Our fearless Jagd Terrier is spending the night at the vet. She was trying to get a snake under the porch and got several bites in the mouth area yesterday afternoon. She fought until she was barely moving and passed out shortly



. Swelling is brutal and vet thinks rattle snake or water moccasin. My wife was home and saw the ruckus but did not get a good look at the snake.

I killed a snake tonight under the other end of the porch. It was dark so I wasn't sure what kind of snake I was shooting. I don't think it's a moccasin, so I think I am still snake hunting.

That’s a rat snake and isn’t what hurt your dog like that. They are hard on chickens but not a dog.

^^^ yep. You killed a good snake. Not that I blame you, but guarantee that snake did no harm to a dog. Hope your pup comes through.

Be careful if you are attracting rodents. If you attract rodents then snakes will follow.

They will destroy a birds nest in short order. I kill every one of them here. I can take care of rodents without their assistance.

Rodents are not the issue, but we are covered up with frogs. We have 3 tanks within 100 yards of the house. As the weather becomes hot and dry, the frogs congregate around the house where the sprinkler system keeps everything green. I would assume the frogs are bringing in the snakes.

This will be the third night since she was bitten and the vet is not ready to release her as the swelling is too great for her to eat. It will be expensive but she is the only animal around the place that earns her keep. Patty blood tracks down deer. She getting old now and she still guards the place. Last year, she killed a coon and a possum as well as countless smaller vermin. The jagd terriers are crazy aggressive with varmints but love kids.

Texas rat snake

Yes agree, Texas rat snake. Non venomous but very ill tempered. Been bit by them dozens of times. They have small curved back teeth that will leave a bloody mark on hands.

My youngest son wanted to catch a chicken snake once. He got bit. No real damage, but dang snake got away.

I bet you might have a copperhead still lurking under your porch. After reading g your tale, I fully expected to see a copperhead.

Would be my guess as well. But typically swelling from their bites (on dogs) will go down dramatically by the second day.

Tell tale sign will be IF there is tissue damage to the OP'S pup. In which case I would suspect rattlesnake or a large envenomation from a cottonmouth/water moccasin.

But definitely NOT from the Rat Snake. Rat Snake was there because of a food source of some kind. Same for the venomous snake that bit the dog.

THIS is why if I see any snake in the wild I leave them alone - now if they are near my home or deer camp they die ASAP no matter what they are - last thing I want is to step out of my house or RV and have the crap scared out of me by any type of snake -

Harmless western rat snake

They have changed the taxonomy. They are now western rat snake not Texas rat snake

How's your dog doing?

Texas Rat snake has always been pretty much considered just a color variation. And colloquially (though errant) still called a Texas Rat Snake by many. Also 'chicken snake'. But you are correct. Officially any Rat Snake species West of the Mississippi is now supposed to be a 'Western'.

I expect it will take a generation or two for the 'Texas' Rat Snake name to be dispensed with.

Hope pup is doing ok. maybe time to get him a Buddie to teach the trade too

I love snakes

insects make me crazy

That is a rat snake but you have a copperhead somewhere close by and they will bite a dog. Mine has been bitten at least twice but she is usually good in two days. We live on the lake and have a lot of frogs too along with chickens and quail. We get rat snakes and copperheads regularly and when they are in the yard close to any of that stuff they die. Out in the woods not a problem but in the yard they are gone. We have an outside cat that takes care of the rodents, don't need the snakes. I have a judge that I keep loaded with 410 shells and a machete at the back door that are both hard on the snakes...

My Jagd terrier is better, but she was already getting old and she seems older and sleeps more now. She did not get all of the feeling back in her mouth. Vet thinks she tangled with a water moccasin. All her life, she's eaten frozen chicken leg quarters. After the snake bite, we tried dry food but she spills too much out of her mouth. She eats canned food now and doesn't spill too much. She's the best dog we've ever had by far.

I will never be without a Jagd terrier. Blood tracks deer and hogs. Excellent guard dog, particularly at night. Goes overboard in protecting the wife and grandkids, won't let stray dogs or UPS drivers near the family. Kills coons, possums and other vermin. Earns her keep.

After I recently killed a copperhead near my place, the wife started looking up info on them and it said they will often give a warning bite without any, or very little venom. Maybe why your dog recovers pretty quick if getting bit by copperhead.

First I've heard of a Jagd Terrier. Had to go read up on them. Sounds like an exceptional breed with all the right qualities (except for mabe shedding).
Hope she recovers quickly.

Patty is wire haired and sheds very little. I think the Jagds vary. I bought her off the THF classifieds and it was the first I had heard of them. The more I researched, the more excited I got about the breed. Please keep in mind that Jagds are very strong willed and definitely need training. But ours loves kids and resident animals. She licks "her" cats all over the face every time she sees them. But she would not hesitate to kill a strange cat.

Sorry to hear about your pup.. TX rat snake

My second favorite dog is a jagd. I watched one dive over the top of 6 hounds to get to the Muzzle of a bear. She never blinked. No fear