So, what part of "terrier" did you not understand?
Somewhere in the Tenacious terrorizer of vermin terrorist, I guess I didn't really get it. Today I let the pair out back and proceeded to put away groceries. Barking, lots of barking, with a purpose. They are both at the dead bush to the far north of the upper terrace. They are holding themselves back, but reaching their noses as faaaar as they can then jumping back, like there is something in there, but I see nothing, maybe a mouse I think. Nooooo, they leap back and run down to the 2nd level a little to the south of the step.....again with the sniffing and lurching back. I get the fly swatter and go look, they don't respond to their names except to look at me, but right back at it. "It" is a 2 foot garter snake, striking at them (mostly Missy) every time she gets too close. (I checked the tail, no rattles) not that I'M going to try to pick it up, a forked stick, that would do it......oops, Trooper snatches it and ruuuuns 20 ft south, after that it was mostly over for the snake. He is now belly up waiting for Al to come rescue me from having to touch it, even with a shovel. I'm sure he'll be thrilled. So, I'm sorry for the snake, I don't like coming upon them in the garden, if I step close to them, but they aren't something I need to have eradicated. I may need to make a plan to be able to thwart this in the future. maybe throw a rug or mat over the snake? Of course then I can never pick up the rug again, even after I get them in....