How to start Lakeland Puppies on Rats

[edge007]

Hi all.

I've just got a new Lakeland puppy from working parents.

I intend to work her on the Rats as I'm a pest controller and she will be a valuable tool in my locker.

Shes nearly 9 weeks old and showing great potential.

Has anyone got any tips on when and how to start her on the Rats? 

[Shambam1962]

Hi edge007,

 I had a terrier pack for years and would hunt rats on local farms on weekends.

You must make sure your dog or dogs are vaccinated against leptospirosis , as your dog is going to be bitten at some point during it’s outings.

Don’t think about entering a young pup at a rat as the bite of a rat can be detrimental to the dog training until the dog is mature enough.

I’ve seen terriers which are more than capable in size and eager to catch rats, but on catching a rat , only for the rat to turn around and bite the young dog and let’s go.

All of my ratting was carried out with experienced dogs catching rats and the young dog watching and then taking part in the hunt on it’s own accord.

Because the young dog was excited and saw how the older dogs would catch the rats, he would then try his luck and have a go.

Dont listen to people saying my dog was catching rats at such and such age .

Your dog is a pup until a year old and some terriers mature quicker than others.

Don’t forget if your dog is going to be used for ratting, some of the places you will be catching rats are not the cleanest.

I hunted a cow shed on a farm, which was used to over Winter cattle, and after hunting it with the terriers couldn’t get the smell of cow s—-t out of the dogs and kennel boxes no matter how many times I bathed and jet washed the kennels.

If you do hunt rats with the terrier, you will have to check the dog after every outing as some bites can become infected.

Two of my favourite pastimes was ratting with terriers and pigeon shooting.

I was lucky in my job as a hydraulic fitter, I would meet many farmers and start talking them about their machines and at the end of the conversation would ask if they had problems with rats and foxes.

I would be asked to call down on the weekend with the terriers and still to this day hunt and shoot these farms.

Sadly I no longer have terriers as the last one died a few years ago, but I regularly shoot over the farms with the spaniels and rifles.

Good luck with your pup and take things nice and slow and enter the dog when it’s mature enough to handle being bitten, as it surely will get bitten.

 I found some old photos taken back in 2008.

Couldn’t get the Smell out of the dogs for weeks 

Best terrier I ever had

[Shambam1962]

Forgot to mention, I would flush the rats out with the home made smoker and the terriers would do the rest.

[loriusgarrulus]

Put a solution of bicarbonate of soda in with the dog shampoo. Its an excellent deoderiser. You can buy it in bulk if you shop around as the little pots for baking with are not enough.

[Shambam1962]

That’s great to know .

Thanks

[Walker570]

Gawd they look a rum bunch not to be messed with.....love 'em and a very good write up on advise. One of my favorite watches on youtube is ratting with terriers

[Shambam1962]

The terriers I had was very well behaved for terriers and was safe around poultry and livestock and other dogs.

They never squabbled amongst themselves or fought over the rats one of the other dogs had caught.

I had a soft spot for the little bitch in the last photo as she was a brilliant little dog and before I had spaniels, she would retrieve ducks I had shot and landed in the middle of the pond or water, and had a softer mouth than some gundogs I’ve seen.

[dessyb]

the pup will let you know when it is ready. dont rush be patient

[Walker570]

16 hours ago, Shambam1962 said:

The terriers I had was very well behaved for terriers and was safe around poultry and livestock and other dogs.

They never squabbled amongst themselves or fought over the rats one of the other dogs had caught.

I had a soft spot for the little bitch in the last photo as she was a brilliant little dog and before I had spaniels, she would retrieve ducks I had shot and landed in the middle of the pond or water, and had a softer mouth than some gundogs I’ve seen.

The old farmer down in Wales who did our keepering for us had a very similar looking terrier   Whisky and it would retrieve anyhting to hand. We didn't have any water so never saw it swim. It worked out that it could take a big cock pheaant by the wind root and carry it easier although often the wing would cover it's eyes.

 

[edge007]

On 02/06/2022 at 10:20, Shambam1962 said:

Hi edge007,

 I had a terrier pack for years and would hunt rats on local farms on weekends.

You must make sure your dog or dogs are vaccinated against leptospirosis , as your dog is going to be bitten at some point during it’s outings.

