History
The Rat-A-Pap is the cross between the Rat terrier and the Papillon. They have large raised ears with a defined head which adds a peculiar alert expression on their face. These dogs are plumpy and chubby, with a tapered snout.
Temperament & Personality
These charming dogs are also smart and intelligent. Being highly spirited dogs, they love to run around in the house. They are known to be curious and continuously sneak into places in search of small creatures. Since they are eager to please their owner all the time, they are often seen following their owner and trying to get his/her attention.
Exercise
Being highly energetic, the Rapapaps needs a daily one-hour activity session to maintain their bone and muscle health. A long walk in the dog park or half an hour of playtime will satiate its exercise needs. It is because of their Rat terrier ancestry that this breed is a great jumper and digger, thus they excel in all kind of agility sports.
Grooming
Easy to maintain, these dogs just need weekly brushing to keep their coat clean and matt-free. To remove the dirt and dead hair from the dog’s coat, the groomer should use grooming tools like a soft brush and rubber mitt.
Health Problems
Issues like Patellar Luxation, Demodectic Mange, Hypoglycemia, Allergies, Progressive Retinal Atrophy can affect this dog. A common health problem called the Misalignment of the jaw structure can also affect a Rat-A-Pap.
Training
The trainer can use the inherited curiosity of the Ratapaps to make the overall training sessions more fun and playful. Same activities and tricks should not be continued for an extended period as this may make the training session boring for the dog. Early socialization training of the pups between 8-10 weeks will prevent them from becoming aggressive and grumpy upon seeing a stranger in the future.
Obedience training such as come and stay commands will stop the dog from chasing animals and birds. The trainer should make sure that the dog gets appropriately praised and rewarded in the training process. This will, in turn, accelerate the training process.
Feeding
Rat-A-Paps needs a daily intake of one to two cups of quality dog foods prescribed by a proper Vet doctor.
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