Prague Ratter - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
The Prague Ratter is a very old dog breed from Czech Republic. The exact date of origin or the breeds ancestry is uncertain, but it is believed that this is truly an old breed with history dating back to 8th or 9th century. These dogs were very popular among the Czech nobility and even the polish King Boleslav II imported pair of Prague Ratters into Poland to have them in his court.
2) Utilization
As the breeds name suggest, the main utilization of this breed is hunting and especially ratting. In the past, these dogs were invaluable as rat hunters in both, rural and urban households.They have great skills for hunting rats and other small game, because these dogs have keen senses, they are pretty fast and agile, energetic and they have great natural chasing instinct. They just enjoy to chase things. Of course, today, they are also very popular small companion dogs.
3) Food tasters
It is rumoured, that in the past on royal courts, the Prague Ratter had also one interesting, but also pretty cruel utilization, which is tasting the food and drinks on the table to protect its owners from poisoners. But this is only a legend and we do not have a real proof about it.
4) Size
The Prague Ratter has a very similar appearance as some other breeds such as Miniature Pinscher, Russkiy Toy or Chihuahua. One of the main similarity is the very small size. The ideal height of this breed is between 20-23 cm, which is 8-9 inch and weight is usually between 1,5-3,5 kg, which is 3-8 pounds. So the Prague Ratter is slightly larger than the Chihuahua but also little bit smaller than Miniature Pinscher.
5) Coat
Another similarity with the mentioned breeds is the coat type and color. The most common and also original color is black and tan. Not so long ago, other colors have been approved and those include brown and tan, blue and tan, lilac and tan, pink, red, merle and yellow. The coat comes in two different varieties, short, which is smooth and glossy and long variety, which has fringes on tail, limbs and ears.
6) Companion
The Prague Ratter is an amazing lively companion dog who is both, very affectionate and that will enjoy cuddling sesions, but also adventurous and lively and it will definitely also enjoy longer outdoor walks or even hikes. These dogs love people and they love receiving affection from us. Thanks to that, they are also quite eager to please and they do quite good in training. This breed, is loving, loyal and very entertaining, it is impossible to be bored with these dogs.
7) Rarity
Back in the past, the Prague Ratter was quite popular dog breed in Czech republic, but that changed in the 19th century, when the Pražský Krysařík started to be replaced for more fashionable Miniature Pinscher. Since the 19th century up until the 1980s, this breed became extremely rare, but that changed in the 1980s when several breeders and canine scientists revived the breed and almost all the Prague Ratters we have today can trace their history back to their dogs from the 1980s. Even today, this is relatively rare breed that can be mostly found in Czech republic, but they also live in smaller numbers in other countries, mostly in Slovakia and Scandinavian countries.
8) Living with
The Prague Ratter is very adaptable when it comes to living conditions with enough exercise, these dogs can live even in tiny apartments. With proper socialization, these dogs will be friendly even towards strangers and they do love their whole family, including kids. But the kid should be old enough to know how to treat small and fragile dog gently. The Prague Ratter needs some daily outdoor walks, fun training sessions and playtime to stay healthy and happy and they can even compete in some dog sports, such as agility, freestyle or tracking.
9) Maintenance
Great fact is, that the grooming and maintenance of Prague Ratter is very simple. This is a low shedding breed and even without any grooming at all, their coat will still look good. If you are living in area with cold winters, than you can consider buying your dog warm sweater, so the dog stays warm even during very cold days. Just like with any other breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
10) Health
Another great fact is, that the Prague Ratter is usually very healthy dog breed, that is suffering from serious health problems only rarely. But, they still may be prone to some health issues, which may include patellar luxation, some bone and joint problems and diseases of the teeth and gums. The average lifespan of Pražský Krysařík is around 14 years. ​