Rat Terrier
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.
Rat Terrier Pictures
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- Black Rat Terrier
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- Brown Rat Terrier
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- Newborn Rat Terrier
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- Rat Terrier Black
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- Rat Terrier Chihuahua Mix
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- Rat Terrier Dog Pictures
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- Rat Terrier Dog
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- Rat Terrier Images
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- Rat Terrier Photos
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- Rat Terrier Pictures
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- Rat Terrier Puppies
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- Rat Terrier Puppy Pictures
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- Rat Terrier Puppy
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- Rat Terrier
Quick Information
| 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 |
Other Similar Breeds:
History
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.
Mixes
Click here for a list of popular Rat Terrier mixes.
Temperament
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.
Care
Training
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.
Feeding
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):
- < 10 pounds: ¼ to ½ cup
- 10-15 pounds ½ to 1 cup
- 20-30 pounds ¾ to 1 ½ cups
- 30-40 pounds 1 ½ to 2 cups
Interesting Facts
- Rat terrier puppies are born with their ears pointing up, which start to drop by the time their eyes start to open. However, some puppies get their erect ears back within a few weeks or months.
- Rat terrier is an American breed which evolved from the unification of different other terrier breeds like the Old English White Terrier, the Bull Terrier, the Manchester Terrier, the Fox Terrier etc.
- Some rat terriers are born with a very short tail (that looks like being tailless), while others are born with a complete tail.
Rat Terrier Rescue
- http://www.newrattitude.org/contact.php
- http://www.terrierrescue.co.uk/
I have a 4 month old rescued Rat Terrier puppy. We love her so much but she has a scary habit! She eats absolutely anything that she finds on the ground, I’m so afraid she’ll eat something harmful. I’ve been correcting her as we’re walking, shouting NO, Drop it, but she only tries to swallow it faster. I have to stick my fingers in her mouth to get the object out. I would welcome any advice.
The only way you can even hope to have a chance of getting them to do what you want them to is to use reverse psychology. You have to never lie to them. If you say you are going to give them something then you better do it. If they start biting on you and won’t stop, take a second and try to think of what it was that you promised them. Then say, do you want the big bone or whatever their favorite treat is that you promised them. You have to immediately get up to get it, then they will stop biting you and go back to being your loving little angel.
Why does my rat terrier (about 7 yrs old) want to sit on me all the time or at least have her front paw on me?
My dog Maggie is absolutely my best friend. I was glad to see in the temperament section the comment about the rat terrier sleeping with family members. So, it’s not just me after all. She does tend to hog up the center of the bed, but she doesn’t mind at all when I tell her to shove over and give me more room. Apparently I’ve been feeding her a little too much.
My rat terrier is such a loving dog he is 12 weeks old but I can’t get him to quit biting I give him toys and vet approved bones but my arm gets bit the most and he jumps so high and bites my pants attacks my socks. I keep telling him no and Will tap his nose but nothing works. I can’t let my grand kids around him.what can I do to stop the bitting
More exercise!! If we run our dog or go for a long walk she doesn’t “bully” us. That’s what we call it. Also for our dog, she does this usually around dinner time. Just like a cranky baby. Lol. She does like her deer antler and beef bones. We work on redirecting to her toys. If she has a toy in her mouth there is less biting.
With a lot of patience. You have to not physically react to it, that’s what they thrive on. Mine was about a year old decker rat rescue that had been returned more than once. I voice train. Buy it lots of soft toys, they love the fuzzy feel and later tearing apart some to see what the squeaker is all about. When he would bite on me I would yell out in pain and say don’t bite daddy, bite the toy, and then put the fuzzy toy in his mouth. Did I say you have to have a lot of patience with this breed because they are off the charts smart and curious about everything and their eyesight appears to be great, along with their nose and ears. Oh yeah, they are hunting dogs, bred for one thing, to be efficient killing machines, then they threw a little beagle in to be more people friendly.
They are definately not a herding dog or a retriever and they are not for everybody. For those who are able to work their way into the heart of a Rat Terrier, you will find riches beyond your imagination, they are pure gold.
I have a 10 month O rat terrier mix , I love her so much, she makes me very happy. I love her so much She is my all in all, I think God every day for my Fenda.
I rescued what I thought was a jack russell but am now sure is a rat terrier. So intelligent but previous owner didn’t socialise or basically do anything. … he’s afraid of loud noise and mostly aggressive to big dog any hints or tips? He could be so much more
Hi Serena,
Generally, whining, shaking, or pacing is a sign your dog is scared. If your dog starts showing any of these signs of anxiety, distract him with a game of tug or fetch, or play music that can block the scary noises. Find a recording of the noise that your dog fears, whether it is exploding fireworks or thunder. Play it low so that it does not bother him. Reward him with a treat for calm behavior. Practice by raising the volume slowly and keep giving him the treat.
For inter-dog aggression, you should try to prevent and control the problem. Make sure your Rattie is adequately exercised so that it can burn his excess energy and maintain his healthy state of mind. You should keep your dog away from potentially aggressive dogs or victims in situations where this behavioral issue is likely to occur.
Just saying… I’m 70. I grew up at the edge of a small town. I was the youngest of eight children when my father died when I was just two. We had a rat terrier. That dog made all the difference in the world. Named him Stinker. We lived next to a field where we had a milk cow. One day I observed first hand Stinker located a rats den out in the field. He rounded up and killed eight rats in a very short period of time. I was amazed. My brother and I would go to the woods a lot which was about a mile from home. This was back when your mother would say ok just be back before dark. I wouldn’t anymore do that with my kids for nothing now. We would say “Stinker, you want to go to the woods?” And he would run like a bullet halve way down the block then back to us as though he was telling us to hurry up. He was the best dog I ever had. Just saying. Thanks for listening.
That’s so nice! Thanks for sharing.