RAT TERRIERS: BREED Q&A
DOROTHY BAKER
1. Describe the breed in three words. DB: Perfect, working farmdog. SG: Smart, elegant and muscular. LLR: Sturdy, compact and physically fit.
I am in Massachusetts now, but am moving to Tennessee. I am a reptile person who breeds high quality Morphs and I am into hunting with my dogs. I have American Hairless Ter- riers and also Xolos, along with the Rat Terriers. I have over 40 years in breeding and showing in all venues with over 80 titles to credit. I also work in protection sports with my GS and Belgian Malinois. I enjoy showing my dogs and will until I can no longer do it. I am approved to judge Bullmastiffs, which is the breed I started with and did for over 35 years while still having my other breeds at the same time. I also judge Rat Terriers, American Hairless Terriers and Boston Ter- riers. The next breed I will take on is the Xolo. SUE GOLDBERG
2. How do you feel the breed is doing after 3 years in the AKC? DB: The breed is still fairly new to AKC still, but I am hoping over time that the Rat Terriers will get more uniformed. There are still a lot of wrong types being shown and put up. I would suggest to judges to ask the Rat Terrier Club of America for a copy of the PDF for a $5 fee for breed information on correct type. SG: The Rat Terrier breeders are to be congratulated for all they’ve achieved in three short years. The breed has much more consistency in type, is far better in quality and much closer to what the standard describes than when they first were recognized. LLR: I would like to see more consistency in breed type, a common issue in most breeds I believe when they come into AKC. The breed is still “all over the place” and I would hope that the breeders will see value in using dogs bred by others if it will afford an opportunity to improve upon their own stock. 3. What do you feel is the best attribute of the Rat Terriers you see in your ring? DB: Rat Terriers need to be able to move; it is not a walking breed. They should also have substance enough to do what they were bred for. We don’t want tall and spindly. SG: Better balance, better toplines and better heads.
We are snowbirds—living in Warren, New Jersey when it’s warm and Marco Island, Florida when it gets cold. In my other life, I am an executive recruiter, filling senior level assignments for most- ly Fortune 500 corporations. I’ve been involved with Soft Coated Wheaten Ter- riers since 1968, before they were recog- nized. We’ve produced 70 Champions,
three of the breeds Top Producers, a Best in Show bitch that was the #2 Wheaten in the country 2013 and 2014; the #1 male in 2013; and multiple Group and Specialty winners. I began judging in 1995 and am now approved for the Terrier, Sporting and Non-Sporting Groups; BIS; Juniors and provi- sionally for Afghans, Dachshunds and Salukis. LINDA L. REECE
Illustrations courtesy of Kimberly Seegmiller; RTCA President
I live in beautiful Hampton Roads, Virginia. I have several interests outside of my dogs including seeing America through camping, attending classic car shows, antiquing and baking all kinds of goodies that I should not eat! I started in dogs through a 4-H dog project in my home state of Pennsylvania. This experi- ence led me on to AKC Junior Showman-
ship, conformation and obedience. I have shown dogs for 50 years with over 40 of those devoted to breeding and exhibit- ing Smooth Fox Terriers. I started judging in 2000.
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