What Is Rattle – Rat Terrier Poodle Mix

This dog is also known as a Roodle, Radle Terrier, Ratpoo, and Ratdoodle. Unfortunately, because it’s a designer dog, it’s not recognized by the American Kennel Club. 

However, it is registered under the Designer Breed Registry (DBR), American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC), Designer Dogs Kennel Club (DDKC), and Dog Registry of American Inc.

This is an interesting dog and is well recognized one over the world. It has a life expectancy of 12-18 years which is a lot longer than other hybrids. 

But to know the secret to its longevity, we have to look into its history first.

History of the Rattle 📚

It’s unknown exactly when the Rattle came into existence, but it’s believed that breeders developed them around 30-40 years back. Around this time, it was common for breeders to breed several dogs to look for smaller breeds that were hypoallergenic.

Poodle Parent

The Poodle’s origins can be traced to Germany. In Germany, they were commonly bred to be hunters and hunt birds and waterfowl. They could do this due to their soft curly near hypoallergenic coat that streamlined them in the water. 

Later on, they became popular in France, becoming their national dog, and now they’re popular worldwide. You can commonly find three types of Poodle the Standard, Minature, and Toy. The Toy and Minature came into existence around the 1400s to woo the upper-class Parisians. 

Whereas the Standard was kept for duck hunting and Minature Poodles to hunt truffles. The American Kennel Club first registered the Poodle in 1888. Out of all the breeds today, the Poodle is one of the most intelligent and genial breeds. 

Rat Terrier parent 

The Rat Terrier derives from the USA and results from a cross between a European Terrier and a fox. Such European Terriers they were commonly crossed with in the 1800s were English White Terriers, Manchester Terriers, Bull Terriers, Whippets, Beagles, and Greyhounds. That’s quite a mix!

This is a small dog breed with a good and even temperament with strong scents. Due to their strong sense of smell, they became multi-purpose dogs on farms that were kept to hunt on and below ground. During the 1900s, this breed was a typical working farm dog to own if you were a farmer in the USA. 

It became so popular that even the president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, had dogs in the Whitehouse during their presidency, and he named them Teddy’s Terriers. During this time, they also became recognized for their intelligence and demeanor. 

Later on, they were kept as domestic pets based on their intelligence and were less likely kept as dogs for hunting. In 2013 the breed was finally recognized by the American Kennel Club.

Temperament ✨

If you own a Rattle, you should be very proud of doing so; this dog is knowledgeable and hyper-alert, learning quickly and easily responding to commands. Sometimes it can inherit stubborn characteristics from its Rat Terrier parent, making it a challenge to train; however, consistency can overcome this.

Other small & companion doodle breeds similar to the Rattle are the Boodle, Papipoo, Westiepoo or the Bossipoo.

Do note that not all Rattle’s are the same; their personality traits can switch depending on what they inherit from their parents. Most Rattles are extremely loyal and have lots of love to give to any human at home.

They are highly active and require a lot of time for exercise and playing with. 

So as a dog owner, you must have enough time in your schedule to ensure this breed gets its affection and exercise needs met. If you don’t, this hybrid could develop self destructive behaviors such as chewing on your furniture, barking and defecating. 

Unlike other hybrids, this is not a quiet breed. In fact, it’s quite vocal, making them a noisy dog to live with. Therefore, if you live in an apartment or a building close to neighbors, you might want to think twice before owning one as they could cause noise complaints. 

This breed isn’t ideal for a home with no yard as it has high energy levels. If you live in a home with a yard, make sure it has a high fence so it can’t jump over. This is because both parents have a jumping instinct and love to explore.

What does a Rattle look like? 🐩

It’s hard to predict exactly what a Rattle can look like as they can inherit a mix of characteristics both from their Poodle and Rat Terrier parent. This hybrid tends to have a strong rounded head and brown or amber eyes most of the time. Alongside this, their nose can be either black or brown. They can either have upright pointy triangular like their Rat Terrier parent or long and floppy ears like the Poodle. 

Most of the time, they have a medium-sized muzzle and can inherit two different coat types. First of all, they can have either a short and straight coat similar to a Rat Terrier or a longer and wavier/curlier type coat like a Poodle. On average, the Rattle can have a range of coat colors from gray, white, brown, cream, silver, or black.

Grooming requirements ✂️

The grooming of a rattle is completely dependent on the type of coat it inherits. If it inherits a coat like its Poodle parent, it won’t shed that much but will require regular maintenance such as brushing once a day to ensure its coat does not get tangled. Doing this will also help remove any extra dirt or debris and reduce their risk of skin infection from occurring. 

On the contrary, if this hybrid inherits a coat similar to their Rattle parent, it will be easier to maintain. However, it’s more likely this dog will shed more if it takes after the Rattle parent. Regardless of what coat it inherits, you should aim to brush it at least once a day, ideally using a slicker brush. 

You also don’t want to wash this dog’s coat all the time as it will strip away its natural oils; instead, aim to wash it every 6-8 weeks. When washing, make sure you use veterinary-approved shampoo and take it to the groomers every few months. 

Just like its coat, you should only clip its nails when required; a good sign they need their nails clipping is when you hear them scrape across the floor. 

You can choose to do this yourself; however, if you cut into their nail quick, it can knock their confidence and increase the chance of bleeding, so you might want to get them cut professionally. If they have Poodle like ears, you will also want to check their ears weekly to remove excess dirt, bacteria, or fungus. 

Health problems 💊

Rattle hybrids tend to be very healthy dogs; however, they can sometimes have health issues such as the following:

• Addison’s disease: A hormonal disease where the body does not produce enough cortisol, which contributes to lethargy, increased urination, and unplanned weight loss. The treatment for this is usually through medication.

• Hypothyroidism: This is an endocrine disorder in dogs with an underactive thyroid, causing body functions to slow down. The common signs of this disorder are lethargy, weight gain, and changes to their hair and skin. Treatment usually involves hormone replacement therapy throughout their lifetime. 

• Von Willebrand’s disease: An inherited bleeding disorder where a Rattle has a deficiency of a certain protein preventing their blood from clotting properly. Typical symptoms are bruising of the skin, bloody urine, blood in the stool, prolonged or excessive bleeding after an injury or surgery, and lots more. The treatment for this is often blood transfusions.

• Epilepsy: This is a neurological condition that causes constant seizures and dizzy spells. The major signs of epilepsy in a Rattle are temporary spells of confusion, uncontrollable jerking movements of their arms and legs, anxiety, loss of confusion, and more. The treatment for epilepsy is usually a course of medication. 

Rattle puppies cost 💲

Compared to other doodles, the puppies of this hybrid are quite affordable in the USA, their average price is $300-$800, but you should budget for a lot more. You should also consider their vet bills, shots, chipping, food, toys, and much more when planning to buy. Plus, this price is just for the USA; it may differ based on the country you live in.

Conclusion ✔️

The Rattle is a vocal doodle breed making their presence known anywhere they go. They also have high energy levels due to their passion for jumping, which they inherit from both parents. Because of this, they’re not an ideal dog to own if you live in an apartment as they require a yard with a high fence. This is a designer dog that does not shed much but does need some maintenance depending on what coat they inherit from their parent. 

What’s your favorite quality about the rattle? Let us know in the comments down below.