Rat Terrier Breed Information & Characteristics

The Rat Terrier is a breed that has an average risk of becoming obese. Daily walks and a balanced diet of quality dry dog food can help maintain a healthy weight. An active lifestyle and monitoring weight regularly is recommended.

Unfortunately, the Rat Terrier is not hypoallergenic, making it not a good choice for a dog lover who suffers from pet allergies.

Affectionate
Inquisitive
Loving
Alert
Lively

Rat Terrier dogs are heavy shedders, they will lose a significant amount of hair each year. To decrease the amount of shedding, you can regularly brush your Rat Terrier. This will remove loose hair and keep his coat growing in the same direction.

The Rat Terrier dogs are average watchdogs. If they sense something different, this breed will alert their owner.

United States

Terrier, Whippet, Greyhound, Beagle

American Canine Registry
American Kennel Club
America's Pet Registry
Dog Registry of America Inc.
North American Purebred Registry, Inc.
American Canine Association, Inc.
Continental Kennel Club
National Kennel Club
United Kennel Club

1800s

Terrier (AKC:2013 & UKC)

A Rat Terrier can have a litter of 15-18 puppies on average. However, it's worth noting that the size of the litters can vary greatly. Factors that can influence litter size include the health of the mother, breeding history, and genetics.

Rat Terriers are known for their adaptability and versatility, they are capable of adapting well to a wide range of lifestyle changes and living environments. They are a highly adaptable breed, and make great companions for families and individuals of all lifestyles.

The Rat Terrier is generally considered to be healthy. However, like all breeds, they are susceptible to certain health issues and it is important to keep an eye out for them and address them with your veterinarian as needed.

Patellar Luxation
Elbow Dysplasia
Hip Dysplasia

Demodectic Mange
Epilepsy
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
Color Dilution Alopecia
Teeth Issues

Hip
Elbow
X-Rays
Dental Examination
Physical Examination
Skin Evaluation

Rat Terriers are high-energy dogs, thus an active lifestyle suits them well.

Rat Terrier have very high social needs. These needs include regular mental and physical stimulation, a job or purpose, and companionship. They thrive in environments where they have a lot of interaction with humans and other dogs.

The Rat Terrier dog requires a moderate amount of physical activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle. These breeds are ideal for people who have a moderate amount of time to devote to their pet and enjoy regular physical activity themselves. They also make great family pets as they have the energy to keep up with children and the temperament to be great companions.

Rat Terriers are active dogs that don't require as much sleep as other breeds. However, they still need enough sleep to stay healthy.

The Rat Terrier is a breed of dog that is characterized by its minimal drooling, making it an ideal choice for people who dislike drool marks on their clothing.

Rat Terriers tend to bark moderately, they bark when necessary, such as to alert their owner or to communicate something. They may also bark due to certain triggers like fear, alarm, boredom, greeting, separation anxiety and compulsive barking.

These dogs are known for being extremely protective and make excellent guard dogs. They possess a strong instinct to defend their territory and owners and have a high level of vigilance and alertness.

Chase, Sniff, Bark, Trot, Fetch, Tug-of-war, Run, Playing, Chasing, Jumping, Running, Walking, Play, Walk, Play keep away

The Rat Terrier is a breed of dog that does not require extensive grooming.

The Rat Terrier breed is considered very intelligent and easy to train.

This dog breed is more sensitive than others and easily overwhelmed by new surroundings and people. They need gentle handling and a calm, stable home environment with positive reinforcement training.

Rat Terriers are known for being excellent apartment dogs. They are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard.

A Rat Terriers typical characteristics indicate that this breed of dog is an ideal companion for kids and makes them family pets. Their gentle and protective nature and calm mentality make them gel along quickly with the younger humans

Rat Terriers are one of the best dogs for cats. They're accept cats readily as part of the family. However, this dog breed should be trained to not chase after the kitty early on

Rat Terriers are friendly, active and loyal companions. They generally love to be around other dogs, making them a good family pet for some,

Rat Terriers are friendly dogs and won't commonly bark at strangers. However, if you wish to change this, training them is easy. With their intelligence, teaching this breed to do anything is pretty simple.

Rat Terriers have an average level of playfulness. The Rat Terriers, like other dogs, like to play. But they are not the most playful dog breed.

Rat Terrier dogs are usually easy to train, but may require consistency to fully obey commands.