Rat Terrier Golden Retriever Mix (Rat-Triever) – Hybrid Dog Breed Info

I bet you have heard of Golden Retrievers, also Rat Terriers, but have you ever heard of Rat-Trievers the result of Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever mix?

Well, if you haven’t, you should give this article a read, especially if you are someone fond of hybrid dogs. This article will help you learn many things about yet another wonderful mixed dog breed.

Rat-Triever is the mixed breed of Rat Terriers and Golden Retrievers. As a combination of two vastly different yet outstanding dog breeds, Rat-Trievers end up as unique dogs. Due to the differences between parent breeds, it is hard to predict the exact appearance or the temperament of a Rat-Triever. However, they can collectively get those characteristics, and overall, Rat-Trievers are affectionate, intelligent, loyal, and friendly family dogs.

Dogs have unique looks and personalities. Hybrid dogs get that extra sprinkle of uniqueness as they inherit genes from two separate dog breeds.

Every dog owner should have a sound knowledge of their dog’s breed. Dogs spontaneously get along well with humans, but as their owners, you must fulfill a fair amount of duties to raise a dog well.

If you own a Rat-Triever or if you are looking forward to having a hybrid dog, feel free to read this.

Fast Facts of Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever Mix (Rat-Triever)

Origin of Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever mix

Both Rat Terriers and Golden Retrievers are extremely popular dogs, and they both own quite a long history.

There isn’t much information regarding the origins of their mixed version, which makes it hard to trace their roots precisely. However, observing the origins of parent breeds will help us understand Rat-Trievers’ origins.

Rat Terrier is a hunting dog breed specifically developed to hunt rats on farms in the early 1900s in the United States.

On the other hand, Golden Retrievers also were developed as hunting dogs during the 1800s in Scotland. Nonetheless, both breeds nowadays have become demanding family pets, especially Golden Retrievers.

Their hybrid dog Rat-Trievers are not the most common type of mixed dog you will meet. Yet they have become somewhat popular in recent years.

The appearance of Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever mix

I don’t have to stress how adorable Golden Retrievers are; same with Rat Terriers. Their mixed version also gets lovable and unique looks from their parents.

Hybrid dogs sometimes get more physical features from one parent over the other; sometimes, they are the perfect blend of both. So below, you can find how a Rat-Triever would typically look alike.

Rat Terriers are small-made dogs, whereas Golden Retrievers are medium to large-sized ones.

Therefore a Rat-Triever’s size could vary from small to medium, so their weight and height ranges differ significantly.

A Rat-Triever could weigh around 15-60 pounds and stand tall up to 10-20 inches. Their coat length could vary from short to medium.

The color of the coat comes as a blend of two to three colors that includes golden, white, brown, and tan colors. Rat-Trievers could get floppy, erect or semi-erect ears.

How big do Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever mix get?

As already mentioned, it is hard to note how big a hybrid dog would get precisely. Due to the huge difference between the sizes of the parent breeds, it becomes even trickier to determine the size of a Rat-Triever.

However, in most cases, a full-grown Rat-Triever is a medium-sized dog. Their weight and height vary based on internal factors, including their genes, gender, and other external factors such as quality of food and physical activities.

The temperament of Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever mix

Hybrid dogs usually have bold personalities. If we look at the temperament of the parent dogs, Rat Terriers are energetic, athletic, alert, and affectionate dogs; Golden Retrievers are intelligent, friendly, and lovable dogs, so their mixed breed often becomes an amalgamation of these personality traits.

Rat-Trievers are fun and energetic, as Rat Terriers are also friendly and intelligent like Golden Retrievers. Sometimes Rat-Trievers can be a bit clingy to the owners and somewhat mischievous.

These behavior traits can be controlled through proper training. Overall, Rat-Trievers have lovable and trustworthy personalities.

How long do Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever mix dogs live?

Any dog owner would love to see their dog enjoying the longest possible lifespan. Dogs typically live up to 10-12 years, but this differs from breed to breed.

Rat Terrier is one of the dog breeds with the highest life expectancy range, which is 14-18 years. Golden Retrievers have a life expectancy of approximately 10-12 years.

