Ratting Terrier Complete Care and Training Guide

The Ratting Terrier Complete Care and Training Guide is a comprehensive resource for anyone looking to bring one of these energetic and intelligent dogs into their family.

The Ratting Terrier is a small to medium-sized dog that requires regular exercise to stay happy and healthy.

To keep your Ratting Terrier happy and healthy, make sure to provide at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, which can include walks, runs, and playtime in the yard.

Proper training is also essential for the Ratting Terrier, as they can be prone to digging and escaping if left unsupervised.

Start training your Ratting Terrier early, ideally from 8 weeks old, to establish good habits and prevent unwanted behaviors.

A unique perspective: Healthy Bull Terrier

The Rat Terrier's physical characteristics make them well-suited for their original purpose as a hunting dog. They range from 10 to 25 pounds and stand 10 to 18 inches at the shoulder.

Their compact stature allows them to enter narrow crevices and tight spaces where rats often hide. This size advantage enables them to flush out rats from their hiding places and corner them more effectively.

For another approach, see: Rat Terrier Killing Rats

The Rat Terrier comes in a variety of coat colors, including black tan point with piebald spotting, chocolate, tan, and blue. They may be tricolor or bicolor, always with some amount of white present.

Here are the different sizes of Rat Terriers:

The Rat Terrier is a small to medium-sized dog, weighing between 10 to 25 pounds and standing 10 to 18 inches tall at the shoulder.

Their miniature size is ideal for navigating tight spaces, making them perfect for hunting vermin in small areas.

Rat Terriers come in a variety of coat colors, including black, tan, chocolate, blue, isabella, lemon, and apricot, often with white markings.

They may also have ticking, which is visible in the white parts of their coat or underlying skin.

Their ears are erect, but can also be tipped or buttoned, giving them an intelligent and alert expression.

A Rat Terrier's tail has traditionally been docked to about 2-3 inches, but some breeders now prefer a natural, undocked tail.

Recommended read: Yorkshire Terrier Coat

The bobtail gene is common in Rat Terriers, resulting in a range of tail lengths.

Their short, smooth coat requires minimal grooming, with weekly brushings sufficient to remove loose hair.

However, they do shed heavily in the spring and fall, and after whelping or heat cycles, so be prepared for some extra cleaning.

Rat Terriers come in a range of sizes, from the toy to the Decker Rat Terrier.

The toy Rat Terrier is the smallest version of the breed, weighing between 5 to 10 pounds and standing no taller than 12 inches.

The miniature Rat Terrier is slightly larger, weighing between 10 to 18 pounds and reaching a height of 15 inches or less.

The standard Rat Terrier typically weighs between 10 to 25 pounds, showcasing their small to medium size.

The Decker Rat Terrier is a bit larger, weighing between 22 to 40 pounds and standing between 16 to 19 inches tall for males and 16 to 17 inches tall for females.

See what others are reading: Decker Rat Terrier vs Rat Terrier

Rat Terriers are intelligent, wary, and stubborn dogs. They can be a handful if not properly trained and socialized.

Rat Terriers tend to be wary of strangers and may not warm up to them immediately, but most will eventually warm up to visitors. With proper socialization, they can become loyal and loving companions.

Rat Terriers are amazingly perceptive and intuitively respond to your moods. They have a great desire to please and love praise.

Rat Terriers need a lot of exercise to keep them happy and healthy. If they don't get enough exercise, their sharp little minds can turn devious to amuse themselves.

Early socialization is crucial for Rat Terrier puppies. Exposing them to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences when they are young helps ensure they grow up to be well-rounded dogs.

Enrolling your Rat Terrier puppy in a puppy kindergarten class is a great way to start their socialization process. Inviting visitors over regularly and taking them to busy parks or stores that allow dogs also helps them polish their social skills.

The Rat Terrier is a hardy breed, thanks to regular outcrossings throughout its history. However, with its growing popularity, some health issues are becoming more common.

The Canine Health Information Center recommends testing Rat Terriers for patellar luxation, cardiac abnormalities, hip dysplasia, and Legg–Calvé–Perthes syndrome. These are all potential health concerns that can affect your Rat Terrier.

The average lifespan of a well-bred Rat Terrier is 16–19 years, making it a long-term companion. With proper care, your Rat Terrier can live a happy and healthy life.

The Rat Terrier is a hardy breed due to regular outcrossings throughout its history. This has made it a popular choice for many families.

However, with its growth in popularity in recent years, some issues are becoming more common. These include patellar luxation, cardiac abnormalities, and hip dysplasia.

The Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) recommends testing for these issues, as well as Legg–Calvé–Perthes syndrome. This is essential for ensuring the health and well-being of your Rat Terrier.

The average lifespan of a well-bred Rat Terrier is 16–19 years. With proper care and attention, many Rat Terriers have been known to live up to 18–23 years.

If this caught your attention, see: Bull Terrier Old vs New

Crate training is a great way to prevent your Rat Terrier from getting into trouble, but remember, it's not a jail.

Puppies explore and chew things they shouldn't, which can lead to expensive vet bills and destroyed items.

Rat Terriers are people dogs and shouldn't spend their lives locked up in a crate or kennel.

