Rat Terrier
General
No surprise here as to what this little one was bred to do!
It is believed that the Rat Terrier is a variety of other breeds such as Smooth Fox Terrier, with crosses with Min. Pinscher, Chichuahua, Greyhound and possible even Greyhound. This breed is American in origin and was the most common breed to be found on farms, to keep mice, rats and other small creatures under control. It does come in two sizes, small and medium.
It is said that it was President Theodore Roosevelt who gave this dog its name after it had eradicated the rat infestation at the White House - hard nowadays to think of the White House having rats!
This is an intelligent, friendly and fun loving little dog makes for a dog family dog as long as sufficiently exercised.
No surprise here as to what this little one was bred to do!
It is believed that the Rat Terrier is a variety of other breeds such as Smooth Fox Terrier, with crosses with Min. Pinscher, Chichuahua, Greyhound and possible even Greyhound. This breed is American in origin and was the most common breed to be found on farms, to keep mice, rats and other small creatures under control. It does come in two sizes, small and medium.
It is said that it was President Theodore Roosevelt who gave this dog its name after it had eradicated the rat infestation at the White House - hard nowadays to think of the White House having rats!
This is an intelligent, friendly and fun loving little dog makes for a dog family dog as long as sufficiently exercised.
Is this the right dog for you?
This lovely little dog, is a good fit for many homes, as long as he receives the exercise needed and is kept mentally stimulated. Not to give him what is needed can lead to him being bored and frustrated and causing havoc and destruction, and excessive barking in the home. It is said that although he is of the Terrier breed, the Rat Terrier tends to be quieter than the Jack Russel & Parson Terriers and more likely to spend time quietly lying with its people.
He does well in a home where people are around a lot of the time and does not always cope when left alone. It is a good idea to train Alone Time training and keep in place to avoid separation anxiety.
He also tends to be a barker when he wants attention, so teaching Bark & Shush when a pup will go a long way to controlling the barking.
Being a Terrier there is always the digging aspect to take into consideration, especially if bored/frustrated or left alone, so a good idea is to build a Digging Pit and keep it fully stocked.
This lovely little dog, is a good fit for many homes, as long as he receives the exercise needed and is kept mentally stimulated. Not to give him what is needed can lead to him being bored and frustrated and causing havoc and destruction, and excessive barking in the home. It is said that although he is of the Terrier breed, the Rat Terrier tends to be quieter than the Jack Russel & Parson Terriers and more likely to spend time quietly lying with its people.
He does well in a home where people are around a lot of the time and does not always cope when left alone. It is a good idea to train Alone Time training and keep in place to avoid separation anxiety.
He also tends to be a barker when he wants attention, so teaching Bark & Shush when a pup will go a long way to controlling the barking.
Being a Terrier there is always the digging aspect to take into consideration, especially if bored/frustrated or left alone, so a good idea is to build a Digging Pit and keep it fully stocked.
Should you have 2 of the same, or 2 pups together?
On average the Rat Terrier does not tend to be aggressive to other dogs, however you must make sure that your dog has been well socialized so that it will accept another dog into the home.
They do tend to be possessive of toys and valued objects, so early training to prevent resource guarding should be undertaken,
When it comes to which sex get on better, your best bet is one male and one female (both sterilized), or 2 males together. Never two females. The vast majority of the time two females will get on well until about 8 - 9 months of age and thenm fighting for position tends to occur. When males have the odd altercation, it tends to be over quickly, but with females, it just intensifies and often the only solution is for one of the females to be rehomes. This is not just for this breed, but in general.
Having two pups from same litter is not a good idea. Most people think that the pups will be happier with a playmate and won’t fight if they are family.Your pup should be at least 5 months old, before you consider bringing in another pup. This allows the pups to grow to their full potential and not become over dependent on one another. The truth of the matter is that your two pups are likely to:
Bond with each other to the exclusion of you
On average the Rat Terrier does not tend to be aggressive to other dogs, however you must make sure that your dog has been well socialized so that it will accept another dog into the home.
They do tend to be possessive of toys and valued objects, so early training to prevent resource guarding should be undertaken,
When it comes to which sex get on better, your best bet is one male and one female (both sterilized), or 2 males together. Never two females. The vast majority of the time two females will get on well until about 8 - 9 months of age and thenm fighting for position tends to occur. When males have the odd altercation, it tends to be over quickly, but with females, it just intensifies and often the only solution is for one of the females to be rehomes. This is not just for this breed, but in general.
