Back in the day (~1930), my grandparents had a "semi-pet" rat terrier (a small working dog), and kept a fair number of animals (chickens, a few pigs, cow, etc.). When the rat terrier was feeling ignored/unloved, it would head back to the barn and start hunting rats.
Lots of rats. Which were all brought back up to the house (dead), and lined up on the little walk to the kitchen door - for grandma to notice, and happily fuss over the dog for having killed.
When the dog was not feeling insecure/unappreciated, it didn't seem all that interested in hunting rats.
