A compact, smart, all-American farm and ratting terrier with a smooth coat and big personality. Hardy, low-maintenance, and people-oriented, available in Miniature and Standard sizes.
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From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
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Minimum
Apartment or small home with daily walks
Apartment + 2× daily 30-min walks
A small dog adapts well to apartment living with two structured walks a day plus indoor enrichment. Crate-train for alone-time and give supervised free-roam of the household when settled.
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Recommended
Home with secure yard + daily routine
House + fenced yard + 45 min daily exercise
A house with a securely fenced yard, two structured walks per day, and indoor enrichment (chews, training, puzzle feeders). Most small breeds settle well as household pets when this baseline is met. High-drive working breed — the recommended tier still demands daily structured mental work (training, scent games, herding ball, fetch with rules), not just walks.
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Ideal
Household companion with varied enrichment
House + fenced yard + sport or hobby
Farm rat-hunter — barn hunt and earthdog work suits the drive. — ideal is acreage or rural property paired with a daily job or canine sport: herding stock, scent detection, agility, protection sport, sledding, gundog field work, or a structured working role. Without that outlet, expect destructive behaviour, reactivity, and welfare-relevant frustration.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
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Newborn
Newborn mammals are nursed on their mother's milk. Many are born helpless — blind, deaf, and sparsely furred (altricial, as in dogs, cats, and rodents) — while others stand and follow within hours (precocial, as in hoofed livestock).
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Juvenile
After weaning, juveniles grow quickly and become increasingly active, playful, and independent. Adult coat, proportions, and (in many species) the permanent teeth come in as they approach full size.
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Adult
Adults reach full body size and sexual maturity, with the species' mature coat and build. Sexual dimorphism — differences in size, mane, horns, or markings — is pronounced in some mammals and subtle in others.
Senior
Senior animals show aging signs such as graying fur, reduced activity, and a greater need for veterinary monitoring of joints, teeth, and organ function. Lifespan and the onset of old age vary widely by species and size.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Adaptable to apartments or farms provided daily exercise and mental stimulation. Needs 30-60 minutes of activity plus play and games; a securely fenced yard is ideal as they will chase and dig after small animals. They are clever escape artists, so fencing must be solid.
Diet
Standard quality diet measured to size and activity. The breed can be food-motivated and prone to weight gain when under-exercised — keep treats modest and monitor body condition. No notable breed-specific dietary diseases.
Behavior & temperament
Alert, curious, affectionate, and highly trainable, with strong prey drive and a love of digging. Lower-key than many terriers but still energetic. Excellent with families and bonds closely with their people; can be reserved with strangers and makes a keen watchdog. Good with kids and dogs when socialized; small pets like rodents may trigger the hunting instinct.
Health
Generally a healthy, hardy breed. Watch for patellar luxation, hip dysplasia, primary lens luxation and other eye issues, dental crowding/disease (especially in miniatures), allergies, and occasional cardiac issues. Some are predisposed to malocclusion. Recommended: patella and hip evaluation, eye (CAER) exams, and routine dental care.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Very low grooming needs — short smooth coat needs only weekly brushing, but they do shed, with a heavier seasonal blowout. Bathe occasionally. Provide a sanctioned outlet for digging and chasing (sandbox, earthdog, fetch). Reward-based training works well; channel their intelligence to prevent boredom-driven mischief.
