On our ratings the Rat Terrier comes out ahead wherever the two differ: it is calmer, better with young children, easier in an apartment and cheaper to keep. The Fox Terrier here is the Smooth Fox Terrier (the Wire Fox Terrier and the American Toy Fox Terrier have their own pages). The case for it: a classic, tireless hunting terrier of one predictable size for an experienced owner who wants a partner for dog sports and long days outdoors.
- Family tree. The Smooth Fox Terrier is English, bred in the 19th century to run with foxhounds and bolt the fox from its earth. The Rat Terrier is an American farm dog, and the Smooth Fox Terrier is one of its ancestors: the UKC lists it next to the Manchester Terrier and the extinct white English Terrier, with Whippet or Italian Greyhound added later for speed and Beagle for nose. Related dogs, different jobs: one hunted with a pack, the other cleared barns of rats.
- Energy and family life. We rate the Fox Terrier 5 out of 5 for energy, the Rat Terrier 4. A Fox Terrier needs long daily walks and real mental work, or it digs, barks and finds its own entertainment; for agility, earthdog tests or long hikes, that stamina is the point. The AKC calls the Rat Terrier "one of the calmest of the terrier breeds" and rates it higher with young children. Neither is an easy first dog; the Rat Terrier is the safer bet.
- Look. A Smooth Fox Terrier is mostly white with black, tan or black-and-tan markings, has a flat, hard coat, a long, narrow head and small V-shaped ears that fold forward. A Rat Terrier is pied, with large patches of black, chocolate, red, apricot, blue or lemon on white, and its ears may stand erect. Neither is hypoallergenic: both short coats shed.
- Size. The Fox Terrier comes in one size: 14-16 in and 15-18 lbs. The Rat Terrier comes as a Miniature at 10-13 in or a Standard up to 18 in, sharing one weight range of 10-25 lbs, so ask which size the parents are.
- Small pets and barking. Both were bred to kill small animals, so hamsters, rats, rabbits and pet birds are at risk with either, and both bark at anything new. Off-leash running belongs in fenced areas.
- Health. The Fox Terrier lives 12-15 years, the Rat Terrier 12-18. With either breed, ask for the parents' kneecap and heart checks; for a Rat Terrier also hip results and the DNA test for primary lens luxation (PLL), an inherited eye disease.
- Price. The Rat Terrier is cheaper both to buy and to keep: about $900-$1,600 for a puppy and $700-$1,200 a year, against $1,000-$2,500 and $800-$1,500 for a Fox Terrier.
Pick the Fox Terrier if you are an experienced, active owner who wants a classic hunting terrier with a predictable size and look; pick the Rat Terrier for a calmer family dog with the same terrier spirit, easier with children and cheaper to keep.