Rat Terrier

This dog was originally bred in Great Britain, a result of a cross with Smooth Fox Terrier and the Manchester Terrier. Many were used by farmers to kill rats that tended to infest barns, endangering livestock.

Some consider the Rat Terrier hyperactive, others energetic. They do make good watch dogs as they are intelligent, fearless, alert and protective. Most get along fine with children, but do better if they are raised with them from the beginning. They get along well with strangers; but are not overly friendly, as they are prone to territorial posturing. The Rat Terrier is not usually a big barker. Many dogs of this variety are hard to train.

This breed can live in an apartment, and can even be considered an inside dog; but they do love to play outside. They need exercise daily and do best with their own small yard. This working terrier loves to dig and is quite capable of getting under a fence. It is also important to monitor them around water as they are not considered good swimmers.

This dog can be seen in standard, medium and toy sizes; they stand between 8 and 23 inches and weigh between 4 and 35 pounds. The toys fall within the smaller ranges and the standard being the largest. Their coat colors are too numerous to mention in their entirety; although some are seen tri-colored and others are red & white, black & tan and blue & white. This breed is low maintenance, only requiring minimal brushing to remove dead hair.

This dog is one of the healthiest and longest living breeds, with most reaching the age of 15 and many living to reach 18. Females generally have between 5 and 7 pups per litter.