Rat Terriër

Description

The Rat Terrier is a sturdy and compact, small to medium sized terrier. [More refined than the JRT] Moderate in size and shape, neither appearing muscle bound nor fine boned and rangy.HEAD Fairly long, moderately to well developed cheek muscles. A blunt wedge of moderate length when viewed from frontal and profile. From nose to the stop approximately the same, or slightly shorter as length from the stop to the occiput. Top skull slightly domed, moderately broad and full. Muzzle, Medium long, straight, tapered but not snipy.

NOSE 

- Black or corresponds with eye, eye rim and coat colorations.EYES Filled in; set well apart; medium and slightly prominent. Rounded to slightly almond shaped with an alert, lively but soft gentle expression. Both eyes dark brown to light hazel, corresponding with eye rims and ground color. (Lighter eyes; grey, amber are acceptable in Chocolate or Blue dogs.) Blue, China or Walleyes, disqualified.
JAWS - Strong, hinged far back. Of sufficient length to catch and easily carry game.
LIPS - Clean, tight, and free from flews.
TEETH - Evenly spaced, scissor bite. Level bite is acceptable.
Disqualification: Undershot or overshot bite, wry mouth. (Lost or missing teeth pulled by the veterinarian not penalized. EARS * V-shaped. Slightly set off skull. Prick, Semi-prick or buttoned (with a tendency to rise above point of origin), without preference, but both should be uniform. When in motion, ears may be carried folded in a rose position, but must be properly displayed at attention. Faults: Two different ear carriages, tulip or "flying" ears. Blunt tipped, short round [bat ears, i.e., French Bulldog] or hanging/lop ears are serious faults. BODY Well coupled, strong and compact.
NECK - Moderately long, clean and muscular, of medium substance with slight arch at the crest. Well set-on, widening gradually from [base] of the skull, blending into well laid back shoulders.
THROAT - Clean and tight without dewlap or throatiness, other than an allowable slight wrinkle below the angle of the jaw.

SHOULDERS & CHEST  Shoulder blades are long, sloping and well laid back; fitting fairly close at tips conveying freedom of action with activity. Chest; oval, moderately broad with discernable breastbone. Shoulders should not appear loaded nor should be set at too steep of an angle as to limit stride. Brisket reaching down to near level of elbows.  BACK, LOIN and RIBS  Ribs fairly long, well sprung to allow for good expansion; springing gradually to middle of body then tapering to end of ribbed section.
TOPLINE - Back, long to moderately long; straight and practically level; slightly arched over the loins and hipbones, and slightly higher than the wither, with croup sloping gently to base of tail. Tail carried to follow natural line of the body.
BOTTOMLINE - Tuck up should be moderate.  FORELEGS   Muscular Upper arm, straight, placed well under the brisket. Elbows held close and working freely. In profile, pasterns are nearly vertical. Dewclaws preferably removed.

Disqualifications: Short-legs, benched legs or fiddle front. FEET  Front and hind) Feet oval, compact, toes well arched and fitting tightly together. Front feet point neither in nor out. Rear feet pointing slightly out to aid in stability when catching cornered prey. Pads deep and tough. Nails hard and strong. Flat feet, hare-feet, splayed toes are faulted. HINDQUARTERS  Strong and muscular. Long, powerful thighs; well muscled hind legs, hips and thighs. Stifles moderately bent, turning slightly out. Hocks, firm and well let down. Dewclaws faulted. Short-legs are disqualified.  TAIL  Preferred docked" (full 3/5th to 1-3 inch length), [shorter than Fox or JRT.] Tapered from root; Set medium, following natural line of the croup. Carried slightly elevated horizontal, to almost erect when excited. Tail carried over the back, or too low; or left full or too long, may be penalized, if distracts from the overall natural line of the Terrier when presented in the ring. Faults: Crooked, knobby, crank, squirrel or ringtails.COAT Short, dense, smooth, soft to medium hard with a sheen. Scarring from accidents shall not be penalized. Shown in natural state.
Disqualifications: Absence of coat. Wirehaired, broken-coated, long-coated or longhaired. COLOR, TRIM and MARKINGS Hound colors; tri-coloreds and bi-coloreds, predominately white and black with tan or rust trim; white and black, or white and tans, being preferred. Chocolate, red, orange, lemon or blue, "acceptable" with, or without tan trim. Same dark shade of coloration, clearly delineated, exhibited throughout the body, along with approximately 20-90% white markings are preferred in any of the various acceptable patterns, pied to predominately solid with (or without) "Manchester Terrier type" trim. Tan, (cream to rust) points on the cheeks, eyebrows and eye dots are preferred, but equally acceptable without. Tan trim also found on the chest, vent, legs and inside of ears, when not obscured by white markings. Any facial markings are acceptable. White markings are seen with mottled skin and/or various degrees of ticking or speckling. Ticking acceptable, but white should predominate. Sable colorations or shading on the face or body is acceptable, but dark shadings on the foreface (masks) are seriously faulted in any coloration other than black. Any dog whose head and body spots are of different colors, excessively muddy [or ruddy] colorations, rustiness in black or blue coats, washed out pale sable, faded or diluted colorations; fawn, silver, fallow or cream, are penalized. All acceptable colors, with or without tan trim, must have a minimal patch of white on the body, but are preferred to display 20-90% white markings. VARIETIES  With the body height being measured at the wither/top of the shoulder; dogs shall be shown in two sizes: MINIATURE, "10 inches, up to and including 13 inches" ; and, STANDARD, "over 13 inches up to and including 19 inches". Before 12 months of age, both sizes will compete together. At 12 months of age there is a class division for both Miniature and Standard varieties. Dogs not measuring 10" inches of height at 12 months of age, or measuring over 19" inches are disqualified from the ring.GAIT  Smooth, lively, covering ground with free easy strides. As speed increases at the trot, legs converge towards the center of the dog. Forelegs should reach out well with the hind legs driving and flexing well at the stifle and hock with a typical jaunty air suggesting agility, speed and power.
Fault: Hackneyed or rolling gait.

TEMPERAMENT

  Not being a sparring breed, the Rat Terrier is generally friendly with, or inquisitive of new dogs. Active, alert, always on the move whether hunting or playing, and can be very vociferous with lots of mumbling, growling and snarling. Intensely responsive to owner; loyal, affectionate, faithful and generally friendly towards people, but protective, and yet may be somewhat reserved or aloof towards strangers. Excessive shyness or aggressiveness is undesirable. DISQUALIFICATIONS  Short-legs, and/or benched legs or fiddle front. Absence of coat, wirehaired, broken-coated, or long coated or longhaired individuals. Absence of minimal patch of white the size of a quarter (approximately 1 square inch) displayed on body, excluding the areas of the head and feet. Single or solid colors; Solid white, or near solid white (excessively white patterned) dogs, not displaying mottled skin and dark nose leather. Albinism, or brindle or merle colorations. Dogs not measuring 10" inches of height at 12 months of age, or those measuring over 19" inches. Wry, undershot or overshot bites. Blue, China or Walleyes, disqualified. Monorchids or Cryptorchids. Cropped ears.

Faults*  Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault an d the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note*  Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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