Are rat terriers considered extra small?

Question

Are they a bit bigger than chihuahua's? I just want to adopt a baby/young rat terrier, and know he'll stay small enough to carry under my arm, and put cute fashionable clothes on, and possible get a cute purse carrier for...lol (really...) I have a larger breed dog also, who is really good with all types of dogs, but a chihuahua (getting maybe 7 lbs) is probaly a bit too small for my 3 yo.

Anyone own one? How small is he/she? Is there something around the home you could describe to me the size of one?

Ok, as for the hamburger thing...LOL, I know rat terriers wiegh more than that:) So 11 lbs or so of dog, should be fine if my daughter is good with our 2 cats and 2 foster cats, and 2 puppies weighing in at that weight also...
Im not asking if it's ok to get a rat terrier because of the age of my daughter...I'm asking how small they are, and what can be resembled to them in the home, so I can get an idea of how small they are....for myself, not because of my daughter. She's fine with all different size animals, I have been thru that with her already. I do foster and rescue, so she has a great understanding on respect for pets, and gentleness.

Answer 1

aww so glad to hear you want to adopt!! There are so many little dogs like that that need homes.

From what I've seen, Rat terriers are not EXTRA small. they are just small. You can probably still dress him/her up (i dress up my 50lb lab mix) but i'm not sure about keeping him with you all the time. they are bigger than chihuahuas though. And also chihuahua's are known NOT to be good with kids, so i'd shy away from that!!!

Answer 2

I agree about the Chihuahua and your son's age. Good for you for thinking safety! A Rat Terrier is much sturdier boned than a Chihuahua, but be wary they are very active. Fun, fun dogs! The standard rat weighs 11-17 pounds and lives 15-17 years. Good luck!

Answer 3

There sure are a lot of them here! > http://search.petfinder.com/search/search.cgi?action=1&pet.Animal=Dog&pet.Breed=rat+terrier&pet.Age=&pet.Size=&pet.Sex=&location=95687&preview=1&scope=0&x=9&y=6
Great little dogs, and so smart! Just put in your own zip code to find the ones nearest you..

The Rat Terrier comes in three different sizes.
Standard: Height 14-23 inches (35-58 cm.)
Standard: Weight 12-35 pounds (5-16 kg.)
Mid-sized: Height 8-14 inches (20-35 cm.)
Mid-sized: Weight 6-8 pounds (3-3 kg.)
Toy-Height: 8 inches (20 cm.)
Toy-Weight: 4-6 pounds (2-3 kg.)
This affectionate dog makes an excellent companion for those who will enjoy an energetic dog. They are good with children, especially if they are raised with them from puppyhood. They are fairly territorial, and for the most part friendly with strangers. Rat Terriers make good watchdogs. These dogs are quick and very playful and are not yappers. The temperament of these dogs is pure terrier. The lively, feisty, fearless nature can be found in the best of terriers. They are eager to please and respond and pick training up faster than most dogs. The Rat terrier is a very well mannered, well rounded dog. They are easy to train and very eager to learn and to please their owner. They love to go with you and to do what you do> http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/ratterrier.htm

Answer 4

Unlike the response above, I've known a few rat terriers, and they actually are quite yappy. There are very few small dogs that are not quite vocal.

Small dogs are not recommended for families with small children. Although the rat terrier is a tough little dog, they can develop fears and can become aggressive. People tend to think aggression in a small dog isn't a big deal, but it can be quite serious. Even little dog bites can be quite serious. A rat terrier is small, but I'd recommend waiting until your child is a bit older before getting a small dog.

Also, carrying dogs around all the time isn't particularly good for them. They need to be allowed to act like dogs, too. Although they are little they are still 100% dog and need to be socialized and trained. A friend of mine who lives in Japan said that so many people carry their dogs around so much that the little dogs often have atrophied muscles in their hips and legs. This can cause them health problems as they get older.

I'm all for doting on pets, and if you'd like a pet you can dress and carry, a rat terrier might be perfect for you when your kids get bigger... but don't overdo it with the carrying on ANY small dog.

Answer 5

A three year old is too young for a small dog. Put it off til your youngster is older.. Pick up a five pound package of hamburger for size of the body comparison. yes too little for a youngster. Get the cute outfits for your baby and wait for a while on the little dog.. because... maybeeeeee your baby would like to pick out his/her own dog.. :)) at a later date.. In the meantime you could take your tot to dog shows that allow you to roam along aisles of different dogs waiting to be shown and let the child get to know the different doggie looks. You can get nice picture books of dogs and help baby learn the name of some of the more spectacular dogs, like spaniel, german shepherd, poodle, dalmation, scottie. They do like to see the different dogs. You wouldn't want to deny your child the fun of picking out his/her own first puppy would you? This would be ideally age 10 if you have a dog already.

Answer 6

rat terriers are similar to Jack Russells with a medium of 12 lbs. they are tenacious and need a lot of exercise. can get snappy with young children, especially if a child gets near their food, gets to rough with them. not a good choice for a child.
farmers keep them in their barns to keep the rat population down and other pest away. They are a working breed and their job is catching, holding and killing rodents!
but you could dress them up, mine won 1st prize in a Halloween Costume contest, but bit my daughter when she tried to take his clown suit off at the 4-H fair.

Answer 7

its the breed