The Rat Dog (Aug 2012)

The Rat Dog


By Kylie Douglas



It was shortly after the Boy’s 5th birthday that the Woman decided the family desperately needed a pet dog. The Boy had seen such a succession of working dogs pass through his short life on the cattle property. He put the question to his mother in the most serious manner, “If I don’t work hard enough or come back when I’m called; will Dad take me for a walk down to the river and send me on holidays with the dingoes too?”

The Woman put her foot down and told the Man they were to get a pet and there were to be no more working dogs again until they had finished raising their family and she had time to train them her way; or as she referred to it ‘properly’. A precious Jack Russel puppy was ordered from the city. The Woman had heard they were good with kids and deadly on snakes- better the dog be bitten than the babies. The family received regular emails and photos of their chosen k9 after they had been asked many questions by his breeder and ‘matched’ with him. Eager with anticipation and excitement, the dog was named before he arrived. “Sniff” was chosen by the Boy because “that’s what dogs like to do”. The Man wanted and took no part of the process what so ever. However, he was quietly confident the whole pet dog saga would not last long. Neither he nor any of his mates knew of an old Jack Russel in the bush. Their endless thirst for adventure and action usually meant their lives were short.



Sniff was collected one afternoon after the Woman had finished work in town and was cuddled new born style by an overjoyed Boy down the street to purchase a collar with his own pocket money. He was a typical tricoloured puppy; tiny and timid.

On arrival to his new home, he squirmed and squealed in his young master’s arms when presented to his family. The Girl pulled his ears and he squeaked with shock. It was this moment on the Man called him ‘Rat Dog’ due to his size and sound effects.

The Man had stood his ground about Rat Dog being allowed in the house. Sniff spent his first night away from his mother in the cold, dark laundry with only a pillow, blanket, fluffy toy, ticking alarm clock, night light, hot water bottle, bowl of milk and bucket of dog nuts for companionship. These were all thoughtfully provided by the Boy and Girl.

Rat Dog howled and cried so much that night that even the Woman thought a new born baby was far less fussy. She seriously contemplated taking him for a walk to the river in the wee hours of the morning. The Man heard no noise whatsoever, but still complained bitterly about the Woman disturbing him each time she got up to comfort the creature.

This nocturnal pattern occurred for a few days whilst Sniff settled into his new environment. He was quite exhausted each morning and slept soundly all day in a polly lick tub under a shady tree in the garden. Every afternoon when the Boy and Girl came home they would cuddle, cart and care for their new charge. Bonds were forming. The Man took no interest what so ever.

After his first week, Sniff’s breeder rang to check in his progress and find out how everyone was settling in. She become somewhat distressed to discover the pooch was left to his own devices during the day and had to sleep outside of the family home at night. When the Woman told her he ‘whinged’ at bit she became very agitated the told the Woman that this dog was not for her or the family and should be returned for a full refund. She wanted him back. The Man became interested in the conversation he overheard on the phone. He wanted to send him back. So with the owner begging for his return on the phone and the man cheering with support behind her, the Woman stuck to her guns, dug her stubborn toes further in and the Rat Dog stayed.





Unfortunately, Sniff’s arrival coincided with a most horrific mouse plague the west had seen in many years. Nothing was left uncontaminated. Traps were worn out in hours. Poison bait was bought by the bucket full and devoured by the vermin like lollies. Evidently, the worst case scenario happened. Dog ate poisoned mouse, dog got poisoned. Dog found very sick and sad under the house one morning. After fighting so strongly to keep the beloved pet the Woman flew into a panic and rang the vet to report his state and find out what action to take. Again the Man took much interest in the phone conversation. “I’ve got to take him in to town,” the Woman stated after she hung up the phone, “He needs several blood transfusions.”

This time the Man stood his ground and bore his bolshie bristles between the woman and the car. “This is beyond ridiculous! It’s either me or the Rat Dog. Make your choice,” he growled.

“Oh for goodness sake, get out of the way,” she replied as she strode to the car, “I’ll see you when I get back.”

Eight days later and two 240km round trips to town, Sniff returned home to one happy Woman, two delighted children and one brave Man who only winced and complained once when the vet bill arrived. It looked as though Rat Dog would live to see another day.



