Mary Allen
#7 If you are now convinced of the qualities of the four-legged friend, you only have to decide on a size.
The Rat Terrier comes in the toy, miniature, and standard variants. Depending on what you choose, you will either get a small or a medium-sized dog.
#8 The Rat Terrier is very rare in this country and will certainly be confused on the street with one of the more popular tri-colored terriers (e.g. the Jack Russell Terrier).
In its homeland, it is bred in standard and toy sizes, but so far there is only a recognized standard for the larger variant:
Miniature Rat Terriers measure 25-33 cm (10-13 inches) at the withers and weigh no more than 4.5 kilograms.
Standard Rat Terriers measure 33 to 46 cm (10.1 to 18 inches) at the withers and weigh between 4.5 and 11.3 kilograms.
#9 Standard according to AKC
The Rat Terrier's head has a rounded wedge shape. The skull is widest between the ears and the cheeks merge into the muzzle in one line. Viewed from the front, it is relatively narrow.
The eyes are wide apart and oval in shape. A bright look characterizes the terrier. They can be dark brown, hazel or grayish (if the coat is blue), blue eyes are disqualifying faults.
Perky and button ears are acceptable. The lower base should be in line with the corners of the eyes.
The muzzle is very strong and the color of the nose matches the coat color (liver, black, tan, blue, or pink, a two-tone "butterfly" nose is considered a fault).
The neck and head are about the same length and the nape is slightly arched. Overall, the body is slightly longer than it is tall. The ribs are oval when viewed from the front and reach far back so that the belly appears evenly tucked up.
Forelegs occupy half the height at the withers and are well placed under the body. The paws are oval and firm in front, slightly smaller on the hindquarters. The hind legs are set back slightly with straight metatarsals.
Congenital bobtails (bobtails) do occur but are not preferred to long tails. The tail is usually carried in an upright curve over the back.