Breed library

Rat Terrier

Also known as rat terrier.

Rat Terrier photograph.
Amberina the Rat Terrier.jpg - Jadenschaul. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amberina_the_Rat_Terrier.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0. License: CC BY-SA 4.0.

Breed overview

The Rat Terrier is an American dog breed with a background as a farm dog and hunting companion. They share much ancestry with the small hunting dogs known as feists. Common throughout family farms in the 1920s and 1930s, they are now recognized by the United (UKC) and American Kennel Clubs (AKC) and are considered a rare breed.

  • Breed classification: terrierBreed reference breed group.
  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: United StatesBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • The earliest-known record of a rat-catching dog is that of "Hatch", whose remains were recovered from the Mary Rose, the flagship of Henry VIII, sunk in 1545 and raised in 1982.
  • The Rat Terrier is an American dog breed with a background as a farm dog and hunting companion.
  • Common throughout family farms in the 1920s and 1930s, they are now recognized by the United (UKC) and American Kennel Clubs (AKC) and are considered a rare breed.
  • The AKC recognized the Rat Terrier as a breed on July 1, 2010; however, it allowed them to compete in companion events beginning January 1, 2006 in sanctioned AKC Companion events (Obedience, Agility, Rally).
  • The first Rat Terrier to earn a title under AKC Sanctioning was in Agility on January 14, 2006 in Van Nuys, California by Harpur's Giddy Upp "Gigi" and D.

Size and appearance

The reference describes a smooth, single coat. Two-color and three-color patterns occur, with white included in the pattern. Listed colors include black, tan, chocolate, blue, lemon and apricot.

  • Body mass reference: 4.536 - 11.34 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 10 - 25 lb. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: 25.4 - 45.72 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 10 - 18 in. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Coat texture: smooth
  • Height category: short
  • Height category: medium
  • Weight category: toy
  • Weight category: small
  • Weight category: medium

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

  • Attachment and attention seeking (C-BARQ mean): 2.14 / 4Owner-reported attachment and attention seeking factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Chasing (C-BARQ mean): 2.46 / 4Owner-reported chasing factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Dog-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 1.34 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Dog-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 1.15 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Energy (C-BARQ mean): 1.96 / 4Owner-reported energy factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Excitability (C-BARQ mean): 2.28 / 4Owner-reported excitability factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Familiar-dog aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.69 / 4Owner-reported familiar-dog aggression factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Non-social fear (C-BARQ mean): 1.18 / 4Owner-reported non-social fear factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Owner-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.23 / 4Owner-reported owner-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Separation-related problems (C-BARQ mean): 0.79 / 4Owner-reported separation-related problems factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Stranger-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.84 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Stranger-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 1.21 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Touch sensitivity (C-BARQ mean): 1.29 / 4Owner-reported touch sensitivity factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.
  • Trainability (C-BARQ mean): 2.40 / 4Owner-reported trainability factor mean for US reference population Rat Terrier.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat texture: smooth

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

Add Rat Terrier to a comparison

Breed history

The earliest-known record of a rat-catching dog is that of "Hatch", whose remains were recovered from the Mary Rose, the flagship of Henry VIII, sunk in 1545 and raised in 1982. Hatch is thought to have been a mongrel, and was brought on board to control the rat population. One source claims that during a competition in England, a single terrier killed 2,501 rats over a seven-hour period in a rat-infested barn an average of one rat every ten seconds.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Rat Terrier - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Rat Terrier, revision 1379900974. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rat_Terrier&action=history
  2. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  3. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  4. File:Amberina the Rat Terrier.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Amberina the Rat Terrier.jpg - Jadenschaul. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amberina_the_Rat_Terrier.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
  6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.