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It all began with the love of a dog named Henry. You see, this Rat Terrier, to Milton Decker an avid hunting enthusiast, possessed qualities that are seen only once in a lifetime. Henry was a 32-pound male with button ears and exhibited tremendous working and hunting qualities. He was quite intelligent with a wonderful disposition and a superb all round family dog. |
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| Being so taken with this dog, and wanting
to preserve
what they had found, Milton embarked on a journey about the year 1970. He traveled from Oregon to as far away as Texas, Kansas and Mississippi; searching for the largest Rat Terriers he could locate for breeding stock to recreate his ideal of the perfect dog. By breeding the Henry dog to the Rat Terrier stock that he had obtained the Decker strain was on its way to development. Because there was a need for larger dogs at the time, this made way for breeding and retaining the large size. He succeeded in doing this along with fixing in an erect ear set. And so the name Decker "Giant" came into existence. |
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| The dogs that he produced from these lines lived up to all his expectations. Here was a utility dog that was an excellent all round hunter. Vermin, squirrel, bird and upland quail were commonly hunted and they would also retrieve from the water when necessary. These dogs were capable of baying up wild pig and would tree just about anything. They were also skilled in hunting big game like deer, cougar and bear. Some were even used on Jaguar in Central America before they hit the endangered species list. Bow hunters loved them because they were such great scent trailers. The dog would stay within 300 feet of the hunter and have been known to even turn the hunt back. The Rat Terriers natural instincts without training make them valuable to the farmer. They will efficiently and quickly rid a farm of mice with a quick shake, a toss over their shoulder and proceed onward. When presented with many mice to kill at once, what couldn't be put in his mouth to kill was pinned down with his paws until he could get to them. The dogs that he produced from these lines lived up to all his expectations. Here was a utility dog that was an excellent all round hunter. Vermin, squirrel, bird and upland quail were commonly hunted and they would also retrieve from the water when necessary. These dogs were capable of baying up wild pig and would tree just about anything. They were also skilled in hunting big game like deer, cougar and bear. Some were even used on Jaguar in Central America before they hit the endangered species list. Bow hunters loved them because they were such great scent trailers. The dog would stay within 300 feet of the hunter and have been known to even turn the hunt back. The Rat Terriers natural instincts without training make them valuable to the farmer. They will efficiently and quickly rid a farm of mice with a quick shake, a toss over their shoulder and proceed onward. When presented with many mice to kill at once, what couldn't be put in his mouth to kill was pinned down with his paws until he could get to them. | ||
| The Rat Terrier has proven invaluable in states where new laws have
prohibited the use of poison baits or traps. They help to control pocket
gophers and feral pigs on ranches that are plagued with them. Their ability
is not limited to hunting. His quiet demeanor also makes him an excellent
apartment dog. He rates par excellent being unequaled in the sport of Schutzund.
The average weight for females generally ranges from 22-35 lbs. Males 25-40 lbs. Heights range from 16"-19". There are some subtle differences seen within the Decker Lines. They have a somewhat broader type of skull that tends to wedge into the muzzle and square off, and are commonly seen with some face wrinkle. |
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| They possess a very regal and
elegant look regardless of their size. Though their tendencies are not
to bark, when alerted or treeing they voice with a coarse bark. The Decker
dog has the same character as the Rat Terrier but tends to be a tad bit
more aloof and independent. Their average life span is 15 to 16 years.
The most solid attribute that they share exclusively with the Rat Terrier
is an undying will to please their master and a need to be near him. With
this strong willingness to please, the teaching of aggressive behavior
should be avoided at all costs.
Their intelligence is far supreme to most breeds,
holds extremely keen senses and a loyalty that transcends them as a family
dog. The three qualities that are essential to the Rat Terrier breed are
easily seen in the Decker Strain.
Although Milton Decker retired from breeding in 1991, This highly prized strain of Rat Terrier can still be found dispersed throughout the country. |
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