Rat Terrier

Rat Terriers are a long-lived breed, typically reaching 13-18 years, which is exceptional even among small dogs. The realistic limiters are hereditary eye disease (primary lens luxation, PRA), dental disease, and weight-related joint problems rather than early systemic illness. Buying from a breeder who DNA-tests for PLL and PRA and keeping the dog lean with good dental care are the levers that most determine whether you get the upper end of that range.

They can be, with honest effort. Their compact size suits an apartment, but their working-terrier energy and tendency to alert-bark do not suit a passive owner. A Rat Terrier needs 45-60 minutes of daily exercise plus mental work to be a calm housemate; without it, the barking and destructive digging that frustrate apartment neighbors appear quickly. Size makes them apartment-capable; exercise commitment makes them apartment-suitable.

Cautiously, and only with management. Rat Terriers were bred specifically to kill vermin and retain a strong prey drive, so they may chase or harm cats, rabbits, hamsters, and birds — especially unfamiliar ones or small caged pets. A Rat Terrier raised with a specific cat from puppyhood often coexists with that cat, but free-roaming small pets are a genuine risk. Plan separation and supervision rather than assuming the dog will adjust.

Very little — this is one of the lowest-grooming breeds. The short, single coat needs only a 5-minute brush once a week and an occasional bath; it sheds modestly year-round. The two breed-specific care notes most owners miss are that the thin coat offers little cold protection, so a dog coat is needed in winter, and that the compact muzzle makes routine dental care an important ongoing task.

Expect roughly $800-$2,000 for a puppy from a breeder who DNA-tests for primary lens luxation and PRA and screens for patellar luxation and cardiac issues. The hidden recurring cost is dental: this breed's crowded muzzle often needs professional cleanings that run $300-$800 each, sometimes annually, and untreated dental disease shortens an otherwise very long-lived dog and seeds infection that strains the heart and kidneys. Paying more for a health-tested litter removes the breed's worst hereditary eye risks, and emergency surgery for an untested primary lens luxation can itself run $2,000-$4,000 per eye — far more than the price difference between a tested and an untested puppy, which makes the tested litter the cheaper choice over the dog's long life even before counting the avoided pain and blindness.