Prague Ratter puppies

About the Prague Ratter

The Prague Ratter is the smallest of the Czech breeds, a fine boned toy dog that once earned its keep clearing rats from houses and inns. The FCI standard puts it at 21 to 23 cm at the withers with an optimum weight of about 2.6 kg, which makes it one of the lightest breeds recognised anywhere. It comes in a short glossy coat or a moderately long one with fringing on the ears, quarters and tail, usually black and tan.

It is quicker and more robust in character than its frame suggests, though it stays reserved around people it does not know. Exercise is light: daily play and short walks are enough, but it is an enthusiastic jumper and needs watching around furniture and stairs. Grooming is minimal, an occasional brush and a wipe over with a damp cloth. Teeth are the real job. Owners often forget how easily a dog this light is hurt indoors.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Prague Ratter puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A toy breed puppy at eight weeks is small enough to be genuinely fragile. It can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so it needs frequent small meals rather than two big ones. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hyperuricosuria, a DNA testable variant that predisposes affected dogs to kidney and bladder stones
• Dental disease, which crowded teeth in a very small mouth make likely, so daily brushing matters
• Injury from jumping and falls, since the breed is acrobatic and light enough to be hurt by a drop from a sofa

From Prague Ratter breed information at https://www.wisdompanel.com/en-us/dog-breeds/prague-ratter. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Prague Ratter puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Toy for a Prague Ratter.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the Not published adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other toy breeds

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