Are Rat Terriers and Siberian Huskies considered hunting dogs?

I was out with my dog and I came across a teenaged boy with the 2 breeds listed above. When I had caught up with them the dogs had already caught and killed a rabbit. I was actually surprised at how well trained these dogs were but I was also suspicious, both dogs had scratches on them and the Siberian had a small tear on one of it's ears. Are these dogs commonly used as hunting dogs?Are Rat Terriers and Siberian Huskies considered hunting dogs?
Both have very high prey drives.





The Rat Terrier was used to...well, hunt down and kill rats. Chase them into holes, corner and kill them. That sort of thing.





And most, if not all, northern breeds like huskies have very high prey drives.





It took no training for these dogs to be like this. It's all instinctual. Some are just more talented than others.Are Rat Terriers and Siberian Huskies considered hunting dogs?
As their name suggests, Rat Terriers were designed to control vermin around the farm, such as rats. They were also used to hunt small animals like squirrels and rabbits. That kid was actually using his Rat Terrier to serve its original function.





Traditionally, Siberian Huskies aren't really hunting dogs. Unsurprisingly, they're typically sled dogs. The semi-nomadic Chukchi people of Siberia began training them to pull sleds hundreds of years ago. However, many Huskies have high prey drives. (A dog's prey drive is his predatory instinct to chase and/or kill a small, fast animal like a squirrel or a cat.) Since they're working dogs with prey drive, they could certainly be trained to hunt. (The average Husky just wouldn't be quite as skilled as a breed designed for the job.)
well i would question the owner allowing them to kill, definitely the scratches something doesn't add up.





But to answer your question huskies were bred as sled dogs not hunting dogs but still have a very strong prey drive to survive the cold. Rat terriers were bred not as hinting dogs like a hound but as vermin killers and pest removal. They were bred to hunt down and kill things like rats, hence the name.
rat terriers - yes. They were used to chase rats and other small animals out of holes and tunnels in the ground.





siberian huskies - no. They are in the ';Working Group';
NOT SIBERIAN HUSKIES!


Theyre working dogs!
Huskies aren't but terriers were bred to go after rats. Even a hunting dog could get scratched up in a hunt though.
Well its all in the name with the rat terrier...but most dogs can eb trained to hunt, its instinct
Technically speaking, Huskies are considered a ';working breed';. I have never known anyone who had a Husky just for hunting. OTOH, they're certainly capable of capturing and killing game. But both dogs, generally, have traits that lend themselves well to hunting.





Also, keep in mind that ';hunting'; means different things or tasks:


--tracking/flushing


--pointing


--treeing


--defeating


--fetching





Depending upon the skill, you may want a dog that can go to ground (like a Border Terrier or JRT), a dog with a soft mouth (that can handle a bird without crushing it), a dog that can kill another animal, a dog that bays when it captures the scent, a dog that is silent and can stalk effectively.





Rat Terriers definitely are capable of being hunting dogs. The Decker line of ratties was bred specifically to hunt bears. The person who named the Rat Terrier (Teddy Roosevelt) used them for small game hunting. In the South, they're very big as squirrel and rabbit hunters. That's because they have a terrier's mentality and ability to tolerate pain and can go to ground to some extent, with sight hound (ability to spot movement and see better than most dogs), and scent (beagle is bred into the breed) so incredible tracking ability and extremely agile.





Finally, a dog can be a great hunter, well trained and, depending upon the function, acquire some scars. Send a JRT into a hole after a fox and it's likely going to get some damage when it corners the fox. Ditto with a dachshund after a badger. And hunting itself (going through brush at speed) can cause damage--my rat terrier has had torn paw pads twice from chasing squirrels in broken brush, I know of another dog who suffered a torn tail just because of the brush.