About Rat Terriers

WY Rat Terriers Rescue

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Are Rat Terriers like Jack Russell Terriers?

Although often mistaken for a Jack Russell Terrier, the Rat Terrier has a different profile and a very different temperament. Rat Terriers are finer of bone and have a more refined head. They always have a short single coat, they are never wire coated. Rat Terriers tend to be less aggressive than Jack Russells; while they have a definite terrier personality they also have an "off switch" and love lounging on the sofa in a lap as much as tearing about the yard. Rat Terriers are normally cheerful dogs but they tend to be more sensitive and at times calmer than Jack Russells to changes in their environment, owner's moods, or to unexpected noises, people, and activities. The "social sensitivity" of Rat Terriers makes them very trainable and easier to live with for the average pet owner. Like most active and intelligent breeds, Rat Terriers tend to be happier when they receive a great deal of mental stimulation and exercise.

History of the Rat Terrier:

The Rat Terrier is an American breed that originated from a mixture of crosses by early immigrants of this country using old time Fox Terriers and other European Terriers common in the 19th century; the Old English White Terrier, Manchester Terrier, Bull Terrier, etc., and later crossed with Beagles, more Smooth Fox Terrier, Toy Fox Terriers, Whippets, Italian Greyhounds and other available Feist breeds.

The genetic diversity of the Rat Terrier is undoubtedly its greatest asset, and is responsible for the overall health, keen intelligence, and soundness of the breed. Most modern breeds were developed from a few founding dogs and then propagated from a closed gene pool. In contrast, the Rat Terrier has benefited from a long history of refinement with regular outcrosses to bring in useful qualities and genetic variability.

Rat Terriers were cherished as loyal and efficient killers of vermin on 20th century American Farms, as well as excellent hunting companions. As a result they were one of the most popular dog types from the 1920s to the 1940s.Today they are considered a rare breed.

A tenacious Terrier of questionable ancestry, named "Skip", was acquired on a trip near the Grand Canyon by our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, and resided there in The White House during Roosevelt’s presidency. The breed's name is attributed to President Roosevelt, coined up in honor of his own Terriers’ who promptly exterminated the many thousands of rats that infested The White House after the demolition of the old Jefferson greenhouses, and during the subsequent construction of additional wings.

Breed standard

SIZE, PROPORTION, AND SUBSTANCE

The Rat Terrier is a sturdy and compact, small to medium sized terrier. [More refined than the JRT] Moderate in size and shape, neither appearing muscle bound nor fine boned and rangy.

HEAD

Fairly long, moderately to well developed cheek muscles. A blunt wedge of moderate length when viewed from frontal and profile. From nose to the stop approximately the same, or slightly shorter as length from the stop to the occiput. Top skull slightly domed, moderately broad and full. Muzzle, Medium long, straight, tapered but not snipy.
NOSE - Black or corresponds with eye, eye rim and coat colorations.

EYES

Filled in; set well apart; medium and slightly prominent. Rounded to slightly almond shaped with an alert, lively but soft gentle expression. Both eyes dark brown to light hazel, corresponding with eye rims and ground color. (Lighter eyes; grey, amber are acceptable in Chocolate or Blue dogs.) Blue, China or Walleyes, disqualified.
JAWS - Strong, hinged far back. Of sufficient length to catch and easily carry game.
LIPS - Clean, tight, and free from flews.
TEETH - Evenly spaced, scissor bite. Level bite is acceptable.
Disqualification: Undershot or overshot bite, wry mouth. (Lost or missing teeth pulled by the veterinarian not penalized.)

EARS

V-shaped. Slightly set off skull. Prick, Semi-prick or buttoned (with a tendency to rise above point of origin), without preference, but both should be uniform. When in motion, ears may be carried folded in a rose position, but must be properly displayed at attention.
Faults: Two different ear carriages, tulip or "flying" ears. Blunt tipped, short round [bat ears, i.e., French Bulldog] or hanging/lop ears are serious faults.

BODY

Well coupled, strong and compact.
NECK - Moderately long, clean and muscular, of medium substance with slight arch at the crest. Well set-on, widening gradually from [base] of the skull, blending into well laid back shoulders.
THROAT - Clean and tight without dewlap or throatiness, other than an allowable slight wrinkle below the angle of the jaw.

SHOULDERS & CHEST

Shoulder blades are long, sloping and well laid back; fitting fairly close at tips conveying freedom of action with activity. Chest; oval, moderately broad with discernable breastbone. Shoulders should not appear loaded nor should be set at too steep of an angle as to limit stride. Brisket reaching down to near level of elbows.

