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Rat Terrier Dog Breed Facts
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Breed: Rat Terrier
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Also Called: Feist
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Height: The Rat Terrier is about 14-23 inches tall for the Standard variety, 8-14 inches tall for the Mid-Size variety, 8 inches tall for the Toy variety.
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Weight: The Rat Terrier weighs between 12-35 lbs. for the Standard variety, 6-8 lbs. for the Mid-Size variety, 4-6 lbs. for the Toy variety.
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Colors: The Rat Terrier can be various color combinations including red and white, tri-spotted, solid red, black & tan, blue & white and red brindle.
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Physical Appearance: The Rat Terrier is a compact muscular dog with strong legs and shoulders but with tiny heads. They are a muscular and active hunting dog. Rat Terriers are born with long or short tails which may be docked shortly after birth.
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Temperament/Personality: The Rat Terrier is a very vocal dog that loves to play. Great with children and the elderly. The Rat Terrier makes a great watchdog.
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Care: The Rat Terrier has a smooth, glossy coat that is easy to groom.
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Health Concerns/Problems: The Rat Terrier dog breed has been known to experience the following health problems: Luxating Patellas, Deafness, Alopecia, Demodectic Mange, and Hypoglycemia.
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Training: The Rat Terrier is an intelligent dog that does extremely well with training.
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Activity: The Rat Terrier are spunky and lively and require lots of exercise.
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Life Span: The Rat Terrier lives an average life of 14-17 years.
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Litter Size: The Rat Terrier has an average litter size of 5-7 puppies per litter.
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Country of Origin: The Rat Terrier originated in the United States.
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Brief History: The Rat Terrier is an American breed. They are descended from the terriers brought over by English miners and other working class immigrants. These terriers probably were crosses between the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Manchester Terrier and the now extinct white English Terrier. These dogs were used as ratters, and gambling on their prowess in killing rats was a favorite hobby of their owners. Some of these dogs were crossed with Whippets or Italian Greyhounds (for speed) and Beagles (for hunting ability). Eventually, these tough little terriers evolved into today?s Rat Terrier. The breed was popularized by President Teddy Roosevelt, who had a Rat Terrier that he hunted often. Hunters still use them as ratters and squirrel dogs, particularly in the South, where they are sometimes known as Feists.
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