Rat Terriers

Hi Amber. Rat Terriers remind me of Jack Russel's. Very energetic, curious, feisty and can be very stubborn. I use to joke the one I watch is like my children - selective hearing. They have the cat mentality - they need you only on their terms. They are big diggers and have a tendency to only pick up the bad habits (not good habits) of the other dogs I have visiting. He is absolutely not the type of dog that can be off the leash as he is a sprinter and his stubbornness will tell him he is free.. He is a barker. So if you have other dogs that might get anxious from the barking, might not be a good fit. I call my visitor the "party pooper". Whenever the other dogs are playing, he will come in the middle with his barking which looks like he is trying to break up the fun, however, that's his way of saying "i wanna play!".

These breeds are very low maintenance in terms of grooming. They do shed, however, you will tend to notice more shedding in the spring time.

Hope this helps a little. Rosie

Hi,

I have a mixed puppy (10 months) that is predominately rat terrier. He sheds, but not alot (of course my last dog was an american eskimo). He is VERY strong willed. He is a barker, but it is more like "talking." He demands that you engage him. Very big mischief maker. Agree about not letting them off leash. He slipped out of collar today and did laps around the apartment courtyard before he finally got tired enough to remember what "sit" and "stay" meant. However, he is also hilarious. He is always making me laugh and he can be very loving. I think rat terriers really think that life is supposed to be one big party and anything that gets in the way of that is simply not acceptable.

rat terriers shed quite a lot but I have only seen rat terrier puppies.

I'm so glad someone asked about Rat Terriers because I feel like no one knows they exist. I have a rat terrier chihuahua mix. He is very energetic and always needs to be entertained. He is really sweet and has separation anxiety, but can also be very independent--as long as he knows you are near. He's very smart but sometimes only listens when it is to his advantage. He is a huge snuggler. He also barks a LOT. And he digs. He barks out of boredom, he'll whine when he wants something. In other words, he is really good at communicating when he needs something. He does shed but only mildly. He was a bit of a handful as a puppy, but now his main problem is barking. He also loves to run outside and chase things. He thinks he is bigger than he really is. I could go on and on, but that will tell you some things about my experience with rat terriers.

I kept one and I found him to be pretty much perfect. adorable and sweet. I don't remember anything about abnormal shedding. The only amusing thing that I recall is that he would stop to poop as we were crossing busy NYC avenues! I think he did this more than once!

My grandma has an overweight rat terrier that sheds up a storm. She now keeps her couches covered with blankets so the dog can sit on them. She is somewhat bossy to larger dogs, but very sweet to people and children. She's also a picky eater, but that might be a unique trait, not necessarily applicable to all rat terriers.

I once heard a volunteer at a rescue group say that when it comes to dog hair, you have two options: 1- deal with shedding or 2- deal with groomers

both have their benefits and pit falls.

I consider myself somewhat of a Terrier Expert. I have owned trained and bred Min. Schnauzers and Airedales. I grew up with Airedales and Welsh and Irish Terriers. Rat Terriers are in alot of those breeds. I love their energy and they are very vocal. I think the Trick with all Terriers is to train them to want to do what you want them to do. Clicker firm voices yelling etc. never works. I even had someone using a pinch collar on an Airedale. Never works. My experience also includes feisty jack Russels One who was deaf and learned sign language. She was almost put to sleep at the shelter because of her barking. Terriers are not known for shedding. but can use brushing, I also use a detangler spray and gentle wire brush for their hair.

I've cared for a few rat terriers. Like so many breeds, there can be a range of behaviors and temperaments, influenced by training/home rules, canine siblings, and more. The rat terriers I've known have been great small dogs, low maintenance, and friendly.

We have a pure rat terrier. He is a lap dog and very sweet. He gets along well with other dogs but can get a little possessive of toys with other dogs around. He was a little skiddish around our kids until he learned to trust them. He doesn't bark too much, only if there is someone at the door. He is like a gazelle, super fast and can jump really high. Great pet. I highly recommend them.

The breeder said that they were bred to catch rats and that he would actually catch bugs in our house. He doesn't do that at all.