My dog can hunt. No not my Labrador retriever, my rat terrier Lefty, he hunts anything that smells. You can’t come in my house and pretend you didn’t eat a cookie. I never knew Rat Terriers could hunt, matter of fact never really knew much about them at all. Hubby has a friend that likes to breed a liter every now and again. The boys begged for one. First time I said “No” flatly. Second time I answered the same, let’s speed down over the hundreds of times when Pancho came into our home.

Lefty does not look exactly like the Rat Terriers I have seen on the web. Matter of fact he looks more like a beagle rat terrier cross. Be that as may Lefty is my shadow. He is never far from my side. We were separated while I was at convention but I knew he could make it for a few days without me. Lefty can hunt! He actually likes to hunt for me the most, he will hunt for the boys and Hubby but they always say the wrong commands. Somehow training them is harder than Lefty! In addition, if he kills a bug I let him roll in it. I know with great pride how much he loves to roll in dead things. The day he found a dead rat was the day I had to bathe him. I let him have the bugs, but that is my limit. The first time he killed a mouse, he was so upset Hubby took it from him. Lefty looked at Hubby like “You go get your own Mouse, this guy is mine!” I grew up with my grandfather training dogs to hunt, so I take great pride that Lefty can hunt. You only have to say the same command each time you want them to find an animal. Every time you say the command, they will hunt for anything. Then you have to have a back up command word to keep them going. For instance, Lefty hunts when I say, “Lefty Sniff them out!” that wasn’t my choice the first time Lefty got a whiff of a mouse Gator had said that phrase. Dogs work on simple same commands period. The first kill meant, “Sniff it out” = Lefty being a hero. After he has the scent of the animal, you then say “Sic Em” it means not to lose the prey. As he may lose the scent or gets confused, you go back to the same two phrases. Once he has the prey under control. You praise the dog. That is their job, they hunt you praise.

A hunting dog has one characteristic that you can see if they like hunting. While they are hunting, they are wagging their tail. To Lefty, hunting is pure joy, he can be anywhere in the house when you say, “Sniff them out” and he comes running at lightening speed. Many people think you have to only have critters to keep a hunting dog happy, we have found he is happy to hunt for a dog bone, a piece of candy, his favorite toy, Pancho when he has escaped. You name it Lefty loves to hunt. I think that is the key for a happy hunting dog, you let them hunt not all the time but for variety. Lefty never bores of it. I cannot say it enough how important it is for dogs to be praised for doing their job, a working dog is like being an employee they want acknowledgment of a job well done. Hunting is a natural instinct to some breeds of dogs, but I think there are dogs that really like to hunt and some that can hunt. Lefty loves it!

Pancho on the other hand is like an a OCD buddy, he barely will watch Lefty hunt, much less participate. Pancho finds the whole process distasteful. Pancho and Lefty are the best of buds sort of like Oscar and Felix.

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Pancho was the pet we never meant to have. We found him alone and scared on a country road shivered, too afraid to come to us and too afraid for us to leave. We would beg him, he would come closer and then run away. Finally I told W who from now on will be called Gator (better than being a letter!) we had to leave; Pancho came running and jumped into Gator’s arms. It was if he knew we were his last hope.

We all thought Pancho was somebody’s beloved dog, but he wasn’t. After calling the local vet, checking all the ads it was clear Pancho had been dumped. What the dirty secret about the country is city people that don’t want a dog for some reason think dumping a dog on the side of the road to fend for itself is not cruel. Hubby has had to put down many dogs, because you cannot feed every stray, and it is cruel for them to starve to death. Out the country, there is no dogcatcher, no sweet kind vet who will euthanize a dog for nothing. It is the best option out of a cruel life. Since Pancho was a non-neutered male, we felt they dumped him on purpose.

When we first brought Pancho home, I held him. I cleaned him up with a wash clothe, he was shivering a lot that first day. He needed a bath but he was in such shock I felt he was best just wiped off and snuggled. What poor Pancho went through that night alone in the country we all can only imagine. I know from raising goats Pancho is perfect size for owl food, anything that cannot run fast at any time can be picked up and carried off. Pancho didn’t bark or really even cry that first day, he was so timid and meek. For a Chihuahua, that is unusual behavior. I grew up with a Chihuahua and I still have the scars to prove it. They tend to be aggressive and very protective of one owner. I could not hug my mother without the dog biting at me.

Pancho slowly began to trust us, especially me. Somehow, dogs understand that a Mommy feeds those in need. Dunk wanted no part of Pancho, he had been out of town and when he came home, Pancho didn’t fit his mold of a truck loving riding dog. Little did Dunk know Pancho is a best truck-riding dog we have!

Gator wanted to keep him, and Sconicle well he just wanted a dog any dog. The person we couldn’t figure out was Hubby. He is not a housedog friendly person, and I had already said no to the rat terrier. Pancho had to be a housedog. Much to all of our surprise Pancho bonded with Hubby right away. Everyday Pancho’s favorite time is when Hubby comes home. By the end of the week, Pancho was settled in. We had not found the owners. Dunk had done a 180 on Pancho and regularly took Pancho riding with him. Pancho was a Don Juan type of Chihuahua, he loves everyone he thinks they all adore his fine physique. After watching the boys and Hubby with Pancho, I gave up my resistance. I said I would allow the other rat terrier puppy to come in to. Pancho and Lefty would grow old together like a great country western song.

Now we as a family cannot imagine our life before Pancho and Lefty.

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