Does having a dog help with mice?

[GeorgieCKCS]

We all know the old saying that if you have mice, get a cat! But what about a dog? We have really bad mice at night and my dog is useless when it comes to chasing them away. If anything I think mice are attracted to him because my dog tends to leave trace crumbs and treats that fall into spaces that we don't know about. What's the verdict with others' experiences with mice and pets?

 

[Danielle DeGroot]

We all know the old saying that if you have mice, get a cat! But what about a dog?

Hi @GeorgieCKCS. This is a fantastic question. We do often associate cats with catching mice, but many dog breeds are skilled ratters. These include Rat Terriers, Jack Russell Terriers, Dachshunds, and Yorkies. Each dog reacts to mice differently; my little dog is afraid of them and got very skittish when he saw one scurry by on a walk. Other dogs may enjoy the chase. That said, you don't want to let your dog eat mice. They can carry diseases, including insertional worms and toxoplasmosis, and even pose a risk of toxicity if they have ingested rat poison. It's best not to let your pup around the mice.