Wire Haired Rat Terrier – All You Need To Know
A dog’s hair type is one of the very important things about him. You must be well aware of that before bringing your new puppy home. In that case, these answers for the FAQs about wire haired Rat Terriers would be beneficial for you.
So, who is the Wire Haired Rat Terrier? He is the precious child of a Rat Terrier and Wire Fox Terrier and is commonly known as the Wire Foxy Rat Terrier. This breed has a longer and wire-like fur, unlike the common Rat Terrier.
Let’s dive in and find out more!
Coat Types Of Rat Terriers
It’s an American-born dog breed type, bred specifically as a farming and hunting companion. Moreover, this dog type is also recognized as a rare dog breed.
Usually, Rat Terriers have a dense yet smooth and shining coat. White, black, tan, red, lemon, blue, chocolate and orange are very common colors that can be seen on their fur.
These colors can be alternated, but white can be seen on all Rat Terriers.
Amazingly, the Rat terrier’s fur needs very low maintenance. You would only need to brush his coat with a smooth brush to remove most of the loose hair.
And as for bathing, you can bathe him once a month or whenever you decide it’s time.
Another point worth mentioning is that Ratties shed more hair during the spring and fall seasons and after experiencing heat cycles.
But that’s the normal-haired Rat Terrier. Now I’ll explain how it works with a Wire Haired Rat Terrier.
Caretaking of a wire-haired Rat Terrier is almost the same as a normal Rat Terrier with smooth and short hair.
Because of the shedding, you have to give him a brush every week with a slicker brush. First and then with a soft brush.
Once or twice a year, you’ll have to trim off the hair so that your foxy will stay lovely and well-trimmed. And just like his nearest relation, the Rat terrier, you have to bathe a foxy around once a month.
Let us give you a bonus point. It’s better if you have smooth brushes, slicker brushes, and trimming scissors in possession so that you can groom your wire haired Rat Terrier yourself.
Who is a wire-haired Rat Terrier?
As we have mentioned before, a Rat Terrier is an American breed. Ratties are designed to help people in farming and hunting, but as years passed and centuries rolled away on the history of Rat terriers, they became a very much sought-after pet for homes.
Now he’s a rare domesticated breed. Let’s see how a wire-haired Rat terrier, AKA a Wire Foxy Rat Terrier, came into existence.
Wirehaired Rattie is a 50/50 mix of the Rat Terrier of America and the Wire Fox Terrier; his parents. As lucky as he is, this breed inherited many of his parent’s traits.
He’s a fast dog as well as a very good hunter. When the appearance of the wire haired Rat Terrier is considered, he’s an adorable little guy.
His hair sticks up like wires throughout his body. Normally, he has a messy look because of the wiry-looking hair sticking from his body.
And this little guy is a confident and determined small pup. Most of the time, his nose and eyes have a darker shade, usually black or dark brown. His fur coat has several color possibilities.
They come in three or four colors together. Black, maroonish red, white, brown, and cream are the most common colors.
Do wire haired Rat Terriers shed?
Unlike smooth and short-haired Rat terriers, the Wire Foxy Rat Terrier sheds a lot less.
They are perfect for you if you’re allergic to dog fur as it sheds very little compared to short-haired and even other long-haired breeds.
Moreover, this wired hair is very strong, and therefore it needs only a little attention as maintenance. You could shorten this hair a little bit to reduce the shedding even more if you want.
How to care for a wire haired Rat Terrier?
As I mentioned during the discussion earlier, this Terrierbreed doesn’t need much maintenance for hair.
Honestly, if you don’t have the time or the skill to maintain a high-level dog, the foxy is the best option for you.
But just like every other breed around the world, the foxy, too, needs his annual or semi-annual treatments for ticks.
Moreover, cleaning his ears for wax residue and brushing his teeth must be done every once a week and two or three times a week, respectively.
Also, don’t forget to wipe his eyes regularly to avoid infections.
What are the grooming needs of a wire haired Rat terrier?
The wiry coat sheds so less and does not need much maintenance. But, just because a wiry coat does not need much of your attention does not mean that you could just ignore your pup’s hair.
Every once in a while, your wire-haired Rat Terrier needs his hair brushed. Most of the time, once a week is more than enough.
Whenever you’re giving your foxy a full groom, hand stripping is the best method to do that.
It’s a bit time-consuming because you have to pull out older and loose hair with your hand. But, you can always get it done through a professional groomer.
Also, there are shampoos specifically designed for this type of hair. Therefore, if you can use that kind of shampoo when you’re bathing your foxy, it will be better for the health of your dog’s fur, too.
It’s better to know everything about your pet’s hair type so that you can give him the best when caretaking. And we hope now you’ve received all the details about wire haired Rat terrier.
Forward us any questions you have regarding your doggo, and we’ll try to give you the best answers to you soon. Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner for more.
