Rat Terrier Breed of Dog:

Origin: The Rat Terrier is an American breed descended from the terriers brought over by English immigrants.



These terriers included crosses between the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Manchester terrier. The rat terrier dog breed was used as rat hunters, and gambling over their skills at this became one of the favorite hobbies of their owners. Some of the rat terriers were crossed with Italian Greyhounds to make them into a breed meant for dog races.



And then they were crossed with the Beagles to be used for hunting purposes. The breed was popularized to a very large extent by President Roosevelt, who frequently hunted with his Rat Terriers.

Appearance: The rat terrier dog breed has a round head with a square muzzle and a small black nose. But one of the features of this breed that is very typical is their bat ears.



The ears can stand erect and can also be folded over. The rat terrier stands at 14 to 23 inches to its withers and can weigh anywhere between 12 to 35 pounds. It has a muscular neck and skinny legs. It can be found in coat colors like chocolate, sable, pearl, red and white, black and tan and red brindle.

Temperament: The Rat Terrier is a highly active, energetic and alert dog. The intelligence of a rat terrier makes it easy to train them. The rat terrier is a terrific hunter with loads of energy. This breed proves to be a very friendly companion. It gets along quite well with the children, other dogs and yes to your surprise, even with cats. Rat terriers enjoy human companionship and try to be a part of most of the activities in which their owners are involved. These dogs are very friendly with the children and are very fond of them. Rat terriers are quite friendly with strangers as well with a few exceptions.

Grooming: It is quite easy to groom rat terrier as it is a smooth coated breed of dog. Brushing it once or twice a week is more than enough to keep it looking good. As it is a highly energetic dog, the need for exercise is there. They are pretty comfortable living in an apartment as long as they get their 30 to 40 minutes of exercise. The rat terrier can be your companion for a jog or a long walk. Even a run around in the yard will do them well and keep their muscles toned.