BACK, LOIN and RIBS

Ribs fairly long, well sprung to allow for good expansion; springing gradually to middle of body then tapering to end of ribbed section.
TOPLINE - Back, long to moderately long; straight and practically level; slightly arched over the loins and hipbones, and slightly higher than the wither, with croup sloping gently to base of tail. Tail carried to follow natural line of the body.
BOTTOMLINE - Tuck up should be moderate.

FORELEGS

Muscular Upper arm, straight, placed well under the brisket. Elbows held close and working freely. In profile, pasterns are nearly vertical. Dewclaws preferably removed.
Disqualifications: Short-legs, benched legs or fiddle front.

FEET

(Front and hind) Feet oval, compact, toes well arched and fitting tightly together. Front feet point neither in nor out. Rear feet pointing slightly out to aid in stability when catching cornered prey. Pads deep and tough. Nails hard and strong. Flat feet, hare-feet, splayed toes are faulted.

HINDQUARTERS

Strong and muscular. Long, powerful thighs; well muscled hind legs, hips and thighs. Stifles moderately bent, turning slightly out. Hocks, firm and well let down. Dewclaws faulted. Short-legs are disqualified.

TAIL

"Preferred docked" (full 3/5th to 1-3 inch length), [shorter than Fox or JRT.] Tapered from root; Set medium, following natural line of the croup. Carried slightly elevated horizontal, to almost erect when excited. Tail carried over the back, or too low; or left full or too long, may be penalized, if distracts from the overall natural line of the Terrier when presented in the ring.
Faults: Crooked, knobby, crank, squirrel or ringtails.

COAT

Short, dense, smooth, soft to medium hard with a sheen. Scarring from accidents shall not be penalized. Shown in natural state.
Disqualifications: Absence of coat. Wirehaired, broken-coated, long-coated or longhaired.

COLOR, TRIM and MARKINGS

Hound colors; tri-coloreds and bi-coloreds, predominately white and black with tan or rust trim; white and black, or white and tans, being preferred. Chocolate, red, orange, lemon or blue, "acceptable" with, or without tan trim. Same dark shade of coloration, clearly delineated, exhibited throughout the body, along with approximately 20-90% white markings are preferred in any of the various acceptable patterns, pied to predominately solid with (or without) "Manchester Terrier type" trim. Tan, (cream to rust) points on the cheeks, eyebrows and eye dots are preferred, but equally acceptable without. Tan trim also found on the chest, vent, legs and inside of ears, when not obscured by white markings. Any facial markings are acceptable. White markings are seen with mottled skin and/or various degrees of ticking or speckling. Ticking acceptable, but white should predominate. Sable colorations or shading on the face or body is acceptable, but dark shadings on the foreface (masks) are seriously faulted in any coloration other than black. Any dog whose head and body spots are of different colors, excessively muddy [or ruddy] colorations, rustiness in black or blue coats, washed out pale sable, faded or diluted colorations; fawn, silver, fallow or cream, are penalized. All acceptable colors, with or without tan trim, must have a minimal patch of white on the body, but are preferred to display 20-90% white markings.

VARIETIES

With the body height being measured at the wither/top of the shoulder; dogs shall be shown in two sizes: MINIATURE, "10 inches, up to and including 13 inches" ; and, STANDARD, "over 13 inches up to and including 19 inches". Before 12 months of age, both sizes will compete together. At 12 months of age there is a class division for both Miniature and Standard varieties. Dogs not measuring 10" inches of height at 12 months of age, or measuring over 19" inches are disqualified from the ring.

GAIT

Smooth, lively, covering ground with free easy strides. As speed increases at the trot, legs converge towards the center of the dog. Forelegs should reach out well with the hind legs driving and flexing well at the stifle and hock with a typical jaunty air suggesting agility, speed and power.
Fault: Hackneyed or rolling gait.

TEMPERAMENT

Not being a sparring breed, the Rat Terrier is generally friendly with, or inquisitive of new dogs. Active, alert, always on the move whether hunting or playing, and can be very vociferous with lots of mumbling, growling and snarling. Intensely responsive to owner; loyal, affectionate, faithful and generally friendly towards people, but protective, and yet may be somewhat reserved or aloof towards strangers. Excessive shyness or aggressiveness is undesirable.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

Short-legs, and/or benched legs or fiddle front. Absence of coat, wirehaired, broken-coated, or long coated or longhaired individuals. Absence of minimal patch of white the size of a quarter (approximately 1 square inch) displayed on body, excluding the areas of the head and feet. Single or solid colors; Solid white, or near solid white (excessively white patterned) dogs, not displaying mottled skin and dark nose leather. Albinism, or brindle or merle colorations. Dogs not measuring 10" inches of height at 12 months of age, or those measuring over 19" inches. Wry, undershot or overshot bites. Blue, China or Walleyes, disqualified. Monorchids or Cryptorchids. Cropped ears.