Ratshi Terrier

Because designer hybrids like the Ratshi Terrier have not been around long, it is best to look at the backgrounds of the parents. The Rat Terrier originated in the United States in the 1800s when breeders crossed the Manchester Terrier, English White Terrier, Bull Terrier, Greyhound, Beagle, and Whippet to make a small hunting dog. Their goal was to create a ratter for their farms who could hunt vermin above and below ground and they were so talented at this that they became the most common farm dog in America. Soon, the Rat Terrier became a companion pet and watchdog once owners discovered their sweet disposition and courageous loyalty. American President Teddy Roosevelt had several of these dogs when he was in the White House and they were nicknamed Teddy’s Terriers. Although they seemed to be popular, they did not get accepted by the American Kennel Club until 2013. The Shih Tzu has been a royal companion to the Chinese since approximately 700 A.D., during the Tang Dynasty. They are thought to be a mix of the Pekingese, Tibetan Mountain Dog, and Lhasa Apso and were bred to be companion pets. The breed almost became extinct during the Chinese Revolution when there were only 14 left; seven males and seven females. They became more popular as they began to spread across the country but the breed got mixed up with the Lhasa Apso and they were thought to be the same breed until the 1930s, when the breed standard was developed. Today, they are the 20th most popular breed in America where they were accepted by the American Kennel Club in 1969.