Having two pups from same litter is not a good idea. Most people think that the pups will be happier with a playmate and won’t fight if they are family.Your pup should be at least 5 months old, before you consider bringing in another pup. This allows the pups to grow to their full potential and not become over dependent on one another. The truth of the matter is that your two pups are likely to:
Bond with each other to the exclusion of you
- Will stress without the other dog being around
- Fight with each other
- Be more destructive and boisterous
- Two pups together often leads to one being more assertive and the other more submissive. This could well end up in a situation where the more submissive dog will never develop its full potential.
- Mature later
Do they get on with other dogs?
If bred well is normally friendly to other dogs and early and continued socialization will keep the social skills in place. However, as with all Terriers, the breed is tenacious and if challenged, will not back down.
If bred well is normally friendly to other dogs and early and continued socialization will keep the social skills in place. However, as with all Terriers, the breed is tenacious and if challenged, will not back down.
Do they get on with other animals?
They are bred to chase small animals and have a high prey drive, so do not always do well with smaller animals, tending to chase them. Early socialization can help with this, however, if the other animal does run, the innate behaviour may kick in, and the Rat Terrier will give chase.
They are bred to chase small animals and have a high prey drive, so do not always do well with smaller animals, tending to chase them. Early socialization can help with this, however, if the other animal does run, the innate behaviour may kick in, and the Rat Terrier will give chase.
Are they good with children?
Overall they are very good with children, however older children are better as, especially when young, they do tend to be very bouncy and boisterous.
Overall they are very good with children, however older children are better as, especially when young, they do tend to be very bouncy and boisterous.
Health
Overall, this breed tends to be healthy, although they do tend to have teeth that seem to be too big for their mouths and dental problems can occur. Some problems that can be encounterd are PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) and lens luxation. They can be prone to both luxating patela. They can also suffer from both epilepsy, hernia's and heart disease. The skin can be a problem, as some of them are prone to allergies.
“In today’s age, with the rising cost of veterinary care, it really is a wise decision to consider medical insurance for your pets. Depending on the plan you choose, you can ensure that if your pet does develop one of the health issues the breed is prone too, that you will be covered –additionally, just knowing that any accident your pet may have will be covered, will out-weigh the monthly insurance fee for most pet owners. Our own personal choice is Genricpet as they have a ‘no limit’ policy and their rates are comparable to the rest of the industry. To find out the questions and things to look for in a Medical Insurance, please just follow this link”
Overall, this breed tends to be healthy, although they do tend to have teeth that seem to be too big for their mouths and dental problems can occur. Some problems that can be encounterd are PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) and lens luxation. They can be prone to both luxating patela. They can also suffer from both epilepsy, hernia's and heart disease. The skin can be a problem, as some of them are prone to allergies.
“In today’s age, with the rising cost of veterinary care, it really is a wise decision to consider medical insurance for your pets. Depending on the plan you choose, you can ensure that if your pet does develop one of the health issues the breed is prone too, that you will be covered –additionally, just knowing that any accident your pet may have will be covered, will out-weigh the monthly insurance fee for most pet owners. Our own personal choice is Genricpet as they have a ‘no limit’ policy and their rates are comparable to the rest of the industry. To find out the questions and things to look for in a Medical Insurance, please just follow this link”
Do’s and Dont’s
Do’s
Don’t
Do’s
- Do get your pup from a KUSA registered breeder and do read the articles on Breeders and also choosing a pup
- Sterilize at approximately 6 months of age.
- Do take your pup for socialization - pups should start at 8 weeks of age and this should not be missed - lays the foundation for future social interactions.
- Do continue the socialiazation - keeps solid social skills in place
- Give daily, regular exercise which this breed really needs.
- Supply chew toys and mental stimulation when left alone.
- Allow your dog to be part of the family
- Give regular brushing and annual vacs.
- Supply mental games such as behaviour games, scenting games etc in the garden to mentally stimulate this breed.
- Take your dog for basic training and keep simple house rules in place
Don’t
- Don't use aversive training methods.
- Leave this breed outside alone – behaviour problems will develop