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Ratting dogs are popular with farmers – they are used to keep pests – specifically rats and mice to a minimum. Whilst fox hunting is illegal in the UK, dogs can still used for ratting. Terriers are often the best ratting dogs – they are prey driven, fast and bred for the job! A terrier is a type of dog that is typically small, sturdy, and feisty. They are often used to hunt small mammals and birds.
What are the Best Ratting Dogs?
Jack Russell Terrier
Jack Russells can also be used to hunt rats and other pest animals. They have a strong prey drive, like their fox chasing ancestors. The most common quarry is the common house rat, but they can hunt animals as large as possums. In some parts of the world, it is illegal to use dogs to cull vermin.
Patterdale Terrier
Patterdale terriers, also known as Jack Russell terriers, are the most common terrier of English foxhound stock. They are used for hunting rats by chasing after them and killing them with a bite to the back of the neck. This is done by a method known as ratting.
Ratonero Bodeguero
Ratonero bodegueros, also known as Spanish Jack Russell Terriers, are the most common terrier of English foxhound stock. They are used for hunting rats by chasing after them and killing them with a bite to the back of the neck. These dogs have a large prey drive. Many people call these dogs wine cellar ratters because they are often sent down the wine cellars of Andalusia to kill rats and mice.
Cairn Terrier
Cairn Terriers originated in Scotland and were used to kill small rodents that were harmful to crops and stored grains. Because they are bred to be hunters, they have a high prey drive and will chase anything that moves fast enough, such as cats, squirrels, chipmunks or rabbits. They also are very intelligent dogs who can learn fast — sometimes too fast if they are not given firm direction from an experienced owner who knows how to properly train a dog.
Other good ratting dogs include the rat terrier, Yorkshire terrier, Norfolk terrier, Daschund and Miniature Schnauzer.
Rats have often been hunted this way. Rats have caused significant damage to human and animal health. They can cause significant financial damage to humans when they escape and breed into wild environments of houses, gardens or farms.
If you enjoyed this article you might also like to read about Spanish Dog Breeds
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