The slender, athletic-built, strong-shouldered, well-muscled Rat Terrier is a small to medium-size, parti-colored terrier dog, with erect ears that are kept both as pets and controller of pests and rodents or vermin in the farms, tracing back to small mixed-breed feist, and hence being more of a ‘type’, than a breed.
Other Names | American Rat Terrier, Ratting Terrier or, Decker Giant |
Coat | Short |
Color | Bi-color/tri-color including white combined with black, apricot, lemon, blue, cream, chocolate, tan |
Breed Type | Purebred |
Group (of Breed) | Terrier |
Lifespan | 15 to 18 years |
Weight | Toy: 4 to 6 pounds Medium: 6 – 8 pounds Standard: 12 – 35 pounds |
Height (size) |
Small to Medium; Toy: 8 inches Medium: 8 – 14 inches Standard: 14 – 23 inches |
Shedding | Seasonal, twice (spring & fall) |
Temperament | Intelligent, social, alert, active, affectionate |
Good with Child | Yes |
Litters | 5-7 puppies at a time |
Health Concerns | Yet unspecified |
Originated in | USA |
Nicknames | RT, Rat, Rattie |
Competitive Registration | APRI, UKC, CKC, NKC, UKCI, NRTR, ACR, RTCI, RTBA, ACR, DRA, NAPR, AKC/FSS |
With a very old history of companionship with its master being pretty much common in most of the farms mainly in the 1920s and 1930s, the rats were used as farm-dogs and hunters.
Click here for a list of popular Rat Terrier mixes.
The quiet Rats make excellent pets with those who are seeking for an enthusiastic, friendly dog that are good with people and children. They make good watchdogs and eager to constantly find out ways to please and give company to the owner, cuddling on his lap or on sofa, or sleeping with family members, especially kids, the qualities which they developed having a demeanor of the terriers, still being much less aggressive.
For their inborn intelligence, they can easily pick up tricks and training than many other dogs, and they would not need much socialization training with kids since they are already tolerant to them. Begin all training when it is still a puppy of around 3 months.
Being an energetic breed, these dogs need a high protein diet, enhanced with minerals and vitamins through plant sources. Only 30% of its total protein can be considered through non-vegetarian sources like meat and fish. Supply your dog with lots of drinking water. Feed your dog twice a day, but make sure that the dry food offered is of high quality, however the daily quantity varies according to the dog’s weight (puppies to adults):
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