hey i'm new! yea me!

anyways, my boyfriend agreed that i could get a puppy (probably this fall or winter) and after researching plenty of breeds, i absolutely FELL IN LOVE with ratties

i do have some questions about getting a new puppy though, i've grown up with dogs, but they were puppies a LONG time ago lol.

i was mostly wondering about vaccines and that kinda stuff (worming etc.). what kinds do i need to get and how often do they need them? also where? is a vet the best bet or would a clinic be good?

how old should they be to spay/neuter?

your opinions on microchipping? yes or no? i live in seattle, so it'd be smart, but it just seems kinda, i dunno... weird?

hehehe sorry for the question dumping, but i'd appreciate any and all info  thanks!

Welcome to the site! I don't know alot about vaccines. I just go with what the vet says. I microchipped Yaz. I would definitely reccomend it. Glad to hear that you did your breed research and settled on Ratties. When you are ready please consider rescue.

well! I think GOOD for YOU! a lot of people NEVER do there homework! and that is why there are so many pups (of ALL breeds)in shelters,and EKK!!! PET SHOPS! Your Guy too is SMART! he know's pet Of ANY KIND is a MONATARY-TIME-HOUSING-RESPONSIBILTY!!Patients! required for a VERY long time!So yes do your homework! make sure your able to AFFORD! to give a pup a LIFETIME! of love and you will get it back in SPADES!Puppyhood is a VERY short time! but something that must be done,to keep a healthy and happy dog for life!

Hi!  Welcome to the site.  Glad to hear you have decided on a rattie.  Have you thought about adopting a rescue pup/dog?  Maybe you could think about that.  As for microchipping, I recommend it both that and spay/neuter being done at the same time.   Plenty of good info in the previous post.  Everyone here is  happy to help.  This is an excellent and supportive site.

I just wanted to say welcome... I'm pretty new around here, and I ask more questions than you could possibly ask, so I'll be the high-matinence user on the site, worry not.

I will say that we made a good choice when we decided on a Rat Terrier, but it was for the wrong reasons.  I really thought we wanted to get a Jack Russell, but reading about them, they seemed hard to train.  So I got a Rat Terrier instead. Ha! 

Terriers are definitely challenging and tend to think independently, more so than some other breeds.  Rat Terriers are no exception here, and my experience with Murphy is that he just requires a lot of attention, exercise, daily training, crate training, and man oh man... patence.  My wife and I share the responsability, so it's OK, but now that he is 8 months old, well... I thought I'd have him house-broken.  No.  Thought he would be past teething.  No.  Thought I could leave him alone in a room and not have him destroy something.  No. 

I don't want to discourage you... Murphy (and RT's in general) are phenominally smart and wonderful dogs.  Just hoping to help you go into it prepared.  A pup will take some dedication.  An alternative to this is an older, well trained RT that has been rescued, and it seems there is no shortage of these, and what a brilliant and good soul (a hero, really) you are if you are such a person as to take one of these homeless pets into your home and make it your own!

BTW... I LOVE Seattle!  My employer's corporate office is in Redmond,  and I have always thoroughly enjoyed the city and the people there.

here-here!!! good point! AND! may I add somebody else got to do the puppyhood for you!!! RESCUE! if you can!!!there are no shortage!! here on the west coast!

Thanks! you guys are so friendly!

i was thinking of going with a breeder (http://imageevent.com/drratterriers) these guys are only like an hour or so away and seem to know what they're doing... what do you think? the pups come with their first shots/worming... i was considering a rescue group but mostly i since it's my first rattie, i kinda want to know what i'm getting into (as far as genetics and personality) and i don't think i'm really prepared yet to handle a dog that has baggage from a past owner... sorry but maybe later... when i have more experience... but who knows! it's still quite a ways away! lol (i'm WAY too excited for this!) 

haha there's so many replies already i don't know what to say next!!!

i'm also actually looking forward to the training! i know they can be stubborn, but i'm pretty good with puppies (all of our dogs had the basics) and my boyfriend did dog 4-H when he was younger, so he worked with his a lot
but don't worry about the responsibility aspect of it (though i appreciate the concern-i love that you guys care!) i just don't believe in selling a pet when it's come into my home... it's kinda like family <3 and who sells them (no matter how irritating ;P )

OH YEAH! what about docking tails?!

i know a lot of them have it, but is it necessary? what do their tails look like without being docked? do you think they have like a "ghost" tail like when people who lose arms or something but still think they're there or feel a pain in something that doesn't exist? (lol anyone know what i'm talking about?)

