Entering terrier to rats

[SportingWhippetdog 21]

Hi everyone, ive got a border bitch puppy who's 6months next week. Wanted to ask if there was any preference as to age to entering a dog to rats. She's very game but id hate for her to be put off by a bite at a young age. I had caught a rat in a cage trap in the barn and got the whippet to sort it out like normal, took the border along. She was wining and snapping at the caged rat. And when the whippet was shaking it she latched hold, took it from his jaws and aggresively crunched the pretty much dead rat as she pranced round proudly. What do you think, she ready for a live one?

[Aussie Whip 3,822]

Now, 6 months is a good age to start.I personally have never seen any terrier put off by a rat bite at that age.I had Silky terriers as a kid and started them then,they were top rat dogs but were never considered a working breed.

[Coursing mad 24 874]

Asking as her adult teeth are set and she's keen should be fine too start if your worried leave her a bit longer . No rush with a pup all are different 

[fireman 10,774]

Just to let you know baiting a rat in a trap with a terrier is against the law mate so i think you ment the rat escaped when you went to shoot it with a air gun and the whippet grabbed it while it was escaping and the pup joined in..Don't let a story ruin you and your terriers fun before it even starts mate ...

[SportingWhippetdog 21]

1 hour ago, fireman said:

Just to let you know baiting a rat in a trap with a terrier is against the law mate so i think you ment the rat escaped when you went to shoot it with a air gun and the whippet grabbed it while it was escaping and the pup joined in..Don't let a story ruin you and your terriers fun before it even starts mate ...

I don't live in the UK