So you think you want a puppy, and need to find a good breeder?
Well, first I must admit, at this moment in time I do not know of any Rat
Terrier breeders that fit all the qualifications that I think are important when
I recommend a puppy breeder to anyone. That certainly does not mean they
aren't out there - I just haven't met them! What are my
qualifications? Here they are as a simple list:
 | Dogs should not be bred before two years of age. This allows time
for many problems - health, temperament, structure, etc - to express
themselves. Just as importantly it gives the dogs time to grow
up. Babies having babies is never a good idea. |
| Health tests all breeding stock and does their best to make certain they
are producing healthy pups. From what I know, for the RT I would want
to see the following:
 | Patella - luxating patellas are known to occur in the breed. OFA
maintains a verifiable independant Database for this, and I would expect
to see the breeding pair both in their registry. |
| CERF - this is an annual eye examination by a veterinary ophthalmologist
which looks for known inherited defects in the eye. CERF also
maintains a verifiable independent database, and I would expect to see
both parents in it. |
| Health history (of the parents) and knowledge of the lines are just as
important as the above. |
| Be active enough in the breed to stay current on health issues, and
know what other tests need to be done |
|
| Contracts with all puppies stating how they are required to be cared
for, the health guarantee and refund policies, and that the Breeder must be
contacted if the dog ever needs a new home. |
| Be willing (and want to!) take back any pup at any time no matter what the
age, for the life of the dog. |
| The breeder should be a good resource for answering questions about
training, grooming, health, care - anything the new dog owner wants to
know. You (the puppy buyer) should be comfortable calling them for any
reason. |
| Be active in the breed - join breed clubs, mailing lists, etc. This
helps insure they are current on what is happening with the breed now. |
| Know their dogs conform to the standard. Conformation shows &
Championships are a good indication, but knowing the standard, and having
had other knowledgeable breed people go over the dogs is a good
start. |
| Choose the dogs to be bred based on how they compliment each other, with
hopes of having pups that are more correct to the standard, and better
examples of the breed than their parents. There are no perfect
dogs! The breeder should be breeding for a better reason than just
producing puppies. |
| Know the temperament of the dogs. At the very least the dogs should
have the equivalent of the AKC's CGC. Training & trailing in any
sport is highly desirable, and there are plenty the RTs can do.
Agility, Obedience, Flyball - are all competitions that come to mind.
Of course, the sport that most demostrates the instinct the dog was
originally bred for would be Earth Dog trials. |
That should give you a start when looking for a breeder. Rat Terriers
are UKC recognized, but not AKC at this time. Be warned there are A LOT of
different dog registries, and most of the lesser known ones have few if any
requirements for registering a litter. If you want to be certain your pup
is a purebred Rat Terrier, I suggest making sure it is UKC registered.
Here are some more links for ideas on finding a responsible breeder.
Some are written about other breeds, but the basic information is the same for
all breeds:
Finding a
Responsible Breeder - Myths & Facts
Dog Owners Guide to
Finding a Responsible Breeder
Storks don't Bring
Puppies
Getting a
Dog
How
to find a Quality Puppy and a Reputable Breeder
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