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Origin: United States
Height: 10-13 inches at
the shoulder for miniature, 13-19 inches for
standard
Weight: 10-25 pounds
Exercise Needs: Moderate
Grooming Needs: Low
Life Expectancy: 11-13
years
Good With Kids: Yes
Trainability: Easy
The Rat Terrier is a dog
of early immigrants who made their way into
America. Designed as a capable farm or ranch
dog, his purpose was to protect the property
from the rats and other vermin that plagued the
farms during those days and this was a job which
he performed wholeheartedly. For a time, the Rat
Terrier declined in numbers but recent years has
seen a resurgence of the breed, this time as a
capable and affectionate little companion
animal.
The Rat Terrier owes his
existence to early immigrants who made their way
over to America during the 19th century. Taking
popular dogs of the day - the Bull Terrier, Old
English White Terrier, the Manchester Terrier
and other similar scrappers, they crossed them
with various dog breeds, such as the Beagle, Toy
Fox Terrier, Whippet and Italian Greyhounds. The
results of this breeding would create a
small-to-medium sized dog which a smooth coat,
medium bone, and an athletic build. Fast,
aggressive and with strong jaws, these early
ratting dogs were more than capable at clearing
out rats and other pests.
Every new cross brought
something unique to the breed; the terrier blood
gave the dogs an aggressive and ‘feisty’
disposition that was needed for this kind of
work, while the Beagle and Fox Terrier breeding
gave the dog a better ‘nose’ that was needed to
track his prey. With the infusion of Whippet and
Italian Greyhound blood, he was granted the
speed that was needed to flush out hare, rabbits
and other game when taken out hunting.
The Rat Terrier is not a
very well-known breed, mainly due to the fact
that there was little documentation about them
for many years. In fact, the Rat Terrier did not
even have a breed standard until 1994 and was
not even accepted into the American Kennel Club
until January of 1999. While still a new breed,
fans of the Rat Terrier are adamant about
getting these wonderful little dogs known and
respected.
The Rat Terrier is known
as a very sturdily-built, compact member of the
Terrier family that is moderate in both size and
shape. Not too heavily muscled and yet not too
fine-boned, he is a small-to-medium sized dog
and is a bit more refined and polished-looking
than the more widely-known Jack Russell Terrier.
While he is occasionally kept with a full tail,
it’s preferred that this dog’s tail be docked
for exhibition.
Available in a wide
variety of colors, the Rat Terrier can be found
in most hound shades, including bi and
tri-coloreds, chocolate, orange, blue, lemon, or
red, and can be either pied or predominantly
solid in color. While sable shading on the face
or body is permitted, dark coloring on the face,
otherwise known as “masks,” are considered a
fault, as is any rusted or washed out
colorations.
The Rat Terrier is shown
in two distinct size varieties; the miniature
(dogs 10-13 inches) and the standard (13-19
inches). Up until the time that they are 12
months of age, both size varieties are shown
together, with dogs over or under the required
size limitations being disqualified from
competition.
While a member of the
Terrier family, the Rat Terrier is not a
sparring dog and, because of this, is generally
well-behaved and friendly towards other dogs.
They are a faithful dog and tend to be very
affectionate towards their owners, though they
can be somewhat protective and have a tendency
to be aloof towards strangers. While the Rat
Terrier is a noisy individual, prone to yapping,
mumbling and growling during play, his snarls
are usually just for show.
The Rat Terrier is a very
active little dog, bred for a variety of uses.
Always on the go, they are very high spirited
and enjoy an active lifestyle. If you’re
considering one of these energetic little dogs,
it’s highly recommended that you have a fenced
yard or are prepared to go for several
energizing walks each day. Dog parks are a
favorite hang-out of these little dogs and they
have a great love of agility and obstacle
courses.
Care and upkeep of your
Rat Terrier puppy is relatively simple. Not
overly heavy shedders, you will find that your
Rat Terrier sheds the most in the spring and
then, again, in the fall. In the meantime, a
simple brushing once or twice a week will
suffice, and will help to keep his coat glossy
by stimulating the oils in his coat and helping
to free and remove any dander. To brush him, use
a soft-bristled brush and go with the grain of
hair, brushing in a gentle and flicking motion.
He will undoubtedly love the free
back-scratching.
