TEMPERAMENT:
     He makes an excellent guard, companion, and house dog and is good with children. His ease of training and innate instincts makes the Rats unsurpassed hunters and ratters. They don't really mind getting their feet wet and many enjoy swimming, hiking very content playing with their own toys. He hides nothing being confident around other animals large and small. The Rat is a dog that commands respect but absolutely adores his family. He is eager to please bonding, sociable and sensitive. It is never a yippee type of dog but quick to sound an alarm when he senses something new.
Rat Terriers are enthusiast upon his peoples arrival showering them with kisses, affection, love and loyalty. He is basically pleasant and easy to get along with. At ease at home relaxing with his master doing well with the family, hardy enough to with stand a child's roughest play.
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CHARACTER:
     The Rat Terrier retains his true terrier heritage by being a superb ratter. He is gritty, feisty and tough yet never out of control, quick, alert, agile and fleet. They will make strong eye contact with you, cocking their head trying to understand, willing to do what ever you ask of them. But clowning around, soliciting play and sleeping by their master with one eye open, always ready, is one of their specialties. Although they prefer to not stray far from their master's side, they sometimes enjoy the solitude of their own space. Rats are highly adaptable to a variety of climates and environments, from apartments to farms and from Alaska to Florida. While active outdoors he makes a wonderful house pet, companion and watchdog. Females make excellent mothers, hardy, healthy rugged and clean.
HEAD

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MUZZLE:
     Medium long, muscular cheeks, wedge shaped and blunted, tapered but not snippy. Distance approximately equal to skull. Moderate stop. Fault: to sharp of a stop like seen in the Chihuahua breed or too short of a muzzle.  

STOP:
     Medium, tapered, not sharp.

SKULL: 
     Slightly rounded with moderate width between the ears. Fault: apple or dome head.

Proper head for a Rat Terrier
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Shown below are head styles that should not be seen on a Rat Terrier
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