well my vote is DOCK! we ALL!!! can tell you stories of getting told our w/tail ratty's look like a CHI! but sometimes you don't get a choice with a rescue...its just gets old HEARing! "what kind of MUTT is that?"when you got a dock'd tail then at least they ask if its a JRT! which is better than a CHI! Also BREEDERS! as a rule dock as that is what the UKC,UKCI requires,so even if you don't get a show dog...most do have dock'd tails. And also it doesn't bother them either way!Just  personal preference

 fair enough! i like jrts too. much better be mistaken for that than a mutt

yea!! especially if you GOT PAPERS!

i didnt think she was part jack russel either, but shes mixed w/ something.. and she's so tiny.. 5 months and shes only 7 pounds.  She's underweight but she doesn't really like to eat so its a slow process of getting some weight on her... the vet says she's not underweight but i dont like being able to see her ribs so much when she is laying down. p.s. she's smelling the computer screen so i guess she's saying hi!

yea Caesar is tiny too...(fat but tiny) and he has his tail cause HIS lovely"puppy mill" didn't see a point in doing ANY VETTING! and a breeding stud! but I love him and he is just one of my boys tail or not!but i do get tired of telling people his is NOT a CHI 'cause he has his tail! the others NEVER DO!

I checked out the breeders website. They look reputable. Their dogs look very well cared for. Whatever breeder you go through make sure you see where the dogs are kept and how they are cared for. I hope you know not to go to a pet store. Nasty places. They keep puppy mills in business. I can understand you not wanting a dog you have no history on(rescue). They are usually fostered for a good amount of time. That way any health isssues can come up as well as learning the behavior of the dog. But believe me I understand wanting a puppy. i got Yaz as a pup and I cannot imagine having missed that.

Posted By Erinj09 on 05/14/2008 11:09 PM
haha i used to feel the same thing about docking, like is is necessary? then now i am in love with those cute little nubs. as for the ghost tail, someone can correct me but im pretty sure that since they are only a day or 2 old when they are docked (usually) that they done know any difference and kno0w their tail to be the litle nub. maybe if it was a few years old and got it docked (im not sure if people do that) than maybe it would be like if someone lost an arm. but thats just what i think

as for the breeding and rescuing, i felt the same way. i love animal and hate when people dump them off someone or a shelter to be killed, im with you on that girl! but this is my frist puppy and i want to experience every part of it no matter how frustrating it will be. but i know one day i will adopt, maybe a nother rattie if they are as addicting everything makes them out to be lol but i will adopt in my life i know it. my mom wats to get my brother a kitten and i am going to try and convince her to rescue one like we did with our other cat

good luck and keep me posted, were both in the same boat, and i found you on myspace, funny that youre 19 too lol and from the same area! cool
~Erin

lol i pretty much JUST wrote this to you on myspace! hahaha could we be twins?!  and as far as showing a rattie with a tail, i think i read that it's preferred that they're docked, but it doesn't count against you if it's natural... either way's fine with me!

i'm just so excited for this! and i LOVE this site, everyone's so welcoming and well-informed

yea! its kind of like getting twins,first! then have'n a single child! its easy!and your ready for the baby stuff to be over! I let somebody else do the crate training NOW!But i love fresh new pups too!AHHH THE PUPPY BREATH! who can resist! oh the 2o'clock feedings ahhh yes.....the puddle's on the rug...chew'd up slipper...oh and lets not forget the little POO! you miss'd and stepted in,in the dark! no give me a 5-6month old anyday!!!

sounds Like a PLAN!!!Better get it in writting!!!roommates sometimes have SHORT MEMORIES!

I just adopted a 4 years old (today!) rat terrier about 2 weeks ago from ratbones. I've raised an australian shepherd from puppyhood (honestly after that I can have just about any high energy breed!). I purposely got older dogs this time around (2.5 and 4) and I do not regret missing the puppy stage. Maybe it is because I have 2 younger children so I feel like I already have a puppy LOL. Although rescue dogs do come with some "baggage" and conditioning, most fosters know their dog pretty well - I felt like I knew Paisley's personality pretty well before we got her and it has not been hard for her to understand our "rules". I can understand wanting to get a puppy, but for those of you who don't want to go through the puppy stage, I have found it very rewarding (and an equal challenge but less mess) to give 2 older dogs forever homes.

tottaly!!! agree!!! she (Erin) is so YOUNG>>>>>I got my daughters 1st rat for her(at 26)and had him trained by 18 mons old before she took him home,#2 I got (DOMINO)for her and only had for 2 months(crate train'n w/ me) so she got to do the PUPPY THING(chewing, digging ,barking,POOPING/PEEING on the floor!,I get a call once a week! HELP! she didn't know she had a dog w/Zep! SHE does now!I think its funny! I just tell her" ITS OK!" you will both survive this....HE'S 7 MONS OLD! its a growing experence for both!