Fast action ratting with terriers

There is a certain person who has been obvious by his absence in the last few weeks. He has been off to warmer climes parading his budgie smugglers around the pool and working off his tight buns. Who writes this stuff on the farm. Well he is back this week. Not with pigeons, but with fast action terrier work on rats. It is Andy the Crowman Crow. Andy has had a few problems with rats this year. When the guys laying concrete in his new barn broke the door it was an open invitation for the local Rattus norvegicus population to over-winter in straw destined for the burner. Air rifles have taken care of a few of them, Andy's fancy footwork others, today the question is going to be who let the dogs out? Who, who, who, who? First of all where's he been? We've missed you Andy. Where was I last month? Um I was here I suspect fertilising or something . Gambia. Gambia, oh that is right. Yes I was fishing in Gambia. I had to pay for that, you get yours paid for including flights. Anyway end of... that is where I have been. I have been flat out doing field work. I am all up together now so the plan is we are going to extend the wall over there with some more grain walling so they have got further to run. We are going to blanket off at the back either side and I have got a bit of moving about to do so if I get that done you can speak to John. He is a mate of mine he has brought his terriers along. Inside the barn Andy is creating what looks like a five-a-side football pitch. If things go right we can expect a few rats to come charging down the wing. John owns the dogs. They are all shapes and sizes. So, what makes a good ratter.? Boldness. One that doesn't make off. These have been at it ... this one is 12 now. She has been at it for a long, long time. They are just keen. Stay ... What do you think about rats? I quite like them to be quite honest. I have got great respect for them. They are world survivors. You can have them in a cold store where they grow a longer fur coat. You can have them as with Andy's in the grain store, plenty of food and they will then breed to the food source. If there is a shortage of food source they won't breed. Sorry, they have gone ... John is no stranger to cameras. A few years ago he appeared on a BBC documentory with Martin Clunes looking at different dogs breeds and their roles - the film also featured a young Crow. So how was Doc Martin with the ratting? After the initial shock he warmed to the task shall I say. With the arena coming together word is spreading and we have a reasonable team building. Andy Jnr is up aloft directing traffic, three with sticks, and five hounds. Contestants ready - Gladiators ready let's start moving those bales... With half the bales gone, things start livening up. The rats are starting to run out of space and we get some screamers. Richard intercepts this one just before hitting the camera - then the dogs run out of space - Andy even leaves the cab for a bit of goal keeping. He steps in and blocks the runners, and the dogs and sticks do the rest. Let's see that again - a great team effort there. It really does start to get frantic - sticks waving - dogs running and chewing and eating ...argghhh - no accounting for taste - it's wall-to-wall action with the dogs doing well. Even the youngster gets his first rat - it really is built into the DNA with these dogs. I was expecting a lot more than that. There is a small hole that goes into the walling up the side there, centre partition up the middle there. There is a small hole in that so we have lost quite a few in there which is a bit of a pain, but hopefully you got a bit of footage. Like I say I was hoping for a few more, but every dead rat is a good one so. Exciting isn't it. Yes, it is exciting stuff. There are several nests of youngsters we got as well. Got seven or eight in some of those. I think there about five or six lots. Dom I love you ... You are late. I didn't realise it was going to be such an event. I have never seen this much excitement on the farm. It is amazing. Nor have I. I have never seen Andy drive a loader that fast either. It normally takes him about two days to move that many bales. Even though Andy says he is a bit disappointed it's been great fun... Yes, it was brilliant. Proper good. Good dogs know what they are doing. Think they did very well. I am very pleased with them. First time. Missed a couple myself, but he got them so that is ok. When you see that first rat run out. That is it. All the inhibitions go and all you want to do is chase after it and get there before the dog really, but unfortunately the dog gets there before us. They think it's all over, except John who is trying to smoke out the escapees but he's had a blast too. It doesn't matter how many times you do it it still gets the adrenaline going and as you can see the dogs don't need any encouragement at all. Ratting - a great method of vermin control and as good as a five a side kick about anyday.