What sizes do they come in?

The Rat Terrier comes in many sizes: Toy (smaller than 13 inches) and Standard (over 13 inches). But some Decker Giant Rats have been measured over 16 inches tall!

Do they require much grooming?

No, these dogs are a short coated dog requiring very little grooming.

Are Rat Terriers good with children?

Yes and no. Personally, I would discourage most people with children under the ages of 6 from acquiring a pup, unless they're really experienced with dogs. Rats tend to be as energetic as a human two-year-old and both can be difficult to handle at the same time. Some Rat Terrier owners have raised their children around puppies with no problems, however the most common reason that Rat Terriers are turned over to rescue or into shelters is that the dog is "too high strung" for their owner's to handle along with children.

The Demodex Question, is there a cure?
by Sue Nowacki

There's really no home treatments that "cure" Demodex, although there are things that you can do to improve the dog's immunity system in general, including making certain the dog is free of parasites (both internal and external), stressers these can include hormonal, which may be a good reason to spay or neuter), diet, up-to-date vaccinations, and so forth.

Some vets give ointments and shampoos to alleviate some of the irritation, but I really think these are more for the benefit of the human than the dog (feeling proactive, doing "something").

For early Demodex, it's best to forgo any active treatment so that you can determine whether or not the dog's immunity system will improve on its own in fighting the Demodectic outbreak. This will indicate for you whether the dog is experiencing a temporary condition or compromise (also known as "Local" or "Juvenile" Demodex) or the more serious "General" form of the condition.

If the dog doesn't improve on its own in 2-3 months, or the condition visibly worsens, then it's indicative of the General form of Demodex and veterinary treatment is indicated. There are several forms of treatment currently available,including: Mitabin dips (probably the most taxing, particularly on smaller dogs), Milbemycin (given orally in larger than normal doses, once a month for usually two months - which seems to be highly effective and the least taxing on the animal), and Ivermectin (also given in larger than normal doses for six weeks, and probably the most questionable with regard to long-term impact, as seen in dogs who have been regularly overdosed with Ivomec - barrel chests and lowered lifespans, included). Ivomec is the same ingredient in Heartguard heartworm preventative, but Heartguard contains MUCH smaller (safer) doses with less negative impact, then the recommended treatement for Demodex.

So, the questions to ask when examining your dog include: 1) where are the areas of hair loss and how extreme are these areas? 2) how long has the condition presented? 3) are there any recognizable stressers the dog may be currently experiencing, either hormonally, physically, environmentally, or emotionally, that may be contributing to the condition? 4) is the dog receiving adequate care in nutrition, parasite control, vaccinations, and so forth?, 5) is the condition worsening or improving without treatment?