Rat-Trievers, as their mixed breed, typically enjoy a life span of 12-16 years, but this could slightly change too.

How much do Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever mix puppies cost?

The price of a Rat-Triever primarily relies on a couple of factors, including the bloodline of parents, litter size, and the breeder’s reputation.

Rat-Trievers are considered relatively a costly hybrid dog breed. A Rat Terrier usually costs around 1000-1500 US Dollars and a Golden Retriever 1000-3000 US Dollars.

Sometimes they may cost above the average price range depending on the earlier mentioned factors. If you are willing to have a quality Rat-Triever, you should pay around 1500-2500 US Dollars.

Hence these dogs are not one of the most common hybrid dog breeds; it is always advisable to get them from a reputed and certified breeder. 

Maintenance tips for Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever mix

How hard is it to maintain a hybrid dog? If you have a fair knowledge of the breed, it will not be something complicated to fulfill.

So let’s find out how you should maintain a Rat-Triever; also below, you can find some other essential tips to take proper care of this breed. 

• Follow a grooming schedule

Grooming is the key if you need to have a nice and clean Rat-Triever. Golden Retrievers require average grooming efforts, contrary to that Rat-Terriers require minimal grooming.

The grooming needs of a Rat-Triever could be somewhere between minimal to average. You have to decide the brushing frequency depending on their coat length.

If your Rat-Triever has a coat similar to a Rat-Terrier brushing them once a week would be enough. If their fur is more similar to a Golden Retriever’s, you should brush them a couple of times a week to ensure their coat is silky and clean.

It is unnecessary to bathe them often; once a month would be sufficient. Other than that, you can brush their teeth a couple of times a week to prevent them from oral issues.

Also, clean their ears, and trim their nails occasionally. 

• Provide them with good food

Quality and nutritional food is a must for a healthy well grown Rat-Triever. You should decide the quantity of food depending on the weight of your Rat-Triever; however, remember not to overfeed them as they are prone to obesity.

An adult Rat Terrier needs 1 and ½- 2 cups of food per day, and a Golden Retriever needs 2-4 cups per day.

Dog food helps to meet their regular dietary needs, but you can add vegetables, fruits, and meats to their meals to make them healthier and add a variety to the meals.

They need a fair amount of protein in their food. However, when adding human food, be attentive to what you give them and how much you give them.

• Engage them in physical activities

Both Rat Terriers and Golden Retrievers need a fair amount of physical activities, and so do Rat-Trievers.

Rat-Trievers are lively dogs, so they prefer engaging in physical activities such as walking, running, and fetching.

A Rat Terrier would require 30-40 minutes of exercise daily, and Golden Retrievers typically a one hour.

So taking your Rat-Triever for a jog or playing with them around for 45 minutes would be sufficient to meet their regular exercise needs.

These dogs are typically playful in their day-to-day life, so you should not overcomplicate the exercise needs. Making the dog way too fatigued is also not a good thing. 

• Do occasional veterinary check-ups

Any dog would undergo health complexities. When it comes to Rat-Trievers, they could inherit common health issues from both parent breeds.

Some such common health concerns are allergies, hip and elbow dysplasia, epilepsy, cataracts, patellar luxation, and osteosarcoma.

These issues aren’t life-threatening, but you definitely should take quick actions to avoid the severeness.

When you have a fair understanding of these health problems, you will find it easier to spot the differences.

If your Rat-Triever’s behavior is quite unusual for a consistent period, do not hesitate to take them to a vet. The Sooner you take the actions easier you can solve the problem. 

Final thoughts about this Rat-Triever breed

This article brought you a comprehensive explanation of the Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever mix: Rat-Trievers. If we compare Rat Terriers with Golden Retrievers, we can see significant differences.

Therefore the appearance and temperament of their mixed breed could be pretty unpredictable. However, Rat Terrier and Golden Retriever mix certainly create unique dogs. So if you need yourself a lovable and unique dog, this might be a good choice.

Thank you for reading this article! Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner for more interesting posts about your favorite dog breed.