Do dogs keep rats and mice away? ?

When it comes to thinking about the pets that may keep rats and mice under control, many people always think about cats first. Cats are known to be good when it comes to controlling mice, and they are opportunistic predators that may or may not kill mice and rats. As the cats get older, they get a laissez faire attitude towards the mice. Some dogs have been bred for pest control reasons. In order to keep rats and mice under control on farms, dogs often take up this duty. Because of plagues brought about by rats in the past, the dogs were the best pet to deal with these rodents, and they continue to be trained to be good mousers and ratters.

A terrier is a famous dog when it comes to working as ratters, and this is one reason why they were bred. The terriers were bred for sport. They were being put in enclosures with the mice or rats and there was a bet of how many rodents would be killed in a certain period of time. Besides the mice, they also chase the squirrels out of the yard.

The dogs that are recommended to keep mice away are Caim terriers and Russell terriers. The dogs do not have the same appearance, but they share many traits: their inability to get along with pets, the tendency of barking, and high energy personalities. Jack Russell terriers were bred to be fox hunters, and this is why they will need to have more space. The Caim terriers are calmer and they were raised for rodent hunting and they have a classic terrier look. However, taking into account the personal experience, they may turn out to be brats.

However, there are other dog breeds that can help deal with rats or mice for the person who does not want high energy terriers. A dachshund is a common choice when it comes to mousers. They can flush out burrowing animals such as badgers, and they have a high instinct that can lead them to pursue small animals such as mice. They have low energy compared to terriers and they can be good lap dogs. However, they like to dig, which helps them look for burrowing pests. The dachshunds can help in controlling burrowing pests like voles or gophers.

Papillion are recommended for the person who wants a mouser. They can harrow the mice and they will drive them away from the property. They are fun and also pretty dogs to have around. However, they require a high level of maintenance.

Go back to the How to get rid of ratspage or email us if you have any other questions about Do dogs keep rats and mice away?