybe she got bitten too young and the fear of being bitten is now interfering with her desire to kill. If she is just a soft little dog then not a lot will cure that, apart from time and maturity. They say that some Borders are very slow to mature, and I've known some, although from good working stock, which just don't have the heart or drive for ongoing killing. Sure they'll take the odd rat here and there, but they're not out and out killers and seem a bit too sensitive to be hard working dogs.

 

Could you not get her out with another determined dog? One that is doing the job well already. It might help, but there again, might not. She is what she is, but don't give up on her yet. Friend of mine had two Borders over the years, both from the same kennel. One was outstanding, hard and keen. The other was soft, insipid and the only thing she was really good at was marking rabbit holes out ferreting. Not all terriers are born equal.

Edited February 9, 2012 by skycat

[Lab 10,979]

At what age did she get her first rat?

[lady hunter 162]

socks to be fair with your rural knowledge you should be able to tell the difference between a muntjack and a wallaby imho.jp1982 the bitch will soon learn how to deal with them.atvb

[socks 32,253]

socks to be fair with your rural knowledge you should be able to tell the difference between a muntjack and a wallaby imho.jp1982 the bitch will soon learn how to deal with them.atvb

 

Lol to be honest I was convinced it was a wooly mammoth .............