Ratter (dog)
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A ratter is any dog used for catching and killing rats and similar vermin. Specialised rat-catching breeds are found in many countries. A typical ratter is small to medium-sized and has a short and smooth coat.
History[edit]
The Guinness Book of World Records lists as the "fastest canine rat catcher" a bull-and-terrier dog named Billy, who killed 100 rats in 5 minutes 30 seconds (average of one rat every 3.3 seconds) at an event in 1825.[1] Guinness also credits Billy with having killed 4000 rats within a 17-hour period (average of one rat every 15.3 seconds) on an unspecified occasion;[1] other sources, including the 1993 edition of Atlas of Dog Breeds of the World, credit him with killing 2501 rats within a 7-hour period (average of one rat every 10 seconds).[2][3][4][5][6]
Ratter breeds[edit]
Among the many breeds used for ratting are several terriers, various pinschers and schnauzers, and the ratonero breeds of Spain.
Rat terriers[edit]
Among the terrier breeds often used as ratters are:
- the American Hairless Terrier
- the Brazilian Terrier
- the Chilean Fox Terrier
- the Manchester Terrier
- the Miniature Fox Terrier
- the Plummer Terrier
- the Rat Terrier
- the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier
- the Tenterfield Terrier
- the Jack Russell Terrier
Ratoneros[edit]
There are five regional breeds of ratonero or ratter in Spain:
- the Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz from Andalusia[7]
- the Ca Rater Mallorquí or Ratonero Mallorquín of Mallorca[8]
- the Ratonero Murciano from Murcia[9]
- the Gos Rater Valencià or Ratonero Valenciano of Valencia[7]
- the Villanuco de Las Encartaciones in the Basque Country[10]
Pinschers and Schnauzers[edit]
Dogs of pinscher and schnauzer type were traditionally used to catch rats; modern breeds derived from those include:
- the Affenpinscher
- the Austrian Pinscher
- the German Pinscher
- the Miniature Pinscher
- the Miniature Schnauzer or Zwergschnauzer
- the Riesenschnauzer or Giant Schnauzer
- the Schnauzer or Mittelschnauzer
Other[edit]
- the Brussels Griffon
- the Schipperke
- the Dutch Smoushond, Dutch Ratter
- the Pražský Krysařík, Prague Ratter
References[edit]
- ^ a b Fastest canine rat catcher, at The Guinness Book of World Records; retrieved December 27, 2022
- ^ Wilcox, Bonnie, DVM; Walkowicz, Chris (1993). Rat Terrier. The Atlas of Dog Breeds of the World. Vol. 2 (4th ed.). Neptune, New Jersey: T.F.H. pp. 714–715. ISBN 0-86622-873-X.
- ^ RAT TERRIER BREED PROFILE Continental Kennel Club
- ^ Rat Terrier savearescue.org
- ^ Standards National Rat Terrier Association
- ^ HISTORY OF THE RAT TERRIER rat attack of North Carolina.
- ^ a b Las Razas Españolas. Real Sociedad Canina de España. Retrieved May 24th 2014.
- ^ History. Club del Ca Rater Mallorquí. Retrieved May 24th 2014.
- ^ Estudio Sobre el Ratonero Murciano. Asociación Canina de la Comunidad Autónoma de Murcia. Retrieved May 24th 2014.
- ^ Castillo Matías, J. & Mediavilla Iglesias, M. (April 2008). "5. Villanuco de las Encartaciones". Los 26 tesoros de nuestra comunidad, p. 72. Spain: La Anunciata Ikerketa. Retrieved May 25th 2014.
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