Rat Terrier Dog

It was back in 1820, in Great Britain, that the Rat Terrier was first developed by crossing the Manchester Terrier and the Smooth Fox Terrier. They became very popular in the United States when they were taken there in the 1890s. The breeders in America crossed it once more with the Whippet, the Beagle and the Smooth Fox Terrier. This is because they wanted to incorporate the bulkiness, hunting instincts and the red color of the Beagle, plus the brindle and blue colors, and the agility and speed of the Whippet. The smallest variety of the Rat Terrier was derived by crossing the Chihuahua with the Smooth Fox Terrier. Named by President Theodore Roosevelt, the Rat Terrier is a hard working breed used in farms to get rid of pestiferous creatures like rats.

The Physical Features of the Rat Terrier

The Rat Terrier has powerful legs, solid neck, powerful shoulders, deep chest, and is well muscled. Although they are physically compact, they are muscularly substantive. The ears are usually ripped or upright and kept erect when it is alert. They are usually born with either full-length or short tails, which can be either docked when they are two days old, or left intact. They come in a variety of coat colors such as red brindle, blue and white, black and tan, solid red, tri-spotted, red and white, chocolate, sable, and pearl. Rat Terrier breeders that breed just working dogs are not particular about the specifications of the looks.

There are three sizes of Rat Terriers: The Standard Sized, which weighs 12 to 35 pounds, or 51/2 to 16 kg, and is 14 to 23 inches or 351/2 to 581/2 cm in height; the Mid-Sized, which weighs 6 to 8 pounds or 3 to 31/2 kg, an is 8 to 14 inches or 20 to 351/2 cm in height; and the Toy, which weighs 4 to 6 pounds or 2 to 3 kg, and is 8 inches or 20 cm in height.

The Temperament of the Rat Terrier

The Rat Terrier dog makes a great watchdog because it is always alert, lively, energetic, and spunky. This breed makes a good companion in the right kind of household, although it does require proper training, since it has the tendency of snapping if frightened. As long as it is socialized when it is a puppy it gets along well with other pets in the house. Care must be taken not to leave smaller types of animals unsupervised around it, if it has not been adequately socialized to be with them, or has not been raised with them.

The Rat Terrier can sometimes be willful and stubborn, and can also be reserved with strangers, although they do warm up quite quickly. Despite its small size, the Rat Terrier is often fearless, even when faced with a larger adversary, showing the true characteristics of the terrier breed. It is especially good in a single person home, providing the companionship and affection that is required.
Being highly intelligent, the Rat Terrier picks up training faster compared to other breeds. It is eager to learn and also eager to please its owner.

Rat Terrier Care and Grooming

The Rat Terrier does not need much grooming. An occasional brushing with a rubber brush or a firm bristle is all that is required to get rid of any dead or loose hair. It needs to be bathed just about once in six months. If it’s bathed too frequently it will result in removing the natural oils that exist in its coat, which can result in skin problems, which the Rat Terrier has a tendency for. During the cold weather, it should be protected adequately with sweaters, since it gets chill very quickly because of its short coat.

As far as exercising the Rat Terrier is concerned, it needs a daily walk or even a jog, for about 20-30 minutes per day. The Rat Terrier loves outdoor romps and challenging games.

Owning a Rat Terrier

If you are thinking of owning a dog of this breed, look for Rat Terrier puppies from Rat Terrier breeders that are reputable, or you could check out a Rat Terrier rescue and adopt one from there. Before actually purchasing one, however, make sure you know every character trait of this breed to see if it suits what you are looking for. They make great pets in families that are suited to them.