Well I guess I don't need a cat

[MightyThor]

Thor is almost 8 months old, and has been so well behaved with the freedom of the house while we're working from home that we've let him start having free roam of the house at night. Our house kind of wraps around the back yard and has french doors that open up into it. We keep everything open at night - we live in San Jose and the nighttime temps in the summer are just lovely. We also have a dog door.

Basically, Thor spends most of the night curled up in bed with us, but will occasionally wander into the backyard either through the doggy door or the open french doors. We don't monitor it closely since he's proven pretty trustworthy and our backyard is entirely enclosed. Usually these nighttime wanders result in a pile of poo that is cleaned up in the morning, so he's not wandering due to boredom - he usually goes out for his business and then he's back in bed with us.

This morning my husband found a dead rat in the corner of the yard. Rats are not unusual around the neighborhood, though we don't see them often in our yard since every house around us has cats and dogs. From the damage on the rat (didn't look like natural causes), he's thinking Thor might have gotten him last night.

This makes me wonder - do labs go after rodents like that? Could the rat just have wandered off to die after a neighbor cat got it? I wonder if we have a 'ratter' on our hands! It also makes me think back to waking up to sweet doggy kisses this morning - ewwww!

[Labradorks]

My friends' lab kills rodents. Come to think of it, I know a few. Rabbits, mice, voles, etc. They are all high prey drive field types and all rescues. I cornered a rat once -- not a good time -- and the dogs acted like we were playing a game. I doubt mine would get one. But you never know. They way they reacted to the kitten makes me believe they are not ratters. I kinda wish they were. I HATE rats!

At least he didn't bring it inside or put it in bed with you the way a cat might.

[BaconsMom]

I know that dogs with high prey instinct tend to hunt. Bacon is bird crazy, but he knows when to hunt and when not to. When his hunting collar is on, he is all about business and birds. Without the collar, he is interested but is more keen on snuggling or playing with us. The only time we have had an issue was when Bacon was about 5 months old. A small bird decided to commit suicide on one of our windows while I was outside doing yard work. Bacon found it, and came trotting over, eager to show me his prize.

[kimbersmom]

Kimber has killed mice, voles, moles, squirrels, rabbits... It ain't pretty, but it happens.

[Snowshoe]

I don't want to frighten you but ask around and see if any of your neighbours are putting out rat poison.

[Labradorks]

I don't want to frighten you but ask around and see if any of your neighbours are putting out rat poison.

Good idea. And ask what kind. One kind has an anecdote and one does not.

However, I have thoroughly done my research and spoken to my vet (I had a rat and was trying to figure out the best way to deal with it -- I ended up using the bucket method) and a dog would need to consume (not just kill or injure) a certain number of mice/rats in order to become poisoned. It can happen but it's not easy, in other words.

Knowing there are rats out there I would be included to keep the doors closed at night. If one comes in the house... Ugh!!!

[POPTOP]

Sweet soft mouthed Bandit brought a small opossum onto the back porch. I'm sure it would have been in the house had the door not been closed. Little critter was not damaged at all.

Archie is completely different. If he ever does get ahold of the pesky squirrels I'm sure he would do it in. While I don't want it to happen, the dang squirrels are digging up the newly replanted Asian lilies. Go for it Archie!

[Labradorks]

My friend's cat brought a large mostly headless rat into their house the other day --and she was kind enough to text me a picture of it. It was one of those disgusting, mangy looking brown street rats.

[Georgie]

I don't want to frighten you but ask around and see if any of your neighbours are putting out rat poison.

This^^^^

I am vigilant about this because of the widespread use of rat poison ....whether they kill your dog or cause massive internal bleeding I'm not going to risk it. There are also idiots that at times put bait out for dogs in parks etc...

[HammerLover]

Hammer likes to kill mice and chipmunks. All you have to say to get him into hunting mode is "Go find it!" He normally comes back with one of the two depending whether we are outside or in.