You should crate your Rat Terrier for a few hours at a time, except when he's sleeping at night.

This will help prevent accidents and save you money in the long run.

Feeding your Rat Terrier is a crucial aspect of their health and care. The recommended daily amount of high-quality dry food varies depending on their size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level.

For adult Rat Terriers, the daily feeding amount is as follows:

Remember, every dog is different, just like people, so it's essential to monitor their food intake and adjust accordingly. If you're unsure whether your Rat Terrier is overweight, give them the eye test and the hands-on test to check for a visible waist and easily felt ribs.

The Rat Terrier breed has a rich history that spans centuries and continents. The earliest known record of a rat-catching dog is that of "Hatch", whose remains were recovered from the Mary Rose, the flagship of Henry VIII, sunk in 1545 and re-raised in 1982.

Hatch is thought to have been a mongrel, brought on board to control the rat population. The breed name comes from the occupation of its earliest ancestors brought to the US by working-class British migrants as the dogs were used in rat-baiting.

The Rat Terrier was developed by crossing several terrier breeds, including the Manchester Terrier, Bull Terrier, and Fox Terrier, in England in the 19th century. These dogs were highly valued for their skill in controlling rat populations, a significant problem in cities and countryside at the time.

The breed was brought to the US and bred with other dogs, including Beagles, Italian Greyhounds, and Manchester Terriers, to produce a more versatile and quick-footed dog. Many of the foundation Rat Terriers were indistinguishable from small mixed-breed hunting dogs known as "feists".

The Rat Terrier was cherished as a loyal hunting companion and efficient killer of vermin on 20th-century American farms, making it one of the most popular dog types from the 1920s to the 1940s. However, the widespread use of chemical pesticides and the growth of commercial farming led to a sharp decline in the breed from the 1950s onwards.

The genetic diversity of the Rat Terrier has contributed to its overall health, keen intelligence, and soundness, unlike many modern breeds developed from a closed gene pool. The breed has benefited from a long history of refinement with regular outcrosses to bring in useful qualities and genetic variability.

The Rat Terrier breed has a bit of a complex history when it comes to recognition. The Rat Terrier Club of America is the official breed parent club for the American Kennel Club (AKC), and Rat Terriers were accepted into the AKC's terrier group in June 2012.

The National Rat Terrier Association is the largest independent registry and has maintained lineage records for decades. They're opposed to Kennel Club closed-registry breeding rules, citing concerns that it will sacrifice the breed's working qualities.

Rat Terriers are often purchased without a clear understanding of what goes into owning one, and many end up in need of adoption or fostering. There are several rescue groups that can help, including the American Rat Terrier Rescue and Ratbone Rescues.

For your interest: Apbt Registry

The Rat Terrier Club of America is the official breed parent club for the American Kennel Club (AKC). They're responsible for promoting and preserving the breed.

Rat Terriers were accepted into the AKC's terrier group in June 2012. This is a significant milestone for the breed.

The National Rat Terrier Association is the largest independent registry and has maintained lineage records for decades. They're a vital resource for breeders and owners.

The UKC officially recognized the breed on January 1, 1999. This is 11 years before the AKC recognized the breed.

Here's a breakdown of the major breed recognition events:

The first Rat Terrier to earn a title under AKC Sanctioning was Harpur's Giddy Upp "Gigi" in Agility on January 14, 2006. This was a groundbreaking moment for the breed.

If you're considering bringing a Rat Terrier into your family, you may be surprised to learn that many of these lovable dogs end up in need of rescue.

There are many Rat Terriers in shelters and foster care, and it's heartbreaking to think that they might end up without a forever home. Fortunately, there are dedicated rescue groups working tirelessly to find these dogs a loving family.

If you're interested in adopting a Rat Terrier, it's essential to do your research and find a reputable rescue group. A good place to start is by contacting the American Rat Terrier Rescue or Ratbone Rescues, two organizations that specialize in finding forever homes for these dogs.

If you don't see a rescue listed for your area, don't worry! The national breed club or a local breed club can point you in the right direction and help you find a Rat Terrier rescue group near you.

Here are some reputable Rat Terrier rescue groups to consider:

Rat Terriers are intelligent dogs that possess a keen ability to learn and follow commands. Their intelligence, combined with their eagerness to please their owners, makes them highly trainable for ratting purposes.

Positive reinforcement is a highly effective training technique for Rat Terriers. This involves rewarding desired behaviors with treats, praise, or playtime, while ignoring or redirecting unwanted behaviors.

Rat Terriers are known for their gameness and tenacity, which are essential traits for successful ratting. They have a strong drive to succeed in their pursuit of rats and will not easily give up.

To train a Rat Terrier to effectively hunt rats, it's essential to introduce them to live rats in a controlled environment. This can be done by using specially designed training tubes or enclosed areas where the rats are safely contained.

Rat Terriers are naturally inclined to alert their owners to potential threats, making them effective watchdogs despite their small size.

With proper training and socialization, Rat Terriers can quickly grasp ratting techniques and work cooperatively with their handlers to eliminate rat populations.

Here are some key characteristics of Rat Terriers that make them well-suited for ratting: