Are Rat Terriers jumping dogs?

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I own a rat terrier and we compete in agility. Lots to say about them...

1. You won't find out much about them on the AKC website. AKC still doesn't recognize them as a breed (they're in the ILP program in the process of being recognized by AKC).

2. They're in the terrier family but really aren't much of a terrier. They were originally a mix of a Manchester Terrier, Black & White Terrier (now extinct). Then American farmers mixed in some beagle (for nose), corgi (for herding ability), and sight hounds (Greyhound, Italian Greyhound, Whippet) for speed and eyesight. Teddy Roosevelt popularized this breed (brought his ratties into the White House and set them on the rat population in the Jefferson's aging greenhouse).

Thus, while they'd dig, they don't dig like most terriers. They don't go to ground like most terriers. And they tend to be more social and focused on people than most terriers. Also, while they'll sound the alarm (ie: good watch dog), they usually don't bark a lot. These dogs are quick, very agile, very tough for their size, athletic but unlike a lot of terriers (especially Manchester Terriers and JRT's) they have an "off" switch. Ratties typically aren't as good at "going to ground" as most terriers (who typically don't mind going into holes after particular vermin). Lots of rat terriers also don't care for water--mine won't go into a pond or beach for instance and again most terriers are fine about water.

3. I don't know what size rattie you have: toy (up to 6-8 pounds), miniature( up to about 14 pounds), standard (up to 28 pounds) or Decker (up to 45 pounds). Rat Terriers are great at tricks. It's rare that the bond with only one person.

4. The poster who talked about "dominating" your rat terrier is, well, that's totally different from my experience and all of the other rat terrier owners I know. Rat Terriers, unlike say a Min Pin, are sensitive dogs (that is the part of them that is kind of un-terrier like). They do much better with positive training methods than negative or harsh approaches. And as long as you use positive methods they're usually easy to train. The toughest part is given the combination of beagle (great nose) and sighthound, they're easily distracted. Case in point: I was running an agility course in my backyard and in the middle of a fulltilt run, my dog stopped and raced 40 feet away where he stopped and looked down. I walked over and there was a dying bee in the mulch. My dog was focusing on me, working hard at agility, running full speed but from his peripheral vision, caught the motion in the mulch of a bee 40 feet away. So Rat Terriers are often easily distracted through sight or smell elements. But in terms of trainability, not only does my guy do agility but I've taught him to jump into my arms while I'm standing, weave between my legs as I walk, crawl, roll over, climb on command onto specific objects (rocking chair, stool), recognize left from right. His favorite activity of all is soccer where he likes to run and juggle a soccer ball on his head so it doesn't touch the ground.

5. Are they "jumping dogs?" Well, my rat terrier measures 15 inches at the whithers/shoulders. He jumped out of a 42 inch ex-pen (without any kind of a runup to get speed). He can jump into my arms (that's about 44-50 inches off the ground). It will vary from dog to dog but generally speaking, ratties are athletic dogs. They like walks, they like playing with another dog (my guy likes to play keep-away and then vault the other dog as it runs).

6. My advice for a great relationship for you and your rat terrier.
--give it exercise. My guy is in good shape and we walk him alot (90 minutes a day) plus agility training or classes, sometimes he jogs with me, plus kicking a soccer ball. Walks, play dates with other dogs, kicking a ball, a class---all are good ways to exercise your rat terrier.
--give him mental stimulation. Start working on tricks right now.
--keep the training positive. These are typically smart dogs who will read your demeanor, learn from experiences. Clicker training works very well with ratties.
--they're also problem solvers. That means if they think their solution is better than your's, then they'll tend to ignore your command. So shaping behavior is important.

Last of all, a rat terrier story from a family I know that got a rat terrier. Husband and wife are on the sofa watching a movie eating popcorn. Rattie looks expectantly like "is some of that popcorn for me?" Humans tell him "no." He looks mournful. They ignore him. So he runs and gets one of the wife's shoe, brings it into the room and begins to shake it. Husband and wife get up to take the shoe away and he goes racing through the house. They finally find the shoe on top of the bed and return to their movie....only to see their rat terrier laying on the sofa eating out of the popcorn bowl. Wife says to husband "that dog is smarter than us." Like I said, they're problem solvers.

 I have to say that I totally agree with the writer about the intelligence and abilities of the rat terrier.
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Living with Ratties!

Image by JKleeman via Flickr

 Here is a snippet I found out in the net about living with two ratties.  As I read it, I was chuckling to myself, as these thoughts have been expressed by anyone who owns rat terriers.  In this snippet, the author can't figure out how to keep the dogs out of the kitchen.  I simply gave that idea up.

Other rattie owners talk about how these lovely little sweeties can be so independent, intelligent, loyal, stubborn, did I say stubborn?  Well, all of those traits are true to the breed, but the best trait of a rat terrier is the love you get in such a compact bundle.

These are not cuddlesome, fluffy puppies.  These are more like caffeine crazed cats in a very small dog body!
They will cuddle--but when they want to.  They will be held--but only when they want it.  They will mind your commands--as long as you ask them to do what they want to do anyway.

Anyway, owning a rat terrier is unlike owning any other type of dog.  I have had mutts, pure breds, and I have to say having a Rat Terrier is my favorite!

