07/17/08 Rat Patrol part one

Not all ranch dogs are of the caliber to win working dog trials, but that doesn't mean they are not good in their particular niche. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be back right after this with the story of two dogs at the top of their game. Mike and Pam's dogs, Charlie and Bell are very good ranch visitor greeters, but their greatest asset became apparent when rats sneaked into the barn in the middle of the night. Next morning as Charlie and Bell went to help with feeding their rat detection senses kicked in and they initiated what became known as the rat patrol racket. The rats made the mistake of showing themselves and with Pam throwing sacks and feed carts out of the way, Charlie and Bell both dispatched rats. It only took half a day to tidy the barn back up. That should have been the end of the rat story, but it was only beginning. One morning later, Charlie retrieved another rat and the following morning he went into his rat patrol racket fit as he passed the cattle truck. Mike told him there couldn't be another rat but Charlie answered by tearing the metal bug and debris screen off the radiator since that was the most direct route to the rat on the motor. That rat escaped, but by now Mike had to be believe Charlie if his body posture and howling said rat hiding here. So on the fourth morning when Charlie and Bell went into their rat song and dance routine at the back of a pickup Mike and friend Russell lifted a portable sprayer and Charlie put another notch on his rat dispatch stick. Now be sure to be with me tomorrow as Charlie and Bell elevate their rat patrol strategies. I'm Jeff Keane.