06/11/2025
SCRC FAQs โผ๏ธ
๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ?
Thereโs very little traditional training involved outside of proofing the dogsโ obedience/focus around farm animals. Before working a job off leash, we expect every dog to be able to work near livestock and other dogs with minimal issues/distractions.
All of our dogs have high prey drives, so genetics do the bulk of the work. Anything else they need to learn to be a good ratting packmate comes with practice; working shoulder-to-shoulder with other dogs, working around shovels, focusing on the rats vs other dogs...but once the dogs nab a live rat, they start really putting the pieces together on their own.
๐๐ซ๐๐งโ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ฌ?
Not really! Our dogs get routine medical care/preventatives, and we typically donโt allow them to mess with the rats much after theyโre dispatched. If a dog gets bitten or scratched, we properly clean and disinfect the wounds right away.
๐๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ฌ?
Nope! Most of the dogs donโt even care much about the rats once theyโre dead, especially if there are more live ones nearby.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐?
Weโre all volunteers, and we donโt charge anything to bring the dogs out. Weโll always gratefully accept gas money, but we donโt charge a flat fee for our time.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐?
If youโre within an hour (sometimes two โ if the infestation is real bad) of Pittsburgh and youโve got a rat problem on your property, send us a message. We have mostly visited farms, but are open to homes and urban areas as well.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐ฌ?
We have a couple of ways to flush them out, depending on what weโre looking at. We will usually try removing anything blocking the dens, digging, flushing dens with water, or even smoking them out using cooking oil.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐จ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ?
We ask that any property we bring the dogs to not have used poisons within the last 2+ months, for the safety of our dogs. Beyond that, we ask that any livestock and/or pets be properly secured and moved away from where we will be working as much as possible. This includes outdoor cats and chickens.
The dogs are expected to successfully work near livestock, but we like to do everything we can to prevent any accidents or non-rat fatalities.
We also appreciate property owners removing any glass/boards with loose nails etc wherever possible before we let the dogs out.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค?
If there are rats nearby, our dogs will keep going. This means a visit could be over in 30 minutes if there are only a couple, or 2+ hours if thereโs a significant infestation. We keep an eye on our dogsโ body language + are mindful of weather conditions when deciding when to wrap things up.
Regardless, we can guarantee the dogs will give it their all for the entire time theyโre working.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐?
That one is up to you ๐ we typically advise property owners to compost or bury them in the back of their property.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ?
Send us a message here with info on what your situation is, and weโll see if we can make something happen!
Please note that we do give priority to folks with significant infestations over those who have only seen 1-2 on the property.
