# Barkley killed a rat!!!



## Tianna0423

Ok, I'm freaking out. Barkley killed a wood rat!!:yuck: 
I hate rats, they give me the creeps. I don't mind them as long as they are far, far, far away.
OMG, should I take Barkley a bath, brush his teeth, take him to the vet? I'm inexperienced! This is the first time this happens. What should I do? How many of you have caught your golden getting a wood rat, squirrel, or something? I'm seriously freaked out here :help!: 
There's no way I'm picking up that rat, already covered in flies :yuck: .


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## Maggies mom

I would call the vet , just to be on the safe side.....


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## RickGibbs

Samson hasn't caught any himself, but he loves to find the little gifts the cats have caught....


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## greg bell

tell him.."good boy"... 
well you have to tell him more than that because it is telling me my message is too short..


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## goldencrazy

I had a part Keeshond that attacked and sometimes killed: snakes, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, etc. Her hobby was pulling nightcrawlers out of their holes at night and eating them. If you listened closely, you could hear them snap as she yanked. Yum! 

Killing small creatures is just something some dogs do. As long as you are current on shots and topical treatments, I wouldn't be too concerned. Throw a plastic bag over that rat body and get rid of it, though.

Like Greg said: GOOD BOY!


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## sashac

Charlie (not naked Charlie) caught a rat once too, or maybe a little mouse. I was just as freaked out as you were, and grossed out! I think there was even a speck of blood on his paw!!! I didn't let him kiss me for a good day or two and that was hard because his tongue is a machine! (I am really glad this is a dog forum). I guess it's okay, they all have that instinct, it's just us humans who have to get over it. But I think the suggestion to see the vet just in case is a good idea. 

Now, whenever Charlie leaps into bushes, I am always afraid what he'll come out with, and I never let him dig into a gopher hole anymore. Too gross.


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## Tianna0423

Ok, I called the vet and she said he will be fine, his shots are up-to-date then he should be fine.
But he stinks. His breath and everything. Its almost like he rolled all over it. 
Tonight, he's staying out. My husband's gonna clean him up in the morning. I just don't have the stomach. I took a shovel, picked up the rat and threw it over the fence. I know, he is a good boy for catching it. At least it was a rat and not my neighbor's cat.


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## greg bell

Tianna0423 said:


> Ok. I took a shovel, picked up the rat and threw it over the fence. I know, he is a good boy for catching it. At least it was a rat and not my neighbor's cat.


so now the neighbors cat has a dead rat???:no:


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## Lucky's mom

That is a yuchy thing you went through. 

Maybe its the season, but today Lucky found the entrails of what could have been a mouse. Perhaps it came from a cat or it might be my husband ran the lawnmower over it. I was following Lucky as he was scenting back and forth for something (not usually a good sign) and when he found it, we both inspected it. Then he licked it and I screamed and chased him a way and covered it with a cement block.

The other day a mouse went through my dining room . Went from hiding place to hiding place as he crossed the kitchen and dining room...and I panicked and yelled LUCKY, LUCKY for what reason I know not. Did I really wanting him catching and tearing apart a mouse in the house? He was totally oblivious even after he ambled in...I expected him to at least track it, but he didn't have a clue.


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## mblondetoo

As a child mom found what appeared to be a pile of kitty poo under the diningroom table. Poor Friskie was hearing some bad woods while Mom was preparing to scoop it up, until she realized it was a snake, and very much alive!


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## katieanddusty

Eww, gross. Brush his teeth or something. :yuck:


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## Tianna0423

greg bell said:


> so now the neighbors cat has a dead rat???:no:


Lol. I threw it over the fence towards the front yard, where my husband can see it and pick it up himself. Oh no, I wouldn't do that, my neighbor is a little scary.


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## Tianna0423

Lucky's mom said:


> The other day a mouse went through my dining room . Went from hiding place to hiding place as he crossed the kitchen and dining room...and I panicked and yelled LUCKY, LUCKY for what reason I know not. Did I really wanting him catching and tearing apart a mouse in the house? He was totally oblivious even after he ambled in...I expected him to at least track it, but he didn't have a clue.


The only time I remember a mouse running around was in my NY apartment. I knew it was only a matter of time before he finally caught something. I was just hoping that it didn't happen. I have a very large yard, and on my side of town I see woodrats, squirrels, possums, and skunks (which are a very popular road kill right now).
I didn't know that one little rat could create such a stink outside. I felt bad for the guys who picked up the garbage on Thursday. Don't get me wrong, I'm sad for the rat too. I wish he had crossed a different yard.


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## Goldndust

I don't know that much about rats, none of those here thankfully! Those things give me the creeps too. 

Kody however is one that goes for rabbits, squirrels and such. He's got a very strong prey drive and I'm still working him through these things. On leash he's got a eye for things like this so try to be on guard to correct it, even movement will grab him in a bush and he see's things before I do, but off leash out in the fence if it moves, he's on it!


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## sashac

Goldndust, how are you working with Kody on his squirrel/rabbit instincts? Charlie is crazy too when it comes to scampering things and would take off down the road with just my arm attached to his leash if he could. He's only ever on leash, so I still have some semblance of control, but is this an instinct I should be working with him to correct/get rid of? Not that I think I can, but......


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## Goldndust

I don't believe you/I will ever be able to remove that instinct, and for some it is much stronger then others depending on lines of the golden. But gaining more control over the situations can be accomplished through corrections and commands.

When out on walks and on leash I always give a correction and a firm NO, and in time this has always worked for my other two goldens, but I don't think this is going to completely solve this in Kode since his drive is very strong, he is a field bred golden and was bred for this. I'm not sure what Charlie's lines are though, but in most conformation bred goldens you can usually get a good handle on it with just the corrections and a firm NO since there drive isn't as strong as the fielders are.


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## sashac

Oh, I don't know what lines are in Charlie, he was a stray rescue. I do know he's completely nutso over squirrels and any amount of "No"'s and leash corrections cannot distract him when he's got that rodent in his line of sight. I've even put a big treat in front of his face and nose in the moment and he could care less. My dog is crazy. But oh so lovable.


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## LauraEyes2

Give him an altoid.

If you need to dispose of a "captured prize" such as a rat or other animal, I've always heard that if you bury them, pour either bleach or ammonia over where you bury the animal. That way it kills the scent and keeps them from going back for more...


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## DevonTT

A few weeks ago, I heard the cats scrambling around on the hardwood floors downstairs, which means only one thing--they were after a mouse. Chaz followed me downstairs and quickly took over, sniffing and tracking the poor thing as it scrambled under furniture and behind bookcases. The cats muttered and rolled their eyes and got out of his way.

The mouse got behind a CD case and stayed there for a long while. I knew I'd never be able to go to bed knowing it was still alive and in my living room, so I got a yardstick and flushed it out.

All hell broke loose for a couple of seconds as three cats and a Golden Retriever scrambled for it. In the frenzy, I lost sight of it. 

During the few seconds that I was trying to sight it again, Chaz slunk off toward the stairs to the next floor. He looked ... very guilty. I said, "Chaz! What do you have?" He lowered his head and dropped a very alive mouse onto the floor. Bless his soft Golden mouth. He hadn't killed and/or eaten it, which would have grossed me out.

The mouse slipped under the crack to the foyer--a perfect outcome, for I was able to herd it out the front door, where it disappeared into the night. (It no doubt found its way back into the house, but as long as mice stay out of my sight, I really don't care!)

Chaz must have wondered whether the mouse was another member of my "pack." And I bet he was headed up to my bedroom, where he likes to sit on my bed and nibble on his woobies.

Thank goodness he dropped it when he did!


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