Squirrel Control With Border Terriers.

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Squirrel Control With Border Terriers.; DO NOT LOOK IF EASILY OFFENDED.
Topic Started: Feb 28 2007, 03:09 PM (629 Views)
BorderDawn	Feb 28 2007, 03:09 PM Post #1
Moderator Posts: 1,900 Group: Moderators Member #36 Joined: January 12, 2005	Grey Squirrel control is VITAL to the survival of our native Red Squirrel. The Grey is an invader, an American import and a real problem, not only killing our Reds by taking over their habitat, but they are also the carriers and spreaders of the disease "Squirrel Pox" This KILLS our Redds in an awful manner, the Greys spread it but remain unaffected by it. http://www.europeansquirrelinitiative.org/the_threat.html This site will give you an insight to the damage Greys do, to our environment, our baby birds and to our native Red Squirrels. So, how do we control them? Well firstly my main aim is to shoot them, instant, no fuss or suffering of any description with a well aimed shot. No matter how people may percive people who shoot or hunt, the aim is ALWAYS on the quickest and most humane method, which is why poisoning, gassing etc.. is not ideal nor favoured. Squirrel skin is very thick and should the first shot not kill instantly and the animal bolts, we use dogs to catch them and despatch them quickly. An injured animal will run for cover, even your own dog would, we use the Borders to track and find that animal quickly, often found hiding in thick cover, it would be impossible to get another clean shot, so the dog is used, they are quick and efficient. Sometimes a Squirrel will run across ground, they usually stay close to trees, its unusual to catch one on the ground, however, they are not that quick, so one in an open area can be caught quickly and despatched by the Terrier. This was Breeze's first Squirrel she caught across the ground, it was dead in a second with a quick shake, she learned shake from Rats, as they bite! Squirrels have extremely powerful teeth, that rip and tear and they hang on, Terriers can be badly bitten if their technique is not fast and effective. Posted Image The next couple are of Tarn, we were asked to help with a serious Squirrel problem behind a pub, the loft had been invaded and the cables chewed through, trapping had no effect, so we managed to help by taking a few with guns and a couple on the ground. Posted Image Posted Image This one is also Tarn, this one caught on the ground in the yard, his strike is instant, an excellent dog for imediate despatch. Posted Image Finally Breeze with her "look what I got" look on her face! this one shot and bought back by her. Posted Image I hope thats given you an insight to the need for controlling Squirrels, I hope one day there will be no need for it at all, and our Native Reds are once again our only species. Dawn.



JRT	Feb 28 2007, 03:26 PM Post #2
Admin Posts: 11,786 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: November 30, 2004	Excellent article Dawn! I didn't realise that shaking was something the dogs learned, I thought it was natural. I've never seen a grey up here, but I have seen a couple of reds on a weekend away in the forest. Have you ever eaten one? :)



BorderDawn	Feb 28 2007, 03:29 PM Post #3
Moderator Posts: 1,900 Group: Moderators Member #36 Joined: January 12, 2005	Quote: Have you ever eaten one :sick: :sick: :sick: No thanks!! :D Yes you are correct shaking is a natural terrier characteristic, its just they learn which method is best. Some just grab to begin with but the Squirrel/Rat whatever will swing round and give them a nasty bite, thats when they learn to grab and shake. Dawn. Added. You must try to get a pic of a Red, I have only ever seen one in Buttermere in the Lake distirct, the greys are like flies here!



PaulaK	Feb 28 2007, 03:49 PM Post #4
Moderator Posts: 7,828 Group: Moderators Member #110 Joined: August 26, 2005	Thanks for this Dawn. Laura you are very lucky that you haven't got greys up there there are a complete nuisance and becuase the have fluffy tails most people think they are cute until they see a dead one at the side of the road and can see that they look just like rats. Unlike foxes, who are cute and native, they have no redeming features. (and yes I know foxes are vermin too but very pretty) Dudley came back with a dead squirrel once and I assumed he'd found it already dead but he could have caught it I suppose as when he killed his one and only rabbit he knew exactly what to do so perhaps he learned through experience.



BorderDawn	Feb 28 2007, 03:56 PM Post #5
Moderator Posts: 1,900 Group: Moderators Member #36 Joined: January 12, 2005	Some are very quick Paula, Tarn took no teaching, he was a grab and shake dog, so was Connor and Parsley, Breeze was a bite, then OUCH it bites back, then she shook it! :D Dudley would probably be a very profficiant working terrier. Dawn.



zandd	Feb 28 2007, 04:05 PM Post #6
Moderator Posts: 22,619 Group: Moderators Member #48 Joined: February 5, 2005	Zico my Yorkie was an expert squirreler - he used to get between the squirrels and the tree.The worst thing I ever did was scream at him to drop one he'd caught,he did so but had broken it's neck and I then had to put it out of it's misery.Squirrels are like opossums in New Zealand - look cute and cuddly but cause huge amounts of damage and are a total pest.I used to go shooting them regularly - I'm a very good shot and had to prove that before I was allowed to shoot,no-one wants to see an animal suffer but they need to be kept under control.Daisy would be a good worker if I chose too - Duncan is interested in the chase but doubt very much he would kill.



ClaireS	Feb 28 2007, 04:17 PM Post #7
Moderator Posts: 10,441 Group: Moderators Member #113 Joined: September 8, 2005	I happily admit that my first instinct is to go 'aah' at any animal and don't like the idea of killing things, I do agree that certain 'pest' animals need controlling. They are great photos Dawn, very clear and sharp! Although in no3 Tarn looks like she's getting a claw in her face :yikes: :lol: Far better than the other option of poisoning / trapping that some people go for.



