A Comparison of the Rat Terrier and the Toy Fox Terrier
Kathy Lorentzen
In my capacity as Judges Education Coordinator, I have the opportunity to speak with many judges about what they are seeing in their rings; and frequently the discussion comes around to Rat Terriers and the great diversity that exists in the breed. Judges are often confused as to what constitutes correct breed type in that breed, and many seem to think that Rat Terriers are just a bigger, more robust version of the Toy Fox Terrier.
Plans are underway for an in-depth presentation on Rat Terriers at the UKC Judges Education Seminar in Vancouver, Washington in May. Quite a number of breeders will attend that seminar with dogs, and the weekend should present a great learning experience for the judges in that breed. For those of you not able to attend, here is a look at the Rat Terrier and the Toy Fox Terrier, with an explanation of where the breeds are similar and where they are distinctly different. I hope that this will give those of you who judge the Rat Terrier breed a helpful guideline for prioritizing qualities and making decisions based upon the presence of correct breed characteristics.
History
The Toy Fox Terrier was developed mainly by using small-sized offspring that appeared in litters of Smooth Fox Terriers. Unquestionably, there was some infusion of both Chihuahua and Manchester blood as well. The TFT has been registered as a separate breed by the UKC since 1936. It is a well-established breed that shows much consistency and uniformity in type.
The Rat Terrier was created from crosses of the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Manchester and the now extinct white English Terrier, with some small sighthound blood added (for speed), and some Beagle (for hunting ability). Rat Terriers have only recently been recognized by UKC (in 1999). Prior to that recognition, there apparently were fairly recent mixes of Toy Fox Terrier, Smooth Fox Terrier and Manchester Terrier into the Rat Terrier gene pool, which explains why, after only eight years of UKC recognition, characteristics from those breeds still appear in the Rat Terrier population. This diversity sometimes makes judging the breed a daunting task. It is important for judges to understand what constitutes proper breed type in the Rat Terrier and judge accordingly.
 Figure 1 - TFT correct outline
General Outline and Size
The Toy Fox Terrier is a square breed with a straight topline that is level from withers to the set on of the tail. The Rat Terrier is slightly longer than tall, in a ratio of 10:9, and the back is level from withers to loin, which is slightly arched due to strong musculature. The croup of the Rat Terrier slopes slightly to the set on of the tail.
These differences, along with the requirement that the Rat Terrier must have a long, sloping upper arm that is well laid back under the body, create distinctly different silhouettes for the two breeds. Figure 1 shows the TFT with its straight topline and high set tail, while Figure 2 shows the Rat Terrier with its arched loin, gently sloping croup and well-angulated front assembly.
The TFT tail must be docked, while the Rat may have a docked tail, a natural bobtail or a natural full-length tail.
The correct size of a TFT is determined by its weight. After six months of age, a TFT must weigh between three and one-half, up to and including, seven pounds. There is no height measurement for Toy Fox Terriers. Size in the Rat Terrier is determined by height. The breed is divided into two varieties, Miniature and Standard. The Miniatures are not to exceed 13 inches at the withers, while the Standards are over 13 inches but not exceeding 18 inches. Incorrect weight in the TFT is a disqualifying fault. In the Rat Terrier, dogs measuring over 19 inches are to be faulted, but there is no disqualification for size.
 Figure 2 - Rat Terrier correct outline
Color
Rat Terriers come in a variety of colors and color patterns, or they may be solid white. Their color can be anywhere on the dog, as long as there is white somewhere, and in some colors the dogs have self-colored noses and eye rims. The Toy Fox Terrier may not be solid white, though the body must be predominantly (more than 50%) white, and the head must not be predominately white. There should be no color below the wrist or hock joints. All colors of the TFT must have black noses and eye rims.
Head Details
During the process of working on the Rat Terrier presentation for the upcoming judge’s seminar, I have learned a great deal about the subtle, yet distinct, differences that should exist between the heads of the Rat and the TFT. While there are similarities in the head types of the two breeds, the differences are such that which breed you are looking at should be apparent by looking no further than the heads.
The Toy Fox Terrier is considered a ‘head breed’, which means that to be a TFT of correct breed type, the dog must have a characteristic head. The Rat Terrier is not considered a head breed; instead, the features of its head are determined by suitability to work.
 Figure 3 - TFT head
The TFT has a pointed, erect ear that is placed well up on the skull. Rat Terrier ears are V-shaped and placed at the outside edges of the skull, and may be erect, tipped or button. Both breeds have wedge shaped heads, but in comparison the Rat Terrier wedge is more blunted in shape due to a wider, deeper, less tapering muzzle. Viewed from the front, the Rat Terrier has more development of cheek muscles than the TFT, which should be flat in cheek. Viewed in profile, the Rat has a more marked stop, with the stop in the TFT being somewhat sloping.
Both breed standards call for round eyes, but in truth, the eyes of the two breeds are quite different. The TFT eye is globular, forward placed and somewhat prominent. In comparison, the Rat eye is smaller, less prominent and placed more obliquely in the skull. The round eyes of the TFT will appear larger and more prominent that those of the Rat Terrier when you are looking at the two breeds from the front.
Figure 3 shows a correct TFT head with outstanding ears and eyes. Figure 4 shows a proper Rat Terrier head with the right amount of cheek muscling and fill of foreface and correct size, shaped and placed eyes and ears.
 Figure 4 - Rat Terrier head
Movement
The TFT standard calls for a well laid back shoulder blade but is silent on the subject of the length and placement of the upper arm. Due to its heritage (the Smooth Fox Terrier), the TFT tends to have a somewhat more vertically placed upper arm than the Rat Terrier, whose standard specifically calls for the upper arm to be long and sloping. These two sorts of front assemblies produce a different trotting style. The TFT trot is a little shorter in stride and has more lift than the Rat Terrier trot, which should be long, smooth and effortless. The TFT is also more likely to move with the legs in a parallel plane than the Rat Terrier, which should converge towards a center line of gravity.
In Conclusion
The differences pointed out here are enough to show that the Rat Terrier should never look like an oversized Toy Fox Terrier. Rats are a distinctive breed, with subtle characteristics that they have inherited from a variety of breeds in their ancestry, all of which have come together to produce the strong, capable working dog known in the modern world as the Rat Terrier.
Correspondence is invited at vincefan@centurytel.net.
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