Rat Terrier
A loyal, playful, and eager-to-please companion that is especially good with children. The Rat Terrier is a compact, energetic dog that thrives on daily walks, play sessions, and mental stimulation.
10-13 inches (miniature) or 13-18 inches (standard); 10-25 pounds
12-18 years
Daily walk around the block, several play sessions, and games or tricks for mental exercise
Some may bark a lot (barking rated 3 of 5)
Makes an alert house dog; thin coat and small size make it vulnerable to chilling (cold-weather tolerance rated 1 of 5)
Smooth, hard, short
Very active and playful; needs a daily walk plus several play sessions and mental stimulation (games, tricks)
Temperament
The Rat Terrier is a loyal, energetic companion that is playful and very good with children. The breed is described as happy-go-lucky and eager to please, learning quickly with reward-based training that involves food or games. They make an alert housedog and benefit from a daily walk around the block plus several play sessions to meet their exercise needs. Games and tricks provide the mental stimulation they need. The dog is somewhat reserved with strangers. With other dogs, some rat terriers may be cocky or scrappy, and they are not well suited to households with small pets or rodents. Some individuals may bark a lot. They are easily bored and distracted, so a household that can offer regular interactive play will be a good match. Their thin coat and small size make them vulnerable to chilling in cold weather.
“Makes a loyal and energetic companion.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
Daily needs and attention
The Rat Terrier is a loyal, energetic companion that thrives on daily interaction and play. A walk around the block plus several short play sessions each day will meet its exercise needs. Because the breed is eager to please and learns quickly, brief training games and trick work provide the mental stimulation it needs to stay content. Reward-based methods using food or games work best. The coat is smooth, hard, and short; a once-a-week brush removes dead hair, and shedding is average. Watch portions and limit small snacks, as the breed tends toward a slightly overweight build. The thin coat and small frame make the dog vulnerable to chilling, so limit outdoor time in cold weather. The Rat Terrier is alert and may bark to let you know what it notices. It is very good with children and makes a happy, portable companion for a household that can offer regular, low-key engagement throughout the day.
“A daily walk around the block, coupled with several play sessions, will help meet its exercise needs.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
Health and lifespan
Rat Terriers typically live 12 to 18 years, according to the AKC, while VCA Animal Hospitals cites a range of 12 to 16 years. The breed is compact, standing 10 to 18 inches at the shoulder and weighing 10 to 25 pounds, depending on whether the dog is the miniature or standard variety.
Rat terriers tend to stay in good weight or be slightly overweight. Adult dogs do best on a balanced diet with restricted calories if the dog starts to gain too much weight. Small snacks can cause weight problems in very small dogs.
Puppies of the smallest size are prone to hypoglycemia, a serious condition. Frequent small meals of high protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates may help guard against it.
The breed's thin coat and small size make it vulnerable to chilling, and VCA rates cold-weather tolerance at 1 out of 5. Grooming needs are minimal: the coat is smooth, hard, and short, and brushing once a week removes dead hair. Shedding is average.
“Rat terriers tend to stay in good weight or be slightly overweight.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
Habits and behavior
The Rat Terrier is a loyal, energetic companion. The breed is very good with children and makes an alert housedog. It does best with reward-based training involving food or games, and it is eager to please and learns quickly. It is easily bored and distracted, so games and tricks provide needed mental exercise. A daily walk around the block, coupled with several play sessions, will help meet its exercise needs. The dog is somewhat reserved with strangers. Some may bark a lot. It may be cocky and even scrappy with other dogs, and may not be good with small pets, and is especially ill-advised around rodents. Its thin coat and small size make it vulnerable to chilling, so cold-weather households should plan accordingly. For a working household, the breed's exercise needs are manageable with a daily walk and a few play sessions, but it does benefit from interactive mental stimulation to stay engaged.
