Jack Russell Terrier vs Rat Terrier

Photo: Արարատ Թրվանց

Photo: Dlarm112

Side by side

Jack Russell Terrier

Rat Terrier

Adult weight

5–6 kg (11–13 lb)1

4.5–11 kg (10–25 lb) (breed club figure)2

Lifespan

Median 13.3 years3

No sourced figure

Fully grown

10 months, both sexes4

Group

Terriers1

Terrier (AKC)

Coat

Short coat or wire or harsh coat1

No sourced figure

Exercise

A moderate amount

No sourced figure

Health

Cushing's syndrome (slightly more likely); Torn cruciate ligament in one knee (slightly more likely)5,6

No sourced figure

Class

Sport

Companion

Which suits you

Size

The Rat Terrier is larger on average: about 7.9 kg (17 lb) as an adult, against 5.5 kg (12 lb) for the Jack Russell Terrier.

Temperament

They differ most on affection (Jack Russell Terrier: affectionate on its own terms; Rat Terrier: a lap or leaning dog) and on independence (Jack Russell Terrier: decides for itself; Rat Terrier: cooperative, with its own ideas).

Alike

Both are rated the same on activity: needs lots of exercise.

Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.

Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Jack Russell Terrier

Terriers · Small

In temperament it is lively, alert and bold, quick to learn and persistent once interested in something. It has a strong urge to chase and dig, and can be forthright with other dogs.

Rat Terrier

Terrier · Small

In temperament it is lively, alert and quick to learn, affectionate with its household and reserved with strangers.

The Jack Russell Terrier page →The Rat Terrier page →

Breed traits

Day to day

Jack Russell Terrier

Rat Terrier

Activity

Needs lots of exercise

Intelligence

Needs daily brain work

Handler demand

Differs

Needs an experienced owner

Needs steady training

With people

Jack Russell Terrier

Rat Terrier

Affection

Differs

Affectionate on its own terms

A lap or leaning dog

Loyalty

Bonded to its family

Independence

Differs

Decides for itself

Cooperative, with its own ideas

Around the home

Jack Russell Terrier

Rat Terrier

Sensitivity

Average

Voice

Differs

Very vocal

Barks to alert, then settles

Prey drive

Likely to chase small pets

Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour7. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home8,9.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes

Summary

Detail

The Rat Terrier grows to the heavier adult, about 7.9 kg against the Jack Russell Terrier's 5.5 kg.

Jack Russell Terrier

Rat Terrier

More comparisons

Compare the Jack Russell Terrier with

Jack Russell Terrier vs Parson Russell Terrier Beagle vs Jack Russell Terrier Rat Terrier vs Toy Fox Terrier Dachshund vs Jack Russell Terrier Chihuahua vs Jack Russell Terrier Border Terrier vs Jack Russell Terrier All breed comparisons →

Sources

1
FCI. Breed standard no. 345. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/345g03-en.pdf
2
American Kennel Club. Rat Terrier breed page. ↑
3
McMillan et al., 2024. Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531 (VetCompass). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w
4
Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.8.2027S
5
Schofield et al., 2022. Frequency and risk factors for naturally occurring Cushing's syndrome in dogs attending UK primary‐care practices. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13450
6
Pegram et al., 2023. Risk factors for unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture diagnosis and for clinical management in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2023.105952
7
Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0639
8
Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/choosing-dog/finding-a-breeder
9
American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/screening-puppy-buyers-how-top-breeders-find-the-best-homes/
10
Salt et al., 2017. Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in dogs of different sizes. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0182064 (WALTHAM). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182064

Parts of this page were written by AI ·