Orlovia
The dainty Prague Ratter is one of the smallest dogs in the world, but it still has enormous self-confidence and temperament. In this country, the former rat hunter, from where his name ″Rattler″ comes, is still quite rare. You can read what characterizes the energetic toy dog in the following article.
History of the Prague Ratter
The ancestors of the Prague Ratter come from the Czech Republic, which was formerly the Kingdom of Bohemia. There he kept the house and yard of rich and poor away from mice and rats. In addition, the Prague Ratter, despite its small size, very reliably guarded the belongings of its master. Because of its tiny size, alertness, and self-confidence, the four-legged friend was also the ideal watchdog for itinerant traders and coachmen. He had enough stamina to run alongside the wagons and took up little space on the wagon. It is thanks to Bohemian nobles that the ratter soon became popular and appreciated as a gift throughout Europe. After his services as a reliable pied piper and accompanying watchdog were no longer needed, he fell into oblivion for a short time.
In the 1980s, lovers of the Rattler dog took on his breed and ensured its international distribution. The Prague Ratter is recognized by the VDH as an independent breed and has been bred by it since 2011, as well as in many other countries around the world. The Prague Ratter was only provisionally recognized by the FCI. He has been assigned to FCI Provisional Standard No. 363, FCI Group 9 ″Company and Companion Dogs″, Section 9 ″Continental Miniature Spaniel″.
The Appearance of the Prague Ratter
The Prague Ratter looks like the little brother of a Miniature Pinscher. He’s also quite funny, with his disproportionately large, pointed, triangular, erect ears and pear-shaped head. Its graceful yet muscular body is supported by thin legs. The Prague Ratter is available with smooth, close-lying hair and with a moderately long fur coat. The Prague Ratter Longhair has fringes on the ears, hindquarters, and tail. His fur is also slightly longer on the chest. Increasingly one finds him in black ground color with blazing markings on his chest, on his legs, and on his face. The toy dog has a half-length tail that reaches to the hock and has faithful, dark brown eyes.
Essence and Character
The Prague Ratter is a friendly, good-natured four-legged friend that wants to form a close bond with its owner – sometimes it only bonds with the “supreme pack leader”. The tiny fur nose likes to play but is more suitable for families with older children. The children must be able to respect him and not see him as a mere toy because his risk of injury is too great. His home may also accommodate other animals such as dogs or cats because the Prague Ratter is very sociable. However, the former pied piper could easily confuse free-ranging smaller pets with prey, which is why caution is advised. He is friendly towards strangers, although somewhat reserved at first.
Since the four-legged friend is very uncomplicated and adaptable, he is also happy about dog beginners and seniors who can give him a home with enough exercise. The dwarf has a good portion of temperament that wants to be utilized. The curious four-legged friend is happy about regular walks, games, and dog sports, which also keep his intelligent head busy. You can do agility or dog dancing with the little fur nose, for example. The Rattler dog stays at home alone for a few hours, well trained and busy, of course.
The Prague Ratter character is also characterized by curiosity and a willingness to learn. The four-legged friend learns quickly and is happy about everything that his owners offer him: holidays, leisure activities, visits to restaurants, dog visits, and much more.
As a reliable watchdog, the confident Prague Ratter Dog has a very low threshold. Therefore, he can easily mutate into an annoying barker. This requires education and sufficient utilization by its owner. Barking is supposed to draw the attention of masters or mistresses to their boredom.
Acquisition of a Prague Ratter
If you have enough time to occupy the small temperament package and are not a couch potato, then the Prague Ratter will certainly feel at home with you. Then you should look for a breeder who belongs to the VDH. Since the demand for the Rattler dog is relatively low in this country, the search for a suitable breeder can take a little longer. The price for a Prague Ratter puppy is between 1,200 and 1,500 euros.
What do I need to pay attention to when purchasing?
You should only buy a Rattler dog from reputable breeders who are members of the VDH. They submit to guidelines for breeding and make sure they breed from large enough parents so that their Prague Ratter pups don’t dwarf. Because this has negative effects on the health of the dog. In any case, you should be able to look at the parents and check whether they weigh at least 2.6 kilograms.
Serious Prager Rattler breeders can show their pedigree and vaccination card. They have also had their puppies health checked, vaccinated, and dewormed several times. They will be happy to answer any questions you have about the breed and hopefully, they will also put you through your paces to see if you are suitable for the puppy.