Will rats get into my gun-dogs' sleeping boxes?

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Will rats get into my gun-dogs' sleeping boxes?

Rats can cause a multitude of problems around the farm.

Thursday, 21 June 2007

I have got rats around my yard and find them regularly among my horses and pigs. My gundogs are kennelled close by - will rats take up residence in their sleeping boxes?

Gundogs
PETER BLATCH says: Horses, pigs and chickens are always a big draw to rats, probably because of the amount of food that seems to be available with these animals. For some reason or other rat numbers this year have been the highest I've ever known with ditches, hedgerows and cover crops supporting big numbers of them.

Things wouldn't be too bad if they stayed where they are, but rats do move around and will always be drawn to outbuildings where food is available.

Make no mistake - they will readily take up residence under your kennels, but it's rare for them to move into a dog's actual sleeping accommodation. That would be too big a risk because no dog would tolerate the intrusion and would kill the unwanted visitor, quick time.

Despite this, nobody wants rats on the place so I suggest you set up a series of permanent fen-traps, in tunnels, around the yard, and check them daily. Set properly they will prove effective at keeping rat numbers down. With gundogs close by I would be reluctant to use poison: the dogs might eat it if they find it, and the same goes for any dead rats they come across.

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