Rat Terrier Life Span

In order to extend your Rat Terrier's life span, you have to understand and get to know your dog first. What is his personality like? What health problems are connected with this breed? Will he fit in with your lifestyle? Here, you'll find the answers to those questions and more.

My Rat Terrier Sonny by Maria Hausle

As I look down and watch my dog Sonny, the Rat Terrier, pretending to be asleep at my feet, with one paw on my right foot lest I should wander off without him, my heart fills with love and gratitude.

I've never truly understood people who don't enjoy the company of animals. Yes, cleaning their poop and living with a slightly torn up sofa are not favorites of mine either, but looking into the eyes of a beloved pet and seeing pure, unconditional devotion and trust makes all of that so worthwhile.

My Rat Terrier Sonny became a member of the family in February 2005. He was eight weeks old at the time and I could hold him in one hand. His floppy little ears and white sock-like markings warmed my heart but the furrowed brow and pleading brown eyes simply did me in. I wasn't particularly fond of the name (the breeder had named him Sonny) having leaned toward more exotic Russian names for my two cats, Sasha and Boris. I ruminated over Ivan the Terrier which gave me a giggle or Misha which I'd always loved or even Illya like "The Man From Uncle". My bubble was burst by my husband who absolutely loved the name Sonny, not because he's half Irish (Sonny Boy and all that), but because of James Caan's character in "The Godfather". There was no dissuading him but then, after all, I had named my cats. I've gotten over my aversion to the name, but I still entertain the fear that if we ever get a female Rat Terrier, we'll have to name her Cher.

Sonny and I go for a walk every day. Well%u2026actually, it's more like a drag; he drags me out the door and down the street and five minutes later, after his morning ablutions (to put it elegantly), I'm dragging him down the street because he wants to go home. Although born in East Tennessee, he can't stand the heat and humidity that constitute our spring, summer and fall seasons. I'm positive he would like nothing more than to be "The Dog in the Air-Conditioned Bubble". I carry water for him and stop every few minutes so he can take a few laps and look at me with disdain. He stops at every semblance of shade and looks at me as if I'm mad. With constant coaxing, cajoling and offering bits of dog treats (he's on a diet so one treat becomes 4-6) I finally get him to stay outside for about 45 minutes; not great considering we only go about four blocks! However, we both need the attempt at exercise no matter how feeble it may be.

It's time to go to bed now and Sonny is now nuzzling my ankle because he knows it's bed biscuit time. Sometimes I'd swear he'd go to his crate at noon if he thought he'd get his bed biscuit. We started giving him a little biscuit in order to train him to go to bed. It was the only time of day he'd get that biscuit and boy would he scamper upstairs when the word "bed" was mentioned. Now, he gets only half a biscuit but he still loves bedtime. As I look down at his "worried" little face with the furrowed brows and the pleading brown eyes I still see that puppy that burrowed into my heart two and half years ago and I fall in love with him all over again.

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Dog Weight Problems - Is Your Dog Exercising Enough?
By Maria Hausle

Everyone knows that a dog, like a human, needs exercise to avoid weight problems but how much exercise is enough? We really must take into consideration the dog's breed and size as well as the dog's age and possible limitations. So, let's go over a few important points in order to set up a proper exercise regimen for our best friend.

We need to take a look at the dog's breed first. Over time, dogs have been bred for many different purposes; to work, to hunt, to race, for show, etc. If a dog's natural instincts tell it to chase after anything that moves he will probably be more active than one that has been bred to sit on one's lap looking beautiful. If it's in a dog's nature to pull or carry loads for its master, how happy and how fit will the dog be if he's lying on a sofa all day? Working and hunting dogs need to feel worthwhile and like to be kept busy by their owners. If you own one of these breeds, you must put extra effort into maintaining a high level of activity for them or they will develop behavioral and/or dog weight problems.

Now, let's take a look at your dog's size. Large dogs are incapable of getting the exercise they need by running around the house unless they have access to a large yard where they can run and play. Just because they lie on the floor doesn't mean they're tired and would rather not go for a brisk walk. However, even if you have a large yard, your dog will still need walks and play time because, to him, the yard simply becomes a larger room and he'll eventually get bored. Small dogs, on the other hand, can keep themselves quite active indoors. If your dog interacts with other pets in the house, runs, jumps and has rigorous sessions with his toys, he may be getting sufficient exercise along with his daily walks to keep him healthy and happy.

