Long Haired Rat Terrier - All You Need To Know

Long Haired Rat Terrier – All You Need To Know

Crossbreeds are very much common among dogs nowadays. You can easily design your dream buddy with the crossbreeding technique. The long-haired Rat Terrier, too, is a dog designed this way.

So, who is this long haired Rat Terrier? He’s called the Ratshih Terrier. These dogs are bred by crossing a Rat Terrier and a Shih Tzu. The long hair and the small size make this mixed dog an adorable puppy.

Let’s find out more details about this awesome dog breed!

Who’s A Long-Haired Rat Terrier?

As mentioned above, the long-haired Rat Terrier, AKA the Ratshih Terrier, is the child of a Rat Terrier and a Shih Tzu. In simple terms, he’s a hybrid dog breed.

Moreover, the appearance of a long haired Rat Terrier is something in the middle between the Rat Terrier and the Shih Tzu.

A Rat Terrier has a short and dense coat, while a Shih Tzu has long, shiny hair with black, brown, cream color, and white mixes. But the hair of the Ratshih has a medium length with colors of both his parents.

They usually grow 8 to 10 inches in height and weigh about 4 to 8 kilograms. The lifespan of the long-haired Rat Terrier is comparatively long. A healthy dog can live up to anywhere from 14 to 17 years.

The temperament of this dog is affectionate and playful, but he’s also energetic and stubborn. Furthermore, he inherits characteristics of a Rat Terrier, like curiosity and alertness.

A Ratshih Terrier is suitable for single people and families with children above 4 or 5 years of age. The best thing is that this doggie’s smaller size makes him one of the best dog breeds for people who live in apartments.

Overall, the long-haired Rat Terrier, AKA the Ratshih Terrier, is a cute puppy who will cheer up your life every day.

Do Long-Haired Rat Terriers Shed?

The simple answer is that the long haired Rat Terrier shed so little. This doggo has a medium-length, dense and shaggy fur coat, and it will easily fool you into thinking that his cost demands so much attention and grooming every so often.

But, to everyone’s surprise, this adorable doggo will make your life much easier because they don’t shed too much.

Also, it’s not that demanding when it comes to grooming. If you brush his hair every day, the long-haired Rat Terrier’s hair will look shinier and lustrous all the time.

So, to answer your question, “do long-haired Rat Terriers shed?” No, they don’t shed much.

How To Care For A Ratshih Terrier?

You might think these designer breeds demand a lot when it comes to taking care of them. But, to be honest, all they need is the same caretaking that any dog requires.

When you’re taking care of a pet, your final aim is to keep them healthy and looking beautiful. It would be best to consider his daily nutrients, exercise, grooming, and bathing needs.

When it comes to his food, no matter what, you should make sure that you give him the food of good quality in the correct quantity.

There are so many dog-food types and brands available in the supermarket. So, make sure you buy the best quality food for the dog.

Moreover, Ratshih Terriers are not picky eaters. They will gobble down any food if you let them. So, be careful that you feed him the right amount of food, including meats and treats, to suffice his daily need for nutrients.

Always go with pet food high in protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients and low on fillers and other unnecessary ingredients. By then, you will cover your pet’s daily food needs.

If you doubt the products, you could always get advice from your veterinarian.

The next thing that comes up on the caretaking plan is his training and exercise routine. The training should be completed when your pet is a puppy.

That is the easiest age to train your dog. The best quality training will ensure that your pet won’t go wild and stay a very obeying puppy.

But it would be best if you did not worry about this. A long haired Rat Terrier is easy to train due to his eagerness to please his owners.

Up next comes the grooming and bathing needs of the Ratshih. Dogs with medium-length hair will need a bath every four to six weeks.

The only exception is to wash your dog if your doggo gets dirty. If not, once a month will be more than enough cleaning for your long-haired Rat Terrier’s hair.

Let’s discuss the grooming needs of your pet in the next section.

What Are The Grooming Needs Of The Long-Haired Rat Terrier? 

Naturally, grooming a medium or long-haired fur coat needs more of your patience than that of a short-haired puppy.

Even though a Ratshih doesn’t need a lot of your attention when grooming his hair, it’s necessary to brush his hair once a week.

Also, when you’re giving him full grooming, I’ll note down the steps for you to follow. You’ll find it easier and time-saving to follow the process if you do it accordingly.

Step 01 – first, run your fingers along with the pet’s fur several times to remove any knots and matted hair.

Then start brushing his hair to smooth it out further. Be patient and take your time in the process. Also, use a soft brush during this step.

Step 02 – work in parts Rather than trying to tackle it all at once. Softly remove the matted hair, and be careful not to hurt your pet.

Step 03 – comb both ways forward and backward, then the old, loose hair will come out. Use your hands and pick them out. Hand-stripping is the best way to groom a long or medium-haired dog.

Step 04 – once you decide you’re done, brush him out until almost no hair gets removed by your comb. Pat him, and you’re done.

I hope you got some valuable insights by reading this article! Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner for more interesting posts about your favorite dog breed.

Author

  • George Brown

    George B. is the founder of the JRO Organization. He believes in creating a better world for domestic animals. He believes domestic animals are more vulnerable than other animals, especially dogs, since they have been used to depending on their owners for generations. So, he started JRO to share his ideas and insights while helping vulnerable dogs worldwide. George runs multiple projects on street dogs in developing countries, especially Sri Lanka.

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