Is there anybody on here that works terriers in hunting or even ratting?
Im curious just because Im really interested working terriers and because I recently acquired a little rat/jack terrier who Id like to train to Rat (or mouse as the case may be) but she seems to have a good deal of bite inhibition. She has a really strong prey drive but someone obviously did a good job of teaching her not to bite small prey animals.

Above ground.

Blood trailing and light mole work at the house.:smile:

No real training, though, for killing small animals. He just does it.

So she has actually seen a small mammal running and wouldn't bite?

Mitzi (Min Pins are really terriers) has a great bite and we play tug and sleeve bite games. But when she finally caught a shrew, recently, all she would do is play with it, tossing it around a pawing at it.

Now we are cleaning out an old wood shed and see evidence of rats, so I too, would like to know how to get het to actually bite a rat if she comes across one.

She is out there all the time scouting for them, I don't think she has met one face to face. Maybe they are scared away just by her presence...

Have you checked into Earth Dog culbs and trials in your area? They don't let the dogs bite prey, but it might be great for building drive...

she has great drive, and loves to eat mice but she has some sort of inhibition about really biting down and shaking a live animal. I gave her a mouse, really egged her one and she nearly went insane she wanted to kill it so bad, she would be staring at it running at it and would have to grab and shake a leaf or stick because of the build up. She finally got the nerve up to grab it in her mouth and bit down on its skull. After that she proceeded to break every bone in its body. Ive read about some other terriermen who had a dog that would break the bones first until they learned it was faster to shake. I havent given her another mouse yet so we will see. she is a very concientious little dog, and once she learns a command, is trustworthy out of site so I really feel like she was taught not to lay a paw on possible other "permanent houseguests". Im hoping that reinforcing it will work. Its interesting because Ive never had to encourage a dog to obey their impulses- its usually the other way around.
Cindy- Ive always wanted a min pin, I was actually looking for one when I got Foxy instead.

maybe I should go for moles that seems like it could be fun.where do you go to hunt them?
I live in Ny right now so we have groundhogs but I think shes better at rodents. (I gave her another mouse today and she really went for it this time!) but when I move back down south I guess it will be rats....

I had an Airedale terrier and she learned to kill stuff by hanging out with my friends Welsh terrier when we rode horses. Monkey see monkey do. This was great until Benny got in with the chickens... thanks goodness Brandy could not get in the whole he made. Chickens are not the approved kill list for the dogs

Your dog may have also gotten nailed by something in the past ( doesn't sound like you got her as a pup) Maybe a snake or a skunk or even a brave gopher if she was young. The level of inhibition you describe with grabbing sticks and things instead of the rodent would fit. She wants it but the last time it bit back type of thing. Some dogs that go through the rattlesnake training can come out like that too. I have seen dogs even stop playing with toys after rattlesnake training.

I second the use of the proper accent!

i used a drawl, and was wearing boots. does that work?
I didnt get her as a pup so she might have had a bad experience...

What about bugs? Will she keel them?

Just thinking out loud.

Actually, a moth just flew across the room and Turbo destroyed it.

Tried to get video, but........

haha yea she will but honestly i like the idea of going outdoors and traipsing around with my dog hunting something so I was looking for a good excuse