If you have a young dog or puppy in your home, you shouldn't have much trouble getting him out of the house and walking. However, if your dog is getting on in years, you should gently encourage him to go for daily walks which will help to keep him agile. Don't force him into strenuous exercise that could harm him, however. A walk doesn't have to turn into a marathon or an uphill hike in the mid-summer sun.

Part 2 is continued below...

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My Rat Terrier Sonny and Our Visit to the Vet
by Maria Hausle

In preparation for the odyssey that we'll be enduring at the end of this month, Sonny and I decided to visit the vet (or as my addled, middle-aged mind referred to her, the ventriloquist - don't ask). You see, almost every year, we drive up to Buffalo and Toronto from Knoxville, TN, two whole times; first in the spring/summer and then in November. Not only do we get a chance to see our friends and family but we also get away from our rut even if it's only for a week. Usually, while we're away, our neighbor checks in on Boris (the cat) at least once a day to make sure he has everything he needs, clean his litter (what an angel she is) and play with him a while. Sonny, on the other hand has had to be boarded - something Rat Terriers abhor! He's always lost a little too much weight and had mild behavior problems for a while afterwards so we really didn't like doing it but what could we do? This year, however, my husband decided that we should take him with us... to Buffalo... in the car... with us... in the car... for eleven or twelve hours... in the car! Not a problem, you say. However, Sonny gets car sick (like Mummy, like Puppy) and, therefore is really quite afraid of the car. Ergo, our trip to the vet for some fantastic knock-out pills (my hope).

I had decided to change veterinarians as our other one had already claimed our arm, leg and first born for the very few times we'd actually gone to see her. After talking to the neighbors and discovering that I was the only one stupid enough to still go there, I took their cue and made an appointment at the new place. I got an appointment right away for 3:30 pm but I was supposed to be there at 3:00 pm to fill out the obligatory paperwork. Excellent.

Part 2 is continued below...

Just as in humans, age slows down a dog's metabolism. Therefore you should continue his daily exercise which will help to control any weight gain (see Dog Weight Problems for good information on this topic) which, in turn, may help to reduce the severity of joint disease.

Obviously, there are situations that are not conducive to lots of physical activity such as illness or pregnancy. If your dog is ill, a few days' rest will probably do him more good than a forced walk. Pregnant females should never be pushed into strenuous activity and should be allowed to rest for a couple of hours after meals.

So what if you aren't able to go for long walks? Don't worry. Your dog will benefit (and so will you) from shorter, more frequent walks and also from playing fetch, tugging on a rope toy and even playing (or trying to destroy) a special stuffed toy that you give him. Just remember that if you give your dog chew toys like rawhide strips or pig ears which can occupy him physically and mentally for long periods of time, too many may create unwanted weight problems. Another thing you can do is find out where the dog parks are in your area because your dog will truly benefit from running and exploring without being hampered by a leash and you'll probably find areas where you can sit and watch him. If you have neighbors with dogs that are approximately the same size, you can set up play dates so they can run, wrestle and simply socialize.

Keep in mind that their hearts, muscles and circulatory systems need strengthening just like our own and because of this, activity is the key. However, your best friend would much rather drop in his tracks than let you down so make sure he's not over-heating (carry some water for him if you go out on very hot days) and that he's not overly tired. And, of course, if you are planning to make a big change in your dog's exercise regimen, please make sure to check with your veterinarian first.

My name is Maria Hausle. I'm a true animal lover with a dog and a cat that run my life and I'm serious about making their lives better.

