Author Topic: Thinking about getting a JRT for ratting... (Read 5640 times)

benkt · « **on:** July 16, 2014, 09:34:49 pm »

I'm looking for a bit of advice as we are considering getting a Jack Russell for ratting duty. My main concern is the children - we have three at 6,5 and 3 who all adore my MIL's jack russell and would want to treat ours as a pet.
Am I overly ambitious to hope for a working terrier who can also be family pet with the little ones?

We have just taken on a new farm helper who has a working JRT and will be able to help with training but I'd love to hear other opinions before we make a decision.

Also appreciated would be any suggestions on where to find a suitable pup (Cambridgeshire but would travel)?

Porterlauren · « **Reply #1 on:** July 16, 2014, 10:36:22 pm »

There are a number of myths about working dogs, and these include the idea that you can't have a worker that is also a pet, a long with the idea that having a dog live inside will make it soft, and that a working dog will always be more aggressive than a non worker.

They are just that . . . . . total myths.

I have a total of six working dogs, including two terriers, a hound, a lurcher, a whipper and a spaniel, they are all worked hard, and some of then by dint of their working occupation are hard dogs, in the field, they are killers.

However, around people, children, other dogs and all livestock, they are soft as a brush, lovely natured and three of them (the whippet and the two terriers), sleep in the house.

With any dogs, its about how you bring them up, socialise them, and train them, and most problems can be traced back to the owner, rather than the dog. In fact, I have to say, I have met more dog, people and livestock aggressive pet dogs, than workers.

One final word of advise though, you need to train and socialise your children, almost as much as the dog! Many child vs dog incidents are ultimately the child's fault.

bigchicken · « **Reply #2 on:** July 16, 2014, 10:54:37 pm »

I have kept terriers for many many years and they have always been raised with children and well socialized. That's the thing show them every possible situation and give them time to mature and a few rats will be nothing to them.

shygirl · « **Reply #3 on:** July 17, 2014, 12:01:30 am »

we got our terrier (albeit a parson russell) when my youngest was 4.5yrs. my kids have been brought up with dogs all their lives and did have to learn to handle the terrier differently from day 1. he was a snappy feisty little thing at 8 weeks old, mainly over food and if woken up (understandably) and we did get a dog behaviourist out for a home visit in the first few weeks so these problems didnt escalate. basically we had to learn to respect and handle him better as he was our first terrier (our other dogs are a gsd, lab and lhaso ). today at 18mths he is absolutely the best dog ever, so clever, so loving and will spend ages doing tricks with the kids. i definitely wouldnt have got a terrier with a kid younger than 4 though because when he did snap, he really meant it.

we havent brought him up to be a hunter so he hasnt really been allowed to try and kill anything except the odd mouse but thats the way we have brought him up. we dont have rabbits here so he really hasnt had a chance. but im sure he would be just as loving if he was a hunting dog..
even today we have to manage the food situation as we have had a fair few fights over feeding time between him and our lhaso, but the reason these have almost stopped is the terrier is now smart enough to obey commands and control himself (which is more than the lhaso could do as he is very set in his ways) and i make sure the dogs only get fed if i am home to manage them, just incase a fight does break out as a terrier wont back down once its started.

one thing maybe worth noting is that ours is from a show strain so he definitely doesnt have the burning desire to work, or the need for constant exercise, and he copes really well with me working fulltime if you are wanting a serious working dog, maybe get a working strain as they are tougher but from what i understand they will need more exercise and opportunity to work.

do you have alot of rats?
do you have other dogs?

Porterlauren · « **Reply #4 on:** July 17, 2014, 09:47:25 pm »

In my experience, most terriers will 'work' small vermin to some degree if allowed the chance. Obviously not all terriers will perform the kind of work that they were originally designed for. But i've seen pomeranians killing rats. My other half came into my life with a seven year old, castrated terrier that had never worked, and the other day he chanced upon a good sized rat by the duck run, and immediately grabbed it and shook it to death.

