Small dog/ mammal killer wanted.... & safe with children

[SteveA]

I've been on a clear-felling job with Slack Ma Girdle (Murray) and one of the lads has got a little dog known as 'The Mammal Killer'.... I was very impressed at its mouse sniffing, digging & eating ability. It's some kind of Jack Russell, Fox Terrier cross, I think??

 

So we want a similar dog for our farm.... to eat rats, mice & maybe the odd squirrel (if fast enough). Yet also very important that it doesnt bite people/ strangers and especially children.

 

I can't stand Staffordshire Bull Terriers.... far too jumpy and annoying.

 

We looked at some Jack Russell pups - but possibly a bit short in the leg.

 

Any recommendations?

cheers, steve

[spandit]

My sprocker has been renamed "Vole-de-mort" as she keeps catching the little critters. She's killed a few mice too but is amazingly tolerant of our 5-year old daughter

[SteveA]

My sprocker has been renamed "Vole-de-mort" as she keeps catching the little critters. She's killed a few mice too but is amazingly tolerant of our 5-year old daughter

 

Cheers, a bit too big for us.

[difflock]

Any dog will be perfectly safe with children, as long as it knows its place in the pack.

To my mind a JR would be perfect, and indeed, it may well nip a child, but only if the child deserves it and persists.

 

Do NOT see the short legs as a drawback.

[devon TWiG]

not all JR,s have short legs ..

[aspenarb]

I have lots of JR`s and they are useless at vermin control compared to my mates old Tom cat.

 

Bob

[Scott Walker]

I have lots of JR`s and they are useless at vermin control compared to my mates old Tom cat.

 

Bob

 

Same with me I've got a jack Russel and my sister's cat puts her to shame even bought a huge rat back for her last week.

[MattyF]

I would want to see the mother hunting and how she is with kids if buying a terrier.

My current terrier is mental like its mother and a hope less hunter but he is great with kids.

But the dog in my avatar I knew the mother and grandmother and they were excellent hunters , she's great with kids and also won't kill animals if told not too but unfortunately she ended in the custody of my ex and I got the one she could not handle.

[Stephen Blair]

cats are best around farms! They go and do their own thing, i wouldnt want a dog roaming about, it will end up trapped or under the wheels of something.

[Woodcrafter]

Beagles are supposed to be great hunters and great with children.

Only off put for us is that apparently when the nose switches on the ears turn off. We like to go on walks and would like to have a dog we can let off the lead, I fear it would have to be on the lead the whole time in case it picked up a scent. I maybe wrong.