Do you have a ratting terrier on your farm (especially in Northeastern US)?

[RojoMarz]

I had a Jack Russell.
Excellent for keeping rodents away.
Very smart dogs.
She was friendly, left the chickens alone and hunted down any rodent that moved almost to the point of obsession.

The "leave the chickens alone" is hopeful for me. He's never been around chicken's before...so, I've started trying to train "leave it" and "quiet", to him, while at the chicken coop.

 

[RojoMarz]

Here's our guy, still resting but I'm sure he's gathering energy so he can get more pine cones, after the sun is up.

 

[pkarkos]

Do you still have Jacks? We just acquired a 7 year old JRT on Sunday. His owners wanted him to have more space and hunting opportunities. We have both...70 acres, mice and chipmunks.

I was literally in this subgroup to post about JRTs. I don't want to take the OP off topic though.

I am happy to hear more about the JRTs! If I do end up getting one, it will be helpful to know more about them. I don't have a ton of experience with them (or small dogs of any kind) as I mostly work with hunting hounds. But I did have a friend who had a pet JRT who got into everything.

 

[pkarkos]

My grandparents had a little Carin terrier, Wizard of oz terrier dog. That dog would run the farm and get any thing from mice, to dragging a ground hog the size of her out of a hole. Very fearless little girl!

Yes, a Cairn Terrier is another one I've been thinking about. Do you know if she was from a working line or a companion breeder?

 

[pkarkos]

I had a Jack Russell.
Excellent for keeping rodents away.
Very smart dogs.
She was friendly, left the chickens alone and hunted down any rodent that moved almost to the point of obsession.

That's good to hear that she didn't bother the birds. I would imagine that most dogs (with a few exceptions of course) can be trained to stay away from birds if they are socialized to birds at a young age. My old hound loves to chase chickens, but the foxhound I work with grew up on a farm with chickens and don't bother them at all. Do you know if your Russel is from a working line?

 

[pkarkos]

Here's our guy, still resting but I'm sure he's gathering energy so he can get more pine cones, after the sun is up View attachment 2391473

So cute!

 

[Punkybrewster]

It was my boyfriends dog. He bought her in a pet shop in Brooklyn NY years ago.
She was 7 when she was introduced to chicks in the house.

Hard and strict training for a few days and she learned quickly. They are smart.

BUT....if i threw kitchen scraps into the run, she would bite through that chickenwire to get to the scraps and leave a hole...

My experience with the breed and other jack russells that i have met shows me that they dont necessarily need to come from a specific breeder.

 

[Mmanist]

Yes, a Cairn Terrier is another one I've been thinking about. Do you know if she was from a working line or a companion breeder?

No idea to be honest, it's been a good 10 years since she has pass. We have basenjis now!

 

[pkarkos]

It was my boyfriends dog. He bought her in a pet shop in Brooklyn NY years ago.
She was 7 when she was introduced to chicks in the house.

Hard and strict training for a few days and she learned quickly. They are smart.

BUT....if i threw kitchen scraps into the run, she would bite through that chickenwire to get to the scraps and leave a hole...

My experience with the breed and other jack russells that i have met shows me that they dont necessarily need to come from a specific breeder.

Okay, good to know!

 

[pkarkos]

No idea to be honest, it's been a good 10 years since she has pass. We have basenjis now!

Ah okay!
Basenjis are fun too! I thought about adopting one a few years ago but I ended up with a hound instead!