All dogs need exercise, the more the better, but to be honest I find that with terriers its more about mental stimulation as physical exertion. Whereas my lurchers are climbing the walls if they don't get a few miles each day.

shygirl · « **Reply #5 on:** July 17, 2014, 10:51:46 pm »

Quote from: Porterlauren on July 17, 2014, 09:47:25 pm

All dogs need exercise, the more the better, but to be honest I find that with terriers its more about mental stimulation as physical exertion. Whereas my lurchers are climbing the walls if they don't get a few miles each day.

yes definitely.
though our terrier, even at 18mths is visibly tired if hes been out on the farm all day, whereas my gsd would go night and day if she had the chance. if think hes a bit of a softy but i put that down to his show bloodlines.
we were originally looking for a rescue terrier but as we had young kids,we couldnt find a dogs home that would let us have one.

benkt · « **Reply #6 on:** July 18, 2014, 11:19:32 am »

Thanks all for the advice. Sounds promising... We sometimes have a lot of rats - mainly this time of year as our neighbours are all arable and as soon as they combine all the rats from their fields descend upon our farm for the animal feed. We don't have any other dogs at the moment, just a couple of cats who manage the mice and baby rats but are less effective with the larger rats.

sabrina · « **Reply #7 on:** July 18, 2014, 01:18:21 pm »

I have grandchildren of various ages and our Jack Russell has been very good when they visit. he is now 10 years old so I make sure the kids know when to give him his own space.

Sbom · « **Reply #8 on:** July 18, 2014, 02:09:44 pm »

What I would say is just make sure the puppy is well socialised with other dogs when it's young. My JRT is lovely but will take on any other dog without a second thought, my lurcher went to puppy training and was very well socialised and as a result just loves other dogs! We also made the mistake of having a toddler and terrier puppy at the same time, as a result she's not keen on children at all, not nasty, just dosent seek them out for fuss and certainly won't play with them.
Oh... And don't make the mistake of having two out of the same litter. We kept a puppy from our girl and their bond is so strong they just disappear for hours rabbiting without a second thought. When not with him she follows me everywhere and wouldn't dream of going off.

Mammyshaz · « **Reply #9 on:** July 18, 2014, 09:59:25 pm »

It sounds great to have a ratter but the first question s do you really want a dog???
It is a lifelong commitment of 10-12yrs and even to 16 + years for a terrier so not something to take on lightly. ( sorry if this is basic info but the post doesn't state experience

)

If you are prepared for a great pet and worker then there are dual purpose terriers out there.
Just do plenty of homework and visits to ensure they are house reared as well as workers. Good luck

Young Ed · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2014, 11:15:15 am »

we have a 8 year old lab and she was bought when i was 7 and my younger brother 4 and she has always lived in the house and been a pet and is great with little kids and fine with all humans but not always great with other dogs (she is especially racist against black labs

) in the field she is a great picker upper for pheasant shoots and will quite happily get live running ones

so yes in the case of labs they can be great pet and working dogs, not sure on JRT's though
Cheers Ed

Redtiftaf · « **Reply #11 on:** July 27, 2014, 12:02:19 am »

We got a JRT a year ago. She has become the type of dog you are asking about -at home she is the most loving affectionate dog around, loves to be spoiled. As soon as she is taken in the car to go to the farm where we keep our horse and chickens she turns into a working terrier. Not interested in being a pet until we are back in the car going home. She runs everywhere tracking and searching out rodents. The farmer also has a JRT, not related in any way to mine, way but she is the best ratter I have seen and is a total poppet in the house, even with the farmers 1, 6 and 8 year old grandchildren

Bumblebear · « **Reply #12 on:** August 25, 2014, 10:36:43 am »

We have four terriers (2 norwich and 2 'scrats'). One of the scrats (our name for crossbreed terriers) is a natural, amazing ratter. But, she also kills chicks if they wander too far from the hen and no one is watching. If it's small and moves erratically then it's game. Her half brother, Monty, is much less of a ratter (he would probably be more interested if the rats carry balls!) but after six years is kind of interested now. I suppose I'm saying that not all terriers are equal and if you have good one (like Blossom) then prepared for that hunting instinct to strike when you're least expecting it. We have a four year old little girl and all our dogs sleep in the house and are pets. The two scrats are a bit neurotic and dog aggressive but that's their dodgy breeding - if I knew now what I knew then! As the famous quote goes "God loves a terrier"