The Rat Terrier is a purely American breed. Curious and tenacious while still playful and friendly, this breed is adored by his followers. While he is starting to gain in popularity, he is not yet well-known by the general population. There are two sizes of Rat Terrier – miniatures stand between 10 and 13 inches and standards can be anywhere from 13 to 18 inches. Partially because of their smaller size, many live to 15 or even 18 years old! Don’t let their size fool you though… these little dogs are super tough – they had to be in order to hunt and eradicate vermin!
Rat Terriers greatly benefit from a daily walk, although some dogs will exercise themselves in a big house or a large yard. In general they are a medium-energy dog, with puppies and young dogs needing more exercise than more mature individuals. Exercise requirements will depend as much on the size of their “domain” (house and yard) as it will on the individual energy of the dog. It is important that the yard be fenced whenever they are outside as they do have high prey drives and will chase most anything that moves right off the property! Non-secure fences are no match for these escape artists, so make sure it’s done right. Despite their tendencies to romp, run and play with great abandon, the Rat Terrier is actually one of the calmer terrier breeds when compared to the rest of the group.
Easy to care for, the Rattie has a short, slick coat that takes barely any time to groom. A monthly bath is usually only necessary if the dog has been getting dirty outside, and takes practically no time at all. They require only a quick weekly brushing (another fast chore) – perhaps a little more during shedding season. Make sure to keep nails trimmed, teeth brushed, and ears cleaned and that’s all there is to it!
Many Ratties are fine with other dogs, cats and pets as well as being tolerant and gentle around children. With strangers, some are reserved while others are more outgoing. With home intruders, they are brave and protective – guard dogs at heart, despite their size. With rodents and vermin, they are brutal and unapologetic. With their family, they are incredibly loyal, loving, and sensitive. Many love snuggling on the couch or on a lap just as much as they love racing around the yard. To understand a Rat Terrier means that you understand that they have a very complex personality which may change from situation to situation. While their default disposition is happy, they are quite sensitive to their environment and will change their mood based on your own mood, on the situation at hand, and to their surrounding environment.
Like many terriers, the Rat Terrier will take it upon himself to rule the household if he thinks your rules are too lax. Thus, obedience training is necessary! Also like many terriers, he can be stubborn when it comes to training. This said, he is intelligent and absolutely can be trained as long as he is treated with respect and given a lot of encouragement. Many owners enjoy competing with their Ratties in various performance and working competitions and most Ratties love to please their owners! The breed can also be unusually intuitive and might pick up on small unintentional cues, so be aware of what you are doing when you are training this smart little cookie! Rat Terriers are also usually easy to housebreak.
Extremely adaptable, a Rattie is able to live in almost any type of house or setting. An apartment is just as fine as a large house, as long as the dog’s needs are met (including exercise). Unlike many other terriers, this isn’t usually a “yappy” breed, which makes them more welcome in an apartment lifestyle. Weather and climate doesn’t matter either, although obviously the dog will need extra protection in very cold weather. Finally, Rat Terriers are great pets for not only active single people, but also the elderly, the disabled and the large family – as long as their needs are met.
Rat Terriers are a fairly diverse-looking bunch. Besides coming in two acceptable sizes, they are also allowed to come in a rainbow of colors as long as at least one color is white – “any variation of pied patterning is acceptable”. This includes a variation of patterns, markings and the presence or absence of tan points, sabling or mottling. To further their individuality, ears are allowed to exist in 3 different sets (erect, semi-erect or button) and tails are allowed to be 1 of 3 variations as well (docked, bobtail or naturally long). There also exists a strain of Rat Terriers called Decker Giants which are often very large specimens (up to 40 pounds), although they aren’t considered the norm by AKC standards. One is more likely to find a Decker by going through an alternate registry such as the NRTA.
