AT HOME WITH THE RAT TERRIER
By Stacy McWilliams
W
hen most people think of Rat Terriers, they see the familiar tableau of the rugged little
farm of rodents, help hunt squirrels and play with the kids. To the turn of the cen- tury farmer, the Rat Terrier was an indis- pensable part of family life. Today, the Rat Terrier remains a favor- ite of rural people everywhere, but it is also an ideal family dog that is just as much at home in the house as on the farm. Th eir size makes them economical to feed and kennel, and their short hair makes them less messy than many shedding breeds. Th ey are among the friendliest of terriers, making them excellent pets for children.
feist going barn to barn with his master, ridding the farm of vermin. A great deal of this vision is true. A hundred years ago, you would be hard pressed to fi nd a farm in America that didn’t have a Rat Terrier. Th ey were the ideal dogs for rural life: a compact, hardy dog that would rid the
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