What is the earliest age,you allow your pups.........

[uru 341]

What is the youngest you allow your pups to start on rats?Mice?Do you let your very young pups get mice,and if yes,what age do you allow them to start rats?We let them go very young,as soon as the interest is there.I just wanted to know what others thought,take care

craig

PS:Not looking to get ragged on,just some plain answers,thanks

[Lew 111]

5-6 months if interested on rats.

[sue 1]

i start mine on rats roughly at 10 months not any younger ,there is some big rats and i dont want to put them off if they get a nasty bite

[whin 463]

my patts alll started 7 months and by a year were going to ground on cubs and the odd easy dig,they were high powerd and mad tho as they had seen dead animals and all sorts as young dogs

[Guest rexdigger]

mine started on rats at 4 month old and has been on a couple of digs to watch

[dogga 1]

skunk is still not ready for rats yet he not sure what is going on h ha ha ha he is 8 monthes old but when he is ready he will be ready no rush

[robbie4444 5]

usually show him a rat at 5 months if he shows no interest i just show him the next month and so on he will tell you when he wants it

[dev 226]

all pups are different,some slower than others, my young bitch pup is now almost 11 months and she killed her first rat at 3&1/2 months,she hasnt seen any since tho, but she did chopp my mates ferret

[uru 341]

Thanks everyone.I was just curious,and the one person mentioned holding back until older for fox,which is a definite,but I only was talking mice & rats.I've had some wee ones that will jump them right away if they see them.I had a pair a few years back,about 10 weeks old(different breeding).The male was supposed to be from some top notch breeding.I had them in a giant bin we had made up,just for this,about 3 1/2 feet high,10 ft long,and about 4 ft wide.The male,was always shaking hte little female up,roughing her up over food etc.I put him in first.He run up to the rat(these were rats,not mice,but just about half to a little over grown)He stuck his nose up,the rat bit him and latched on.He squealed and danced shaking his head,trying to get loose.Once he had shaken the rat loose,he ran to the corner,trying to jump out.(we had put 3 rats in there at once).We put the female in,she ran up,got bit in the lip,and went mad.She chewed the rat from nose to tail tip back and forth like a type writer.The other two rats began scurrying trying to get out,she snatched them up in short order.The male,ended up growing up to be a dogfighter that was a useless hunter,and was put down.The female,ended up being an awesome groundhog,raccoon dog,that worked anywhere and everywhere,above and below.Take care

craig

[Bryan 1,362]

for what purpose are you guys using rats and mice with pups?

 

Bryan

[uru 341]

for what purpose are you guys using rats and mice with pups?

 

Bryan

Just to see how they react,and how early

uru

[Lew 111]

for what purpose are you guys using rats and mice with pups?

 

Bryan

 

 

just the odd day in the summer thats all. gets that BORING

[dytkos 17,537]

On rats, when they're ready, you'll know. Other quarry, at least 12 months so they're phisically developed. Steady!!!!

[kvnmcwebn 0]

Im not an expert but from my experience id say there ready when there fully developed mentally and physically. When a bite would only drive them on and not make them afraid. You could ruin them starting them to early.

[uru 341]

Im not an expert but from my experience id say there ready when there fully developed mentally and physically. When a bite would only drive them on and not make them afraid. You could ruin them starting them to early.

KV

I agree a bad experience could surely ruin them.But I don't plan on a nip from a rat doing that,and if a rat bite can cur out a fired up pup,the pup might not going to turn into what I'm after.I'm just talking about simple ratting here,not the big of haul of rats that it would take an experienced dog to tackle.Just simple,fun, stuff for the pups

craig