tell me about your Rat Terriers?

[purr]

this is my Patches she was given to me when I was 6mths she was my friend, co conspirator,Nanny and there was never a better dog,she was a farm dog never wore a leash and she passed when I was 11 and it broke my heart

 

[BlacksheepCardigans]

The Jack Russell is really, REALLY fragmented right now. It used to be that there was just a "Jack," but now there's (and this is just registered breeds) the Parson Russell, the Jack Russell, and the Russell. And within those are the shortie Jacks, the Irish Jacks, some people have a go-to-ground strain and others have more of a fox-terrier strain... it's ridiculous, honestly, and everybody kind of realizes that but it's a bit out of control with everybody thinking they have the One And Only breed that Reverend Russell himself would have wanted to own.

I have a JRT cross, mom was a shortie Jack and dad was a dachshund, who came up from rural Tennessee as a rescue. And I mean REALLY rural. He was born in a barn and I brought him and two of his siblings up here to foster when they were eight weeks old. He's the type of dog that I used to know a bunch of when I was a kid. They were always in the horse barns and they were quick to bite, quick to hunt, cussed awful dogs who would come trotting out of a stall, bite you on the leg, casually trot off again. He's got the ratting instinct (and therefore chickening instinct) turned up to eleven, ALWAYS. He's here because he was completely unadoptable because he bites everybody (not biting down - snapping). He'll live out his life here where I can keep an eye on him and because my kids are dog-savvy and don't start running around screaming if he snaps near them. (And just to be clear - yes, we've worked with him for years. He's always going to have an extremely low bite threshold; it's not a training issue.) He is a fantastic small-predator dog but cannot ever be allowed to get inside the chicken fence or coop. He spends hours a day standing at the fence vibrating with excitement every time they move. We have our dog fence built completely around the bird's fence - the birds are like the hole in a donut - and this allows him to pick off the rats or possums without killing the chickens.

My good friend, who also has Cardigans, also has a little terrier as her extra dog. She has a registered Russell Terrier, and he is the most social, lovely, sweet dog in the world. He can rat, he will rat, but he doesn't HAVE TO rat the way my Bramble does. Russells are sort of medium-short; they're supposed to be longer than tall but they're not dwarfed the way the shortie Jacks are.

I also know the AKC Parson Russells, who have been show dogs for a while now, and they have considerably more family-friendly temperaments. They're the longer-legged fox-terrier type and are not as natural as ratters.

 

[patandchickens]

Great pic, purr, love it!

So what do y'all suggest as being appropriate questions to ask about a particular RT/JRT type dog? (Asking now only because we're having this discussion now... like I said, I want to put some time into seeing what's around and talking with people and really don't want to GET a dog til after the worst of the cold weather, which would mean a couple months from now at the absolute earliest.)

I mean, what do you ask to find out which of the many previously-mentioned types a particular dog is likely to be? My experience with horses is that usually there are particular questions/phrasings that you have to use to get *useful* information -- like, asking "is he quiet" will get you nowhere useful whereas "would he make a good games horse" is often more informative LOL)

Basically I want something that will not horrify or make miserable the housecats or children, will do some ratting (mouseing, voleing too) but only recreationally rather than as a full gonzo obsession, will settle down to some reasonable degree when in the house, and will have some interest in being trained. I have known rat-terrier types like this in the past, but am kind of at a loss as to how to find one or whether it is even *likely* to be found.

(I'm not fixated just on this breed type, btw, I am also very open to non-neurotic BCs that can get along with cats or to any type of mutt that would fit our needs; but I know less about rat terriers than about the others. And evidently less about Jack Russells either, from what you all are telling me LOL)

Thanks,

Pat

 

[BlacksheepCardigans]

Are you talking about what to ask a breeder or what to ask a rescue?

In my experience the best rescues at screening dogs - the ones who will put the most effort into understanding the dogs and placing them correctly - are the ones that are affiliated with the national breed clubs and their fosters are typically breeders. They understand the breed, they've screened and placed a lot of dogs and puppies, and they know what kind of owners tend to do well. They also won't place a dog until it's fixed, healthy, and assessed.

Those are also the rescues that cost the most (because they tend to keep the dogs the longest and have the highest costs associated with the dogs) and they're the ones with the most stringent application process. If you're going with a nationally affiliated rescue you should write exactly what you wrote above, in the context of a longer e-mail introducing yourself and your family and telling why you think that breed is a good choice for you.

That's also exactly how you should approach it with a breeder. Introductory e-mail, clear explanation of what you need, and then say "Do you think that XX is the right breed for me? Can you recommend another good breeder for me to talk to if you don't have any puppies expected?"

If you're going to a shelter, much of the assessment is going to be on you. Shelters range from fantastic to awful to genuinely cripplingly hideous in terms of how well they match dogs and people. All too often I've seen shelter workers misidentify breeds, misrepresent temperaments, and do some really stupid stuff. Doesn't mean their dogs aren't worth saving - they are, and in most cases are in much greater danger than the dogs in the national breed rescue - but it means you have to have your eyes open.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Rescue. Thanks for the advice (which I snipped out of the quote)

If you're going to a shelter, much of the assessment is going to be on you.

Oh yes, for sure, I have difficulty believing things that shelter workers tell me because there seems to be SUCH variability in their, um, perspectives and goals

I figure that getting a dog from a shelter is pretty much like buying a horse, you have to go according to what you see yourself and take anyting you're told with a big grain of salt. The same seems to be true to some extent with rescues but it is easier to see what a *rescue's* agenda and habits-of-description are than to see what an individual shelter employee's are.

Thanks,

Pat​

 

[bluebird]

Keep in mind that a really good rescue organization -or breeder- should "always" tell you the absolute worst characteristics of the breed you are researching and should "always" be willing to take the dog/puppy back should it not work out. They should be willing to do several home visits with the dog/puppy and observe how everyone gets along. Yes...terrires are a high energy breed...and if you are a high energy family...then I say go for it. If you tend to be more of couch potatoes then I would look at a less energetic breed.

I myself have an Italian Greyhound, a Chihuahua, and a Miniature Dachshund and they are all very, very good with my birds!

 

[4 the Birds]

Hi Pat,

We have a Rat Terrier at our rescue. She dellivered 5 pups a few months ago and the pups have all been adoped. She was a terrific mom!! (we have had mother dogs in the past that wanted nothing to do with their pups!). I think that Rat Terriers are smart and they can be very active just like the Jack Russel's. We had a JRT this Summer named Moose and he was a ball of energy for sure. He was adopted by a young family as I recall. The Rate Terrier (Elsie) is indifferent to our two house cats when she comes inside to visit. The cats are wary of her since she tends to run around alot. Many people that visit our rescue have questions just like you but we just encourage them to come and visit the dog for awhile. You may want to do the same if you find a local rescue. Many times people come to play with the dog in the yard and even bring their other pets to see how they get along. I think that you will know when you find that special dog.

 

[danischi24]

I have an AHT which is pure rat terrier breeding. She is relaxed & a couch potato until she isn't. Then she goes haring around torturing poor innocent little bugs etc. She's good with birds, cats (unfortunately even though I've tried to train her not to be) & other animals. She needs her exercise or she goes mental but as long as she's out she's happy, even if "out" means being tied to the barn door most of the day.
Getting one from a rescue is perfect cause you can specify that you want a cat friendly one instead of taking your chances with a puppy that might turn out not to be cat friendly.
P.S. http://www.ratbonerescues.com/index.php