Don’t think about entering a young pup at a rat as the bite of a rat can be detrimental to the dog training until the dog is mature enough.

I’ve seen terriers which are more than capable in size and eager to catch rats, but on catching a rat , only for the rat to turn around and bite the young dog and let’s go.

All of my ratting was carried out with experienced dogs catching rats and the young dog watching and then taking part in the hunt on it’s own accord.

Because the young dog was excited and saw how the older dogs would catch the rats, he would then try his luck and have a go.

Dont listen to people saying my dog was catching rats at such and such age .

Your dog is a pup until a year old and some terriers mature quicker than others.

Don’t forget if your dog is going to be used for ratting, some of the places you will be catching rats are not the cleanest.

I hunted a cow shed on a farm, which was used to over Winter cattle, and after hunting it with the terriers couldn’t get the smell of cow s—-t out of the dogs and kennel boxes no matter how many times I bathed and jet washed the kennels.

If you do hunt rats with the terrier, you will have to check the dog after every outing as some bites can become infected.

Two of my favourite pastimes was ratting with terriers and pigeon shooting.

I was lucky in my job as a hydraulic fitter, I would meet many farmers and start talking them about their machines and at the end of the conversation would ask if they had problems with rats and foxes.

I would be asked to call down on the weekend with the terriers and still to this day hunt and shoot these farms.

Sadly I no longer have terriers as the last one died a few years ago, but I regularly shoot over the farms with the spaniels and rifles.

Good luck with your pup and take things nice and slow and enter the dog when it’s mature enough to handle being bitten, as it surely will get bitten.

 I found some old photos taken back in 2008.

Couldn’t get the Smell out of the dogs for weeks 

Best terrier I ever had

Thanks so much for that information. That's what I was looking for.  I got her from a good friend of mine, who has a Rat pack, and I've been out with the pups mum who is an amazing clever ratter, so I have high Hope's for this one. Hes kept another bitch back also, so when the time is right we will take them both out and let them watch the mum and other dogs work and do what they do best.

[cardigun]

I had Lakeland terriers a few years back, they were all black in those days.  Lakelands seemed to be the most aggressive terriers I have ever had.  Didn't need much starting !

[edge007]

Update.

I took her to a waste site we look after a few week ago, first time shes ever seen or smelt Rats. 

She chased a few and obviously missed.

I took her again on Thursday5 month old to the day, she was as keen as mustard, fully alert on what the target was. At first I carried her and dropped her when there was a rat in site.

She chased and missed a few.

Then in the havoc, one ran straight towards her, she grabbed and crunched it, no shaking it, just biting it. I first I thought the rat had latched on to her cheek but she brought it back to and dropped when I said.

I couldn't believe what she did then. She then marked an aluminium tray containing absorbent granules, I half pulled it out thinking a Rat would run out but nothing. We walked around and she marked the same area. I then fully pulled it and she was right, a rat ran out, she missed it, I half kicked it to take it off balance, she then missed it again as it ran under machinery.

I am fully over the moon with how she has developed in such a short space of time !! Shes going to be a beaut !!! 

[Shambam1962]

Hi edge007,

I’m glad the little bitch is progressing well and is eager to find rats.

You will have no problem entering her to finding and catching rats, as Lakeland terriers and Patterdales are the toughest of terriers.

If you have the opportunity to go with your mates terriers after rats, take him up on any offer, as your bitch will come on leaps and bounds, and will learn so much watching and taking part with the other dogs.

When I would take the dogs ratting, I would always take lengths of 25mm Alkathene pipes and give them to the lads with me, to use to poke the holes the rats had bolted into.

The Alkathene pipe was cut into walking stick length and was flexible enough and light enough to swing and whack any rats fleeing the holes being smoked, and missed by the dogs.

Learn to trust the dog marking rats as they are rarely wrong, and the old dog I had would stay marking a food hopper until the last rat was out and caught.

How he didn’t have carbon monoxide poisoning I don’t know, as his nose was taking in all the smoke and fumes.

My 2 terrier bitches was bred by Eddie Chapman, from Vines Close Farm in Wimborne, Dorset, and Eddie was a real character and bred some cracking Parson Russel Terriers over the years and exported the pups all over the world.

Good luck with dog and keep us updated as she progresses.