Rat Terrier Life Span

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The day arrived and since the office was only about7 minutes away from my house, I decided, quite foolishly as it turned out, that I should leave around 2:45 pm. I, of course, hadn't counted on Sonny refusing to go. With the car door opened, I let Sonny do his business to avoid any accidents and then led him, naively, to the door expecting him to jump up and into the car happily and elegantly. Instead, he looked at me as though I'd sprouted antlers, cocked his head to the left and promptly sat down on the driveway. Reminded of old cartoons involving stubborn mules, I tugged slightly on his leash and pointed inside the car. He, in turn, decided he'd rather visit Ziggy, his dog-friend from next door. Pulling him back to the car, I tried gesturing frantically in the direction of the car dog with little examples of how he should jump up and into the car. Obviously amused by my antics, he decided to sit and watch me. Realizing that I would have to pick him up and that he weighed a ton, I started reaching for him losing my sunglasses, his vaccination papers, the lovely little bag of doggie-do that I was asked to bring and my purse when he bolted away from me. The next few minutes could have been a scene from a Harold Lloyd film with me bending to pick him up, dropping something and Sonny slipping out of my grasp, over and over again. I finally threw everything inside the car and grabbed him. It took all my strength to get him in the car and attach his harness to the seatbelt but I did it.

Of course, by this time, I looked like I'd fallen into a well and clawed my way out. I was drenched due to the fact that temperatures have been hovering around the 90 degree mark and, truthfully, I'm at that time of my life when outside temperatures don't really factor into how hot I feel. I got in the car and tried to drown out the whining and whelping with soothing sounds of encouragement. Afraid that he might decide to give me back his breakfast at an inopportune time, I decided to drive slowly and take the curves with great care. The inside of the car could have roasted a turkey in record time so I put the air on full blast. The sound didn't appease Sonny in the least so I turned on the radio (I like to think he appreciates the Oldies) and started singing "Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce to him which confused him enough to stop his complaints.

At long last, we arrived at the pet clinic and Sonny dove out of the car like the best diver in Acapulco. Bustling through the door disheveled, sweaty and with a hyperactive dog, I looked at my watch and was horrified to see that it was 3:42 pm. I couldn't stop myself from fantasizing about how much I'd enjoy strangling the nice lady at the counter if she told me I'd lost my appointment. In fact, I'm quite sure that my eye started twitching like Inspector Dreyfus in the Pink Panther movies. But, instead, I was asked to wait and fill out their forms. Now how does one fill out forms when you're trying to juggle a purse, vaccination papers, dog poop, oh yes and a dog that has now completely lost his mind? Couldn't they empty the place out for us? Dogs of all breeds, cats and even two parrots were apparently taunting Sonny into becoming a lunatic. A staff member even came out and gave Sonny a treat, to try and calm him down, which he promptly spit out (first time in history that this dog has spit anything out). I finally handed in my illegible forms and asked about the dog obedience training that one neighbor had mentioned. As it happened, the trainer was walking towards me and when she was introduced to us, I swear I saw a flicker of horror in her eyes. She started telling me about the classes and out of the corner of my eye I could see the veterinary assistant waiting to take us into the examination room. So now, apart from juggling the purse, the papers, the poop and the dog, I was now juggling the trainer and the assistant too. I'm not really sure what the trainer told me but I've got a card and it says I'm supposed to call her so I suppose I will.

Once in the examination room, things went a little smoother as I was able to dump my paraphernalia and hand Sonny over to professionals. He screamed so loud when he got his shots, though, that the vet actually jumped a bit but that calmed him down and he came over for a reassuring hug. He's in good health, which I knew but then we went to get him weighed. Last year, he weighed in at 29 lbs. which was 7 lbs. overweight. I've been cutting down on his treats, giving him lean or low calorie dog food and trying to take him on more walks so I was confident he'd lost a pound or two. When I looked at the scale and saw that he weighed 35 lbs. I almost burst out crying. I know the serious effects that dog weight problems can have on the health of a dog. My guilt was now complete. Even if she had pointed a finger at me and said, "Bad mistress, bad, bad mistress", she could not have made me feel worse.

Although the assistant had mentioned a mild sedative for Sonny for the long car drive (some of which I could have used at that time), the vet told me that all I should give him was Dramamine which I just happened to have in my purse. I shouldn't give him more than 50 grams at one time but he can have up to 150 grams in one day. The only thing is the ones in my purse are the non-drowsy formula so I'll be picking up the "can't stay awake no matter how I try" version for him this week.

The drive home was much less eventful. Sonny probably sensed my contrition and decided not to make me feel worse. We drove home listening to the Oldies (we actually heard Me & You and a Dog Named Boo) and when I opened the front door to the house, I think he would have kissed Boris if Boris had let him. He's happy now because he thinks the worst is past; little does he know there's a long, long drive ahead of him and another on the way back. I know he'll survive it; I'm just not so sure I will.