A Rat Terrier shouldn’t
need to be bathed too often. Provided he hasn‘t
gotten into anything messy, once or twice a
month is usually a good bet. Aside from this,
the only other major grooming needs that a Rat
Terrier requires are keeping his nails clipped,
his ears clean and, if he will let you, his
teeth brushed. Should tooth-brushing be an
issue, however, there are a variety of toys and
treats now available, which help to reduce
tartar build up and tooth decay.
The Rat Terrier is a
highly intelligent and loyal breed, and one that
desires to please his owner. For these reasons,
he is generally very easy to train and receptive
to the praises that he receives for good
behavior. Obedience classes are highly
recommended, if you are inexperienced with
training dogs - not only does it teach your dog
basic commands and obedience, but it also
teaches you how better to understand your new
puppy, and what methods he bests responds to. In
no time, you two are sure to be teaching one
another new tricks.
Like any breed of dog, the
Rat Terrier is subject to several genetic health
concerns. Fortunately, unlike many purebred
dogs, the Rat Terrier rarely has the hip and
elbow dysplasia or the eye troubles that are
commonly seen in other breeds. Some conditions
which may affect your Rat Terrier include:
- Luxating patella
- Allergies
- Sensitivity to
anesthesia
- Demodex mange
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The Rat Terrier is a very
lively and affectionate little fellow. Sturdily
built and athletic, they are well-suited as
family dogs and make excellent pets. Some
concern may be with older dogs and other pets,
such as cats, but they are generally
well-behaved, provided they are raised in an
environment where they may be acclimated to such
things. The main things that the Rat Terrier
needs are someone to play with and a person to
love; if they have these two essential things,
they are the happiest little dogs in the world.
There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Rat Terrier dog breed. We've compiled a list of Rat
Terrier information sites to assist you in quickly locating quality
information about the Rat Terrier dog breed, while avoiding the
"garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor attempts to
capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general. If you know
of a Rat Terrier information site that offers unique, quality
information and photos of the Rat Terrier breed, please contact us
with the URL and a brief description so that our editors can
consider it for inclusion in our list below.
"I work for food!"
Rat Terriers are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at Rat
Terrier pictures, you can usually gain more insight into what these
dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can help you decide
if you really want to become a Rat Terrier owner. The following
sites below offer pictures of Rat Terrier dogs, Rat Terrier puppy
photos, funny Rat Terrier photos and more. Enjoy!
Now that you have decided that the Rat Terrier is the right breed
for you, it's time to start the process of finding a responsible Rat
Terrier breeder from which to buy a healthy, well-socialized puppy.
Not all breeders are alike; there are good breeders - and bad
breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first Rat Terrier puppy you
find at the cheapest price available! To buy a puppy from a
responsible Rat Terrier breeder, you may need to pay more and wait
longer. The additional money and waiting time will be well worth it.
Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper ad, pet store or "backyard
breeder", and you'll likely also purchase a great deal of additional
expense and heartache, since you will likely end up falling in love
with a puppy with health and behavioral problems that will likely
need special care, plenty of veterinary visits, regular medication -
or even euthanasia. But do your homework and find a responsible,
caring Rat Terrier breeder who home-raises their puppies with love,
screens their breeding dogs for health problems, offers a health
guarantee and post sale support, and who genuinely loves the Rat
Terrier breed and is in it for the love of the breed, rather than
profit, and you can be fairly well assured of getting a healthy,
happy, long lived and affectionate family companion that will
provide you and your family with many years of joy, laughter and
companionship.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Rat Terrier
puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many sites now
online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for puppy
mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear of
these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the
breeders whom they allow to advertise.
Rat Terrier clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn even
more about the Rat Terrier dog breed, help you locate a responsible
Rat Terrier breeder, or help you find a Rat Terrier dog or puppy in
need of a second chance for a loving, forever home. We've compiled
the following list of Rat Terrier clubs and Rat Terrier rescues web
sites for your convenience:
Choosing a name for your Rat Terrier puppy can be a daunting
task! There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot
of thought and research to find just the right name for your Rat
Terrier. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a few days
or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you decide on
just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of humor? A
serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side? A strange
love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Rat Terrier puppy over the
first days or weeks, you should at least have a clue about what type
of name you want to give. There are a ton of dog names and pet names
web sites on the internet. Some are bonafide information resources,
while others, unfortunately, are just "garbage" sites hoping to cash
in on visitor hits for this popular subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Rat Terrier puppy. These sites offer inventive, unique,
original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
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The
Rat Terrier Dog