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Rat Terriers

I live with two Rat Terriers that are just plain smarter than I am. They have the ability to reason. I have an entry way to my kitchen from the living room and there is no door. When I have guests over to my house for dinner, I would like to keep the dogs out of the kitchen while I am cooking. I have tried various tall dog gates but so far, I haven’t found one that keeps the dogs out of the kitchen. The first one I tried had little holes in it big enough for the dogs to climb up like a ladder. Before I knew what was happening, there they both were in the kitchen! The next one I bought was an accordion style that they just kept knocking down any time they felt like it. I have even tried to crate them but the howling sounds they made would put a banshee to shame. I guess that I will either stop inviting guests for dinner or just explain to my guests that in our house, dog hair is a spice.

Posted on November 11th, 2009

Pictures of my little man!

Rat Terrier ResQ

To One Dog, You May Just Be the World…

Rat Terrier ResQ, Inc. is a national all-volunteer Rat Terrier rescue group committed to saving Rat Terriers in need. These dogs are special loving creatures and, at times, end up with people who don’t understand them. These Rat Terriers may end up in shelters after having been abandoned, neglected or abused. We work to get them safe, loved, and healthy — and then find them the real forever homes they so rightly deserve.
Rat Terrier ResQ takes in the unwanted, the unloved, the untrained, the unmanageable, the underestimated. We watch these dogs as they develop and learn, as they become wanted, loved, trained, manageable and just-right! Please consider giving one of our Wonder Dogs a new life by adopting from ResQ today.
Rat Terrier ResQ has Rat Terriers available for adoption in in foster homes all over the United States. Are you looking for a new Rat Terrier to warm your heart? Read about all of the Rat Terriers we have available for adoption.
Our adoption fees are Adults $150., Puppies (under 6 months of age) $175. and AHTs $200.
If you know of a Rat Terrier in danger of euthanasia, please let us know.

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Can’t adopt but still want to help a dog? Please visit our Sponsor Dogs to choose a dog to help!

This is one of the rescue sites I love to visit.  They have the cutest pictures of ratties!  Now that my little man is getting up in years, I am thinking more and more about another rattie, but with all the foster dog issues right now and Satch's hurt feelings, I think I will have to just keep looking and find ways to support these organizations.  Rat Terriers make the best pets for anyone.  They are loving and loyal and very fun-loving.

Please visit the site below to see if you can help.

Rat Terrier Rescues

Today I want to showcase one of the rat terrier rescue sites I visit regularly.  Here you will find information about ratties, but more importantly, you can view pics of available ratties that are waiting for a "forever home".  Who knows, maybe the dog you need is there just waiting for you.

Seriously, ratties make the best companions and are the most loving pets.  They are energetic, but not annoyingly so; they are loving, but not in a clinging, needy way.  They love to please and are very intelligent, so they learn well.  The only drawback to the breed I have found is that they are very independent and can be stubborn.  This is really not a problem if you learn to handle your rattie correctly.

So, today I want to talk about Ratterrierresq.

Here is an excerpt of one of the available dogs for you to see and think about adopting.

Monty

Sex: Male  •   Located in: Connecticut   •   Age: Adult

*Monty is being fostered in South Windsor.*
My name is Monty, and I am about 2 to 3 years old and weigh 14 pounds. I love to run and play, but my most favorite spot is next to my human. I love stuffies (stuffed toys) but I’m a little hard on them. I am learning about walks on the leash,and am a doggie-door champ, but at first that was a little scary: now I teach everyone else how to use the doggie door when they first get here. My foster mom says I am very handsome (of course), very smart and the best snuggle bunny you have ever met. I love, love, love to sit in my person’s lap, and snuggle with them under the covers at night. I am house trained, don’t really like the crate very much and would prefer to just be loose in the house. When I see a new house, I might forget and try to “mark,” but a stern word is all it takes to remind me. I can jump really high, and the perfect home for me would have a fenced backyard, or someone to walk me a lot. If you are looking for a handsome guy to be the love of your life, look no further! Please see more pictures of Monty!

liamorgan “Feedback lies at the core of effective learning.” Gladwell. #necc09

This dog is okay with:

cats

dogs

kids

Came to rescue on: Apr 15, 2009  •  Permalink to Monty's profile  •  

Back to Basics

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Since I have been having such a time with the new foster dog, I felt I should go back to basics and get out my dog training information.  I originally got information from here.  Although this information was specific to my rattie, I think it will work on Austen, even though he is a little more laid back than Satchmo.

Anyway, I will start his program tomorrow and we will see how he does!

I also think I will get out my information on making foods for these little ones, as my Satchmo is getting older and his stomach is much more sensitive.  Austen, on the other hand, simply is a picky eater.  If you would like a copy of the ebook on canine cuisine, you can get one too.

One of the things I struggle with most in having a rat terrier is that he moves with the speed of sound and is an escape artist.  He and Austen are ganging up on me, as I am out chasing them more than I want to be.
I found a great product and am going to buy one for each of them after the holidays.  It's called Animal GPS Tracking Solutions and with this on each one of them, I won't worry so much because I will be able to find them easily.  After I get one, I'll let you know how it works!