There are two ways to do this - one involves training your dog to chase mice, while the other involves teaching your dog to emit a high-pitched noise that is outside of the mouse’s hearing range. Let’s look at each of these methods in more detail. Training Your Dog to Chase Mice Some people believe that if you train your dog to chase mice, he will naturally start chasing all kinds of animals, including birds and cats. But this isn’t true. A dog trained to chase mice won’t generally chase anything else, unless his owner specifically asks him to. This doesn’t mean that it’s impossible for a dog to catch a cat or bird. It just means that you need to teach your dog what to do when he does catch something. If you plan to train your dog to chase mice, you should first make sure that he understands the difference between a mouse and other animals. You could also try to find some mice that your dog likes so he can get used to chasing them. Once you’ve got your dog ready, tell him “mum” and give him a treat (or nothing) whenever he catches a mouse. Then, gradually increase the length of time that you ask your dog to hold onto the mouse, until he is holding it for several seconds. After a few sessions, your dog should be able to bring back the mice that you place near him. You can also try throwing balls or toys into areas where you know that mice live. When your dog picks up the toy, praise him and reward him with treats. This method works best when you throw the ball or toy toward your dog rather than directly at him. The downside of this approach is that you need to spend a lot of time training your dog over a long period of time. Also, if you have children around, you may have to stop playing with them so that they don’t accidentally hurt your dog. Teaching Your Dog to Emit a High-Pitched Noise That Is Outside of the Mouse’s Hearing Range A better way to keep mice away from your home is to teach your dog to emit a high-pitched noise that is outside of the mouse’s hearing range. As soon as the mouse hears the noise, it will run away. To accomplish this, you will need a device called a sound blaster. These devices are usually made of plastic and come in various shapes and sizes. The simplest models are small enough to fit inside a shoe box, but you can buy larger models that are suitable for indoor use. Before you begin training your dog, prepare the room where you plan to train him. Make sure that you have a clean floor and that all of the furniture and curtains are moved far away from the wall. Place the sound blaster on the floor close to where you plan to place a mouse trap. If possible, put the sound blaster on its side so that the microphone points toward the ground. Next, turn off the lights in the room and open the door. Put your hand out with an imaginary mouse in front of you. Tell your dog to “chase” the mouse, and then quickly move it out of sight before the dog gets to you. Wait for a couple of seconds, and then repeat this process again. Continue doing this for a few minutes until your dog is able to follow the mouse without running after it. After a few days, switch the location of the sound blaster and the mouse trap. Repeat the same steps described above to teach your dog to chase the mouse trap instead of following it. Once your dog is able to do this, you can start testing him in real situations. As long as you keep repeating this process, your dog will eventually learn to chase the mouse trap without running after it. At this point, you can remove the sound blaster from the room and start training your dog outdoors.