PaulaK	Feb 28 2007, 04:22 PM Post #8
Moderator Posts: 7,828 Group: Moderators Member #110 Joined: August 26, 2005	The rats are the yard seem to be a bit clever as only one has been caught by the dogs only then by the old experienced girl. Dudley and Sanka try hard and spend ages with their heads down holes or chasing madly about. I would love to give him a proper chance though. That's interesting about the New Zealand opossums Lynne and fancy you being a good shot. I can fire an airgun quite well but have never fired anything more powerful.



zandd	Feb 28 2007, 04:29 PM Post #9
Moderator Posts: 22,619 Group: Moderators Member #48 Joined: February 5, 2005	Possums in New Zealand - without the "o" in front - used to seeing the alternative spelling now.



Tafia	Feb 28 2007, 05:28 PM Post #10
Total Gas Bag! Posts: 5,816 Group: Full Members Member #134 Joined: November 17, 2005	Extremely interesting thread, thanks to OP for starting it and fantastic photographs. BorderDawn I've got to say what extremely lucky dogs you have, an owner who totally understands their dogs and provides them with the opportunity to fulfil their natural urges!



piwoodhouse	Feb 28 2007, 06:22 PM Post #11
Total Gas Bag! Posts: 3,970 Group: Full Members Member #282 Joined: August 18, 2006	I found the photos really interesting, but quite hard viewing too. I absolutely accept the control issue, but once decided, the maternal instinct in me means I still hope the animal being controlled is despatched quickly. I always thought that hounds kill foxes with a swift bite to the neck - so the spine is broken, fox dead almost instantaneously. It looked to my very untrained eye - so do shoot me down here if I'm wrong - as if Tarn was going for the squirrels underbelly, where I wouldn't necessarily expect the squirrels death to be as quick as say, a swift snap to the neck. Please don't get me wrong: a dog killed a squirrel in the wooded bit of our park and while the squirrel looked unscathed, the dog was dripping blood from a nasty head wound. I accept the cuteness of squirrels is only fur-deep and I am certainly not going to lose any sleep over the photos. But how does a dog learn which bit of the squirrel to go for?



BorderDawn	Feb 28 2007, 07:37 PM Post #12
Moderator Posts: 1,900 Group: Moderators Member #36 Joined: January 12, 2005	Tafia said.. Quote: Extremely interesting thread, thanks to OP for starting it and fantastic photographs. BorderDawn I've got to say what extremely lucky dogs you have, an owner who totally understands their dogs and provides them with the opportunity to fulfil their natural urges! Thank you Tafia. Piwoodhouse said.. Quote: I found the photos really interesting, but quite hard viewing too. I absolutely accept the control issue, but once decided, the maternal instinct in me means I still hope the animal being controlled is despatched quickly. I always thought that hounds kill foxes with a swift bite to the neck - so the spine is broken, fox dead almost instantaneously. It looked to my very untrained eye - so do shoot me down here if I'm wrong - as if Tarn was going for the squirrels underbelly, where I wouldn't necessarily expect the squirrels death to be as quick as say, a swift snap to the neck. Please don't get me wrong: a dog killed a squirrel in the wooded bit of our park and while the squirrel looked unscathed, the dog was dripping blood from a nasty head wound. I accept the cuteness of squirrels is only fur-deep and I am certainly not going to lose any sleep over the photos. But how does a dog learn which bit of the squirrel to go for? Hi Piwoodhouse. Its abosolutely fine to ask questions. :) Squirrels are biggish animals, they do run belly down (obviously :lol: ) but will, and most often turn to attack the dog, they are extremely viscious. A shake from a terrier will kill it very quickly. Not long ago, Squirrels killed a dog, I will give you the link to that, in Russia I think, believe me they are lethal. A dog faced with its quarry leaping for it will grab and shake whatever its gets, it doesnt matter about being behind the neck, a body grip and a shake will kill the Squirrel. The link. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4489792.stm



piwoodhouse	Feb 28 2007, 08:05 PM Post #13
Total Gas Bag! Posts: 3,970 Group: Full Members Member #282 Joined: August 18, 2006	Yes, thinking of how a squirrel actually moves, it all makes sense now! Amazing the way their sheer will to survive sees them happily taking on something ten times their size. Thanks for explaining it. Widge is obsessed with the squirrels in the park (and there are hundreds); he pounced on the one that had been killed, subjected it to a vicious head-rattling shaking session and proceeded to trot around with it in his mouth, even though he was quite tiny at the time and couldn't even see over the top of it.



JRT	Feb 28 2007, 08:07 PM Post #14
Admin Posts: 11,786 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: November 30, 2004	:yikes: Viscious little buggers in that link!



Ollie	Mar 1 2007, 12:14 AM Post #15
One of the regulars Posts: 142 Group: Members Member #219 Joined: March 27, 2006	What good doggies! Again I don't like the thought of animals being killed but I know that somethings are needed. I know lots of people that hunt and love it - slightly different now within the law but still a thrill. Ollie has killed a rat at the yard before. It was so quick, I intially thought 'Oh I didn't give him a squeeky toy' :rolleyes: :wacko: then realised he had a rat, it was so SO quick. Also because Ollie was attacked in the garden by a fox, it had its whole mouth over his head :devil: anyway, If things are done quick and properly I have no problem.



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