As Sniff grew out of his hesitant youth, his true personality began to shine as brightly as a summer sun’s morning rays. This dog had some spunk about him and the world needed to know. His favourite teen games included:

Let’s drag only the Man’s boots under the house and no one else’s.

How many times can I chase and run under a car, truck or bike and not get hit?

How many times can the Man aim the car, truck or bike directly at me and not connect or collect me?

How many guinea fowl will the Woman keep buying after I have hunted and killed each new consignment?

How long will it take the chooks to realise if they set foot into my house yard they are fair game?

Why has anyone not realised I like to eat eggs too, which is why I often help myself from the chook house.

How many times can I swim across the river before I realise just how exhausted I am and need saving?

Let’s see how much shouting and commotion I can create when I chase the horses, especially if the children are riding them at the time?

How many kilometres can I run behind a vehicle when they leave the house without me?



Sniff was forgiven for most of his faults as he became a real pet dog whom the family were growing to love. The Man displayed no open signs of affection but had not taken him walking down the river yet. The Man did try one bonding session when he took the Rat Dog for a bore run to a block of land some distance from the home property block. Apparently he would not come to the Man when called and would not let the Man touch let alone catch him for the return journey. The Man returned home after dark dog less. The Woman and children became some what annoyed and agitated. She had visions of Sniff duck tapped to a pine tree in the scrub ready for a dingo’s dinner. An early morning trip to the last reported sighting soon found Sniff quite safe and very smelly. Everyone was relieved, well nearly everyone.



As Sniff grew, he began to demonstrate serious symptoms of small dog syndrome. When any other dog turned up on his turf, be it collie, kelpie or piggin’ variety he would charge and attack at full pelt, regardless of the ending consequences and what ever amount of days the wound licking would take him. As far as he was concerned he was a mustering/working dog too. Real working dogs now came with their masters to help the family when musters were on. If the Woman went Sniff did too, keeping pace and stride all day despite his size. He was even a little bit handy by always coming back when called by his mistress and pushing up the tail when asked. He relished biting bulls when requested. The idea of standing in a gate way barking when cattle need to pass through never occurred to this dog. He was tolerated in the paddock by all, well nearly everyone. The contract musterers would sink under the brims of their sweaty hats if they were moving cattle on the main road and a car or two happened to drive past and beep at the Rat Dog in delight. The odd tourist always had their camera at the ready too.



Sniff’s working dogs days came to an abrupt end with a total ban by the whole family. One exciting Saturday he spooked about 500 weaners in the yards and made them rush.

The Woman, children and Sniff went down to the yards to fill the hay feeders as they were not being tailed out in the paddock that day. One inquisitive Hereford gingerly stepped forward to investigate the feral fur ball and he responded with his biggest “Woof” he could muster. The beast took fright and flighted back into the mob. This reaction startled the first yard full, causing the whole mob to lunge at the back rails which thankfully held firm. This nervous energy flowed like a falling domino to the next yard of weaners behind it. In their haste, a hay feeder toppled over making a great booming noise as it fell. Shortly after all that could be heard was the deifying “CRACK” as the yards were smashed by the sheer force of some 1.25 t of beef. This was followed by a thundering of little hooves as they fled back towards the river to attempt to find their mothers. There was much shouting by the family as horses were hastily saddled to retrieve the mob. Sniff was confined to the saddle room for several hours to contemplate his actions. After the weaners had been wheeled and returned to the yards and tempers had somewhat cooled down, it was decided that those yards really did need replacing anyway. The Rat Dog’s popularity did dwindle for some time after that by the whole family but eventually he was forgiven by most members.



It was decided by the local pony club that the family were members of, to hold a fund raising Dog Races Day. Sniff was placed into intensive training by the children. When the big day arrived Sniff was ecstatic with excitement about being in town with so many smells and other dogs to conquer that running fast was the last thing on his mind. Things got a little serious after he won his heat and made it to the final race which was held late into the dark and wet night. A few rums had been consumed to help keep the chills at bay by many attending. The finalist dogs were auctioned off in Calcutta style leaving the Man no option but to buy the beloved Rat Dog back at a considerable price. Tensions between Woman and Man rose as nearly as high as the price did. Sniff did not disgrace himself by placing a solid third. His prize of a giant bag of ‘working dog nuts’ never came to any useful fruition as the pony club president’s horse had already devoured them when they were left unattended in the back of his ute the previous day. Some who saw Sniff strut his stuff that day have borrowed him for manly dog duties so it was a successful outing for him anyway.



