Here are some videos I found showing the agility of these little terriers.  I laughed out loud when I watched these videos.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

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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

These doggies jump, climb and leap

Image via Wikipedia

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LAGUNA WOODS- Linda Samson has trained her dogs to jump, climb and leap through obstacles, all with lots of coaching, love and of course the occasional treat.

Samson, originally from South Africa, has lived in Laguna Woods Village with her husband for just over a year now, and since she retired she has more time to devote to her beloved pastime—dog agility training.

Samson has spent the last six years training two 12-13 pound rat terriers—Lexi, 7, and Surfer Girl, 5. Lexi has won the high honor of "Accomplished Performance Dog" by the U.S. Dog Agility Association (USDAA), and both have competed and won numerous competitions across the country.

Laguna Woods Village resident Linda Samson, with her two rat terriers, Surfer Girl, left, and Lexi. Samson trains the award-winning dogs in many dog agility competitions across the country--but Samson says it's just plain fun.

"I've always wanted to do it," she said of dog agility training. "It's been a lifelong ambition of mine. I've always loved animals and I love training animals."

Dog agility competitions are run by both the American Kennel Club and the USDAA and can offer prizes up to $10,000. In dog agility competition, a dog is led through an obstacle course by a handler, and then given points based on speed, accuracy and the difficulty of the course. At some events, dogs compete in events for a few days, then judges tally points at the end to determine a winner.

"You plan your sequence to get the most number of points," said Samson of some courses where handlers can choose the obstacles.

Samson said she was always interested in dog agility training, and when she found she had the time, she began reading books, watching DVDs and taking coaching lessons.

She said there are a few different kinds of courses and using body language is key to leading the dog through, since they take silent cues from their handler. She said dogs like Lexi and Surfer, because they are small, pay attention to your feet. Although there is a lot of time put into training the dog, Samson said she likes it because it makes her and the dogs happy.

"I find them fun and challenging, too," Samson said of competitions.

Samson has been readying both dogs for the 2009 Cynosports World Games which begins Nov. 11 in Scottsdale, Arizona, one of the largest competitions put on by USDAA. Samson said Lexi will compete in six events and Surfer in three, with some of the best dogs from the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Now that she is retired, Samson said she usually makes it to competitions twice a month.

Samson said it is fun for her and the dogs to train for these events. She said three times a week she attends classes at Jump Start Dog Sports training facility in Yorba Linda, and also rents a field to practice obstacles with the dogs. She also runs and walks with them outside daily. Samson said she prefers the jumping and running in dog agility to dog shows.

"It's so much more fun," Samson said. "Dog shows are just boring."

 In addition to jumping through obstacle courses, Lexi and Surfer also have worked with cancer groups and in hospitals as therapy dogs for patients. They perform tricks for patients to keep their spirits up.

Samson said Surfer loves tricks, as she performs an instant roll on the floor of her home when Samson yells out, "Bang, bang, you're dead." And she said Lexi, the elder of the two, is more focused when on the course.
And what are her secrets to training a dog? Positive reinforcement, said Samson, in addition to treats.

"I mean, you wouldn't work without a salary check would you?" she said.

Read the original article here

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.

The Animal Rescue Site

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The Animal Rescue site is the newest addition to a network of charitable web sites run by CharityUSA.com. CharitiesUSA.com uses the marketing power of the World Wide Web to get corporate sponsors to donate in exchange for advertising. Proceeds generated by the site are used by the North Shore Animal League America and the Fund for Animals "to provide food and care to animals awaiting adoption or living in the animal sanctuaries."
Other CharitiesUSA sites include the Hunger Site and the Rainforest Site.
 
The Animal Rescue Site focuses the power of the Internet on a specific need — providing food for some of the 27 million unwanted animals given to shelters in the U.S. every year. Over 10 million animals are put to death every year in the U.S. alone because they are abandoned and unwanted.

Each click on the purple "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button at The Animal Rescue Site provides food and care for a rescued animal living in a shelter or sanctuary. Funding for food and care is paid by site sponsors and distributed to animals in need at the Fund for Animals' renowned animal sanctuaries (including Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Texas and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in California), pet shelters supported by the Petfinder Foundation , North Shore Animal League , and other worthy animal care facilities supported by the GreaterGood.org foundation.

100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to our charitable partners.
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I signed up for the email reminder and every day I give the site a click.  I will always do this because I believe that there are too many homeless and hungry animals out there.  This is one way I can do more than just feeding the strays in my neighborhood.

I hope you will also click daily and provide food and care to helpless animals all over the world.

If you visit their site, you can also shop online and help third world craftsmen make a living.  I use the site to buy several gifts throughout the year.  The quality is excellent and the cost is reasonable.  All around a win-win situation.

The foster dog Saga continues!

Tomorrow is the day we are taking the little foster dog in to be neutered.  He will get his last shots and then have his procedure done.  After that, I will have done all I can to give him a good life--except adopt him which is looking more and more likely. 

My Satchmo, however, is not pleased.  I spent the entire night last night being the referee between the two dogs.  Satchmo likes to sleep under the bed covers but up by the pillows so his nose is exposed.  This little dog, Austen, usually will sleep at the foot of the bed on top of the covers, but last night he wanted to sleep under the covers and when he could not do that, he wanted to sleep on top of Satchmo.  Guess who didn't exactly agree with the sleeping arrangements?  Yep!  I spent most of the night separating the fighting dogs.  I was not pleased with either one, but I do have to agree with Satchmo that he should not have to give up his spot just  because there is a new dog here.  I cannot quite make Austen see the sense of this, as he very much wants to have his head right up Satchmo's butt.

Anyway, the two will just have to work it out, or one of them will be sleeping in the cage at night.