When bacteria get into the urethra or the bladder, a urinary tract infection, or UTI, can develop. The urethra is the tube that transports the urine from the bladder to the outside of the body where it is expelled. A urinary infection can be very uncomfortable and may make urinating very painful. Canine urinary infections and symptoms are rather easy to spot, and if it is caught in the early stages a veterinarian can run a simple test to make sure it is a UTI. If the test is positive, the vet can treat the urinary infection as long as it is in the early stages. However, if a urinary infection is left untreated for too long, it can be life threatening to the dog.

What Are The Symptoms Of Canine Urinary Infections?

When you look for canine urinary infections and symptoms, there are a few specific things that you should note:

Frequent urination (usually in strange or unusual places)

Straining or difficult urination (dog may whine or yelp while trying to urinate)

Frequent urination without passing much urine * Blood in the urine * Cloudy urine

Constantly licking genitals

Urine that is very foul smelling

A seeming inability to control urination

The lower abdomen is tender (near the area of the bladder)

Fever

Lethargy or not as playful

What Are The Treatments For Canine Urinary Infections?

Depending on the actual cause of the infection, antibiotics may be prescribed to treat the dog's urinary infection. This method can work rather quickly to alleviate the dog's symptoms and give it some comfort. The downside to this is that antibiotics can cause an overall weakening of the entire immune system and this can lead to other problems as it opens the dog up for additional illnesses. This is particularly true if the dog has recurring infections where antibiotics are prescribed on a regular basis. There are also some herbal and homeopathic treatments that are on the market and are intended to treat the symptoms as well as the causes of canine urinary infections.

How Can Canine Urinary Infections Be Prevented?

Do not allow your dog to become dehydrated and make sure that he or she always has access to clean, fresh water. Keep the water bowl clean and keep the water clean. Give your dog a place to urinate whenever he or she needs to go. "Holding it" for too long can lead to urinary infections and bladder problems, just as in humans. You can also make sure that your dog has a balanced diet that has plenty of raw and unprocessed foods. Keep your dog away from toxins and chemicals that may cause problems, even second hand cigarette smoke can be injurious. Keep your dog's diet balanced and make sure that he or she gets plenty of exercise every day (find excellent suggestions in this area and combat another serious problem at Dog Weight Problems). Finally, reduce the stress that may occur in your pet's environment. Give him or her a place to relax and unwind. Once you are able to recognize canine urinary infections and symptoms, you can effectively treat it and keep your dog healthy and happy.

My name is Maria Hausle. I'm a true animal lover with a dog and a cat that run my life and I'm serious about making their lives better.

Rat Terrier Life Span

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Rat Terrier Dogs
By Chris Suckow

The Rat Terrier dog is an energetic spunky dog which makes it a great watchdog and family companion. Another characteristic is that Rat Terrier dogs get along well with other pets too.

The Rat Terrier dog was named by President Teddy Roosevelt. They were developed in Great Britain from a cross between Smooth Fox Terriers and the Manchester Terriers of the 1800's. They were brought to America around 1900, and they quickly spread in popularity. In America, breeders crossed this breed again with the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Beagle to retain hunting instincts. It was also crossed with Whippets for their speed, agility, and the blue and brindle color coats.

Rat Terrier dogs are available in many colors. The most common colors are red and white, tri-spotted, solid red, and black and tan. They have a very short hair coat which is easy to groom and this breed does not tend to shed a lot. Brushing does not need to be done on a regular basis, a couple of times a month should do. Baths are also not required too frequently, a couple of times a year should suffice.

The Rat Terrier dog is a small dog standing between 14 and 24 inches and weighing 12 to 35 pounds. Although small this dog does display the toughness of most other Terrier breeds. Untrained they can be destructive and aggressive, but with proper socializing as a young dog, you can easily have a great companion.

Rat Terrier dogs can be a good choice if you live in a small house or apartment. But be sure to give them enough stimulation otherwise they can develop destructive habits if not given the proper outlet for their aggression.

Rat Terrier dogs make great companions and are an excellent choice if you are looking for a dog. With their energy levels and spunkiness they are a welcome addition to any family.

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