Just as Sniff had began accepted his now one and only role of pet dog for the family there become more changes for him to readjust to. After one very long absence of first the Woman and children and then the Man as well they all returned clutching another small animal that was allowed inside the house. It had a rather fancy white basket that it was carted about in where ever the Woman went. There were no more morning walks, tummy rubs on the veranda or sneaking into the kitchen when the Man was not about. Many strange noises come from the house both day and night. There were even some days when no one remembered to feed him until he told them too. This was just not good enough as far as Sniff was concerned and he retaliated by taking all family members shoes, the odd piece of washing off the line and attacking the ever increasing amount of flowers that had been planted by the Woman. It was like they were preparing for something with all this activity, maybe the new animal has something to do with it? One sunny spring morning Sniff was tied up to the children’s swing and had to witness the endless torture of car after car arriving down the driveway that he could not chase and people in their “good clothes” he could not jump on. It was well and truly after dark when the last car departed and he was released to scrounge for his dinner which mysteriously was strewn all over the lawn in the form cold sausages, stale chips and beer bottle tops. Why all the fuss for the new thing in the house? It was utterly unacceptable.



In a last ditch attempt to regain his new larger family’s affection and attention, Sniff knew drastic measures were to be taken and so he put his plan into action the very next morning. The Woman and children appeared to be trying to do some form of school work in the home school room but their tiredness for the days previous antics slowed them considerably. Sniff entered the room rolled onto the middle of the floor and gave an Oscar Award winning performance of the most intense pain any animal has ever been in. His yowls took the Woman back to and beyond labour ward memories. With rolling eyes, convulsing muscles and drooling tongue, Sniff gained all the attention from the children he had lacked in the last few weeks. They howled and frothed at the mouth beside him, sure that these breaths were his last. “Ring the vet!” they pleaded, “There still might be something they can do”. Sniff went into a coma like state but continued to stay alive. He had all the classic symptoms of snake bite. Luckily for him the vet visited the nearest town on Monday afternoons so a deal was struck with the children. If he was still alive after lunch, he would be taken in. The man was out fencing all day so could not assist with the tough decision that had to be made. Lucky for Rat Dog. Sure enough, despite the children saying good bye several times, he hung on by a thread. As the family gently placed his weakened body into the car, Sniff began to rally his energy. By the time they arrived in town he jumped out the opened door and chased a cattle truck, then a cat up the main street. Even the Woman was not impressed with this behaviour. She was positive he was bunging it on. The vet assured the Woman that this can sometimes happen with snake bite and decided to take him back to the clinic just in case. Sure enough at 6pm that evening the vet rang to say he had all of the symptoms back again and had given him the most expensive (some refer to as the best) antivenin on the market that covered all snake poisons. 10 days later Sniff made a valiant return to the mostly overjoyed family. The pet was still alive! He was under strict orders not to have his heart rate or blood pressure raised for at least two weeks. The Man welded Rat Dog a specially designed cage of which he had visions the dog would never be realised from for the rest of his natural life. It might also help him stay alive in an affordable manner. This became his new home. Eventually he was realised for good behaviour on supervised runs. Sniff has been told by all family members that if he chooses to play with snakes again there will be no life line…the Man has said they can’t afford to sponsor anymore building extensions of the vet clinic.



And so to date the family’s pet dog is still alive and loved by most. He no longer works or takes boots. There have been no more great snake chases. Sniff tolerates the new family member now even when the Baby pulls his tail, bites his ears or shuts herself in his cage and eats his dog nuts. The Woman feels the purpose of the pet dog has been fulfilled and demonstrated by the family. This was cemented by the fact he had to be evacuated by the children with them during the floods despite the Man saying, “He’ll be right, he can swim can’t he?” There have been mumblings by the Girl that since the Boy got a dog, she wants a cat. No one really hears her properly when she mentions the subject though………..



Post Script Dec 2012.
Sadly, Sniff met his match with a snake in October.  The kids burried him deep in the sandpit with a mint plant growning on top.  The family has a new Jack Russle called "Toby"....a very different dog!