Dogs v. Rats

When we lived in Manhattan, our dog, rescued from the pound and we think a Border Collie/Rottweiler mix, but who knows with dogs, was intensely interested in rats. Not small animals in general — we have a picture of one of our daughter’s guinea pigs lying across his front legs sound asleep  — but rats, rats he wanted to catch and (I assume) kill. Also squirrels, who are for all important canine purposes tree-climbing rats. When a rat ran across the sidewalk in front of us, he was on it, and would have caught some too if I hadn’t yanked back on the leash.

These dogs get to indulge this instinct. Even I feel a little unsure about it, but ratting is a real public service in New York City.