Rat Terrier
Terrier Group
AKC RecognizedFamily-friendly
📏 Size
Small
⚖️ Weight
5 - 11 kg
🌍 Origin
USA
🐕 Shedding
Moderate
✂️ Grooming
Every few weeks
Energy Level
high
Exercise: 1–1.5 hrs a day
A guide for a healthy adult. Puppies, older dogs and flat-faced breeds in the heat need less.
Good to know
- Born exterminators: bred to clear farms of vermin, they have a strong prey drive and usually can't resist chasing a cat or squirrel, so keep them leashed outside fenced areas.
- Easy coat: the short, dense coat needs only a weekly brush, with a little more help from a rubber curry brush during seasonal sheds.
- Eager learners: bright and sensitive, they respond quickly to praise and positive training, though some have a stubborn streak.
- Calmer for a terrier: they're among the more laid-back terriers, but still energetic dogs that need daily walks, play and plenty of company.
Getting out with a Rat Terrier
They need daily exercise beyond a stroll: longer trails, games of fetch and time to run at the park.
Explore more breeds in the Terrier group
Browse Terrier Breeds