“Makes a loyal and energetic companion.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
Housing: apartment, house, yard and crate
The Rat Terrier is a compact, portable companion that suits apartment or house living. Standing 10 to 18 inches tall and weighing 10 to 25 pounds, the breed comes in two size varieties—miniature and standard—making it well suited to smaller spaces. It makes an alert housedog and rates as a moderate lap dog, though it is very active and playful. A working household should plan for a daily walk around the block plus several play sessions to meet its exercise needs. Games and tricks provide the mental exercise the breed requires. A fenced yard is not required, but the dog benefits from regular outdoor time. Its thin coat and small size make it vulnerable to chilling, so in cold weather the dog should stay indoors or be well sheltered. A crate can offer a secure resting spot, and because the Rat Terrier is eager to please and learns quickly, reward-based training with food or games will help it settle into a consistent home routine.
“A daily walk around the block, coupled with several play sessions, will help meet its exercise needs.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
Challenges
The Rat Terrier is an eager, quick learner that thrives on reward-based training with food or games. For a working household, the main considerations are daily engagement and social management. This is a very active and playful dog that needs a daily walk plus several play sessions to meet its exercise needs, and games or tricks provide the mental stimulation it requires. Because it is easily bored and distracted, a long workday without structured enrichment can lead to frustration. Some individuals bark a lot, which may matter in close-quarters housing. The breed is somewhat reserved with strangers and may be cocky or scrappy with other dogs; some may bully smaller dogs at dog parks. The Rat Terrier is especially ill-advised around rodents and may not be good with small pets. Its thin coat and small size make it vulnerable to chilling, so cold-weather households should plan for indoor time. Weight management is a routine concern, as the breed tends toward being slightly overweight, and small snacks can compound the issue.
“Its thin coat and small size makes it vulnerable to chilling.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
The fun part
The Rat Terrier is a happy-go-lucky, playful companion that fits easily into a working household. At 10 to 18 inches and 10 to 25 pounds, this compact dog is genuinely portable, making it a natural lap dog and a willing jogging partner. It is very good with children and eager to please, learning tricks and games quickly. A daily walk around the block plus several play sessions will meet its exercise needs, and games and tricks provide the mental stimulation it thrives on. Reward-based training using food or games works best, and the breed rates well on ease of training. The smooth, short coat means grooming is minimal, brushing once a week to remove dead hair. The dog is alert and energetic, the kind of small, tough American original that has been a farm companion and a White House pet since the early 1900s. For a household that can offer regular play and a few short walks, the Rat Terrier is a lively companion with minimal grooming needs.
“A daily walk around the block, coupled with several play sessions, will help meet its exercise needs.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
Living with kids, cats and other dogs
The Rat Terrier is playful and very good with children, rated five out of five in that category. Its eager-to-please nature and quick learning make it a responsive companion for kids, particularly when training uses food rewards or games.
With other dogs, the picture is more mixed. Some Rat Terriers may be cocky or scrappy, and a few may bully smaller dogs. The breed may not do well in dog parks unless large dogs are segregated from small dogs. If your home already has a dog, a careful, supervised introduction is wise.
Around cats and other small pets, the guidance is direct: the Rat Terrier may not be good with small pets and is especially ill-advised around rodents. This reflects the breed's history as a vermin-control dog. A household with a cat would need to assess the individual dog's temperament before committing.
The breed is somewhat reserved with strangers, which can suit a busy household where not every visitor warrants a full welcome.
“Playful and very good with children.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
What to ask the rescue
Ask the rescue about this dog's daily exercise needs. Rat Terriers are very active and playful, and typically need a daily walk plus several play sessions. Confirm whether this dog has settled into a calmer routine or still requires multiple structured play periods, especially if you work long hours.
Ask about the dog's size variety (miniature at 10 to 13 inches, or standard at 13 to 18 inches) and current weight. The thin coat and small build make the breed vulnerable to chilling, so ask what the rescue recommends for cold-weather care.
Inquire about the dog's history with other animals. Rat Terriers can be cocky or scrappy with other dogs and are especially ill-advised around rodents. If you have cats or small pets, ask specifically how this dog has behaved around them.
Ask about training methods that have worked. The breed does best with reward-based training and can be easily bored or distracted.
Finally, ask about weight management, as the breed tends toward slight overweight.
“A daily walk around the block, coupled with several play sessions, will help meet its exercise needs.”
VCA Animal Hospitals