Of the thirty-three breeds of tenacious terriers»most of whom were used to hunt and kill rats, the Toy Rat Terrier was the ratting champ. In fact, the Toy Rat Terrier got its current name for being such a successful ratter.
But before coming into the name, the Toy Rat Terrier»or its ancestor»had an equally well-deserved handle. It was called the Feist, for its feisty, tough character. First, terriers brought over by miners and others emigrating from England to America in the 1800»s included such fine hunters and hunting companions as the White English Terrier, the Smooth Fox Terrier, and the Black and Tan Manchester Terrier. These breeds were used primarily for eliminating rats. As well, some were made sport of as part of the early 1820»s English sport, pit baiting.
For fun (and profit), the men would place terriers in a pit, followed by hundreds of rats which they»d bet on»to guess which dog was feistiest, which would kill the most rats per hour. Later, in 1848, for example, one Toy Manchester owner boasted and then proved his Toy could kill 100 rats per hour for three hours straight. But the miniature Manchester did much more in the Queen»s Hotel Tavern in London that day: it killed 300 rats in 54 minutes and 30 seconds.
Feists kept their reputation as skilled ratters all through the 1800»s and into the 1900»s. In 1901, having a rat infestation problem at the White House prompted»according to Toy Rat Terrier expert and adorer, Linda Hibbard»President Theodore Roosevelt to get some Feists to eliminate the rats. As they were successful, President Roosevelt decreed that they should from then on be called Rat Terriers. And so they were.
Retaining the ferocity of aggression on the hunt, the Rat Terrier also became a beloved companion for Roosevelt and others following the president»s lead. But not just a hunting dog with the speed, agility, and sharp senses it might have gotten from being crossed earlier with Whippets and/or Italian Greyhounds, it became a cherished pet, now also prized for its energy and enthusiasm and willingness to engage in fun and play.
Descended soon after from the 18-inch, 10- to 30-pound full sized Rat Terrier and crosses with Chihuahuas , the diminutive Toy Rat Terrier is now under and up to 8 pounds and 13 inches, and is a wonderful low-maintenance pet. It can tolerate severe extremes in the whether and temperatures, and it loves the outdoors as much as it is amenable indoors.
But keep in mind that besides a lot of affection and attention, which it needs (and deserves), the Toy Rat Terrier is also in need of movement, so brisk outdoor walks 3-4 times a week and a safe enclosed yard are ideal. And with a short, smooth coat (brindle, white and brown, white and black, or mixed), it needs little grooming other than a rubber brushing on occasion.
The Rat Terrier, also fondly nicknamed the person in fur, is also a playful, vigilant, and loyal terrier breed, keeping an eye out for anything amiss and calling to arms with a great watchdog alarm whenever a rat of any kind threatens the family it has bonded to and loves. You will surely be unable to resist loving it back.
