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| 1.
Photo Guide Page 1
Black, Tan/Tan Sable, Chocolate, and Blue Colors.
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BLACK
Is the most common of all Rat Terrier colors. A black and white dog with tan point markings is often referred to as the CLASSIC TRI as it is considered by many to be the typical Rat Terrier color and a common favorite. Blacks have black noses and black eye rims.
   
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TAN / TAN SABLE
Is also a common Rat Terrier color. Tan may vary from very light buckskin to deep mahogany red, often darkening with age. Black sable hairs are common on tan dogs and are typically dense at birth and lessen with maturity (see page 3: SABLE) Tan is not a dilute color as all tan dogs have black noses and eye rims.
For more information about the Tan color see: A STUDY OF TAN
   
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CHOCOLATE
Was once considered unusual, but is now a common Rat Terrier color. Chocolates vary from from dark, liver chocolate to very light, reddish chocolate, often referred to as High Red Chocolate. The definitive feature of a Chocolate Rat Terrier is the chocolate (non-black) nose. Chocolate may be called Liver or Red in other breeds. Chocolate is not a dilute but a restrictive color as the dog cannot produce black pigment or black hairs. Tan puppies occasionally appear chocolate at birth but if the nose color fills in black, the puppy is tan.
   
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BLUE
Is a true dilute and appears as gray or gray-blue on the dog. Blue is called Maltese Blue in some breeds and is genetically a black dog with the dilute gene affecting the black color at a cellular level. The nose color is generally dark blue and adult eye color may be dark blue, golden or hazel. Light blue puppy eyes usually turn amber with maturity. A condition of baldness called CDA (Color Dilution Alopecia) is a problem in some breeds that have dilutes and it is believed that risks of CDA increase when dilutes are bred to each other. As yet, CDA is not a common problem in Rat Terriers, but avoiding the breeding of dilutes to dilutes is recommended and seems to be a wise precaution.
   
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Photo Guide Page 1:
Black, Tan/Tan Sable, Chocolate, Blue
Photo Guide Page 2:
Blue Fawn, Pearl (Isabella), Apricot, Lemon, White
Photo Guide Page 3: Patterns
Bi, Tri, Piebald, Tuxedo, Sable, Ticking, Saddleback/Blanket Back, Calico
Photo Guide Page 4:
Faulted and Disqualified Colors
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| 2.
Photo Guide Page 2
Blue Fawn, Pearl (Isabella), Apricot, Lemon, and White colors.
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BLUE FAWN
Might also be described as Blue Sabled Tan. Typical of sabling, the blue hairs are dense on a young puppy (see SABLE) and lessen as they age, leaving the dog more tan in appearance, but the blue nose remains. If the adult nose is a dark blue and the sabling scant, the dog may appear to be tan rather than blue sabled tan. Knowing the puppy's color helps identify the dog's color as an adult. Since these dogs manifest the blue(dilute) gene it is recommended that they not be bred to another dilute.
* * * * * * * A WORD FROM THE ARTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS * * * * * * *The term BLUE FAWN has had a confusing history in the Rat Terrier breed. At the time of the Color Guide development in March 2001 "Blue Fawn" was used to describe 2 color variations. Both were rare in Rat Terriers at that time and their genetic makeup was unclear. Now, we know these 2 colors are genetically unique and need their own color designation. As of August 24, 2005, UKC approved the use of any color or pattern term (except DQ's) for Rat Terrier registration. Breeders may now register their dog's color or pattern with any term they feel is appropriate.
   
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PEARL or ISABELLA
Is a dilute of chocolate. It is called Isabella in Daschunds and Dobermans but is commonly referred to as Pearl in Rat Terriers. Sometimes called Fawn in Dobermans, Lilac in Beagles and Drapp in the older Great Dane literature. You may hear it described as The Weimeraner Color. These puppies appear silvery taupe at birth, with a pinkish hue when held in the sun. The color darkens as they age but remains even in coloration. The nose is self colored (same as the coat) or pinkish mauve in appearance. It is recommended this color (a dilute) not be bred to another dilute.
   
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APRICOT
Is an interesting and sometimes hard to define color. Apricots, like lemons, can be born white or with faint color and color intensifies with age. Both apricots and lemons can range from very light yellow to orange. The colored areas typically appear faded with uneven color. The apricot develops a black nose and the lemon develops a self colored or light nose within the first few weeks. Nose color is the defining feature. To add to "the fun" of identification, the youthful apricot's black nose may develop into a faded or SNOW nose with maturity, making him appear to be lemon. The snow nose becomes blacker again in summer but never as black as it was before.
   
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LEMON
Colored Rat Terriers are similar to apricots in many ways. Both may be born white or with some color that intensifies with age. Both have color patches that may appear unevenly faded or washed out. Both may vary from light yellow to orange. When puppy nose pigment fills in, the lemon will have a self colored or light nose and the apricot will have a black nose. Lemons will also retain lighter eye rims. The lemon dog that matures with a darker than usual nose will still have a dark brownish background to it rather than black. It will never show black.
   
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WHITE
Rat Terriers are rarely completely white but have small black spots or flecks on the ears or tail. White follows a pattern, and when white dogs have color it is seen on the upper parts of the body (ears, tail, head). White Rat Terriers have black noses but may not always have black eye rims. Extensive research has shown that lack of pigment (extreme white) and white with patches of color (piebald) carries risks of deafness. Extreme white Rat Terriers are still few in numbers but BAER (hearing) tests are recommended as well as caution with this color.
For more information on white related animal deafness go to: HEREDITARY DEAFNESS IN DOGS
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| 3.
Photo Guide Page 3
Bi, Tri, Piebald, Tuxedo, Sable, Ticking, Saddleback/Blanket Back and Calico patterns.
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BI-COLOR and TRI-COLOR
Bi-Color: Two colors, one being white. The two dogs on the left are Bi-Colored.
Tri-Color: Three colors, one being white. The two dogs on the right are Tri-Colored.
   
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PIEBALD
Is the most common of Rat Terrier patterns, but a strange-sounding term to newcomers. A piebald dog has irregular but well defined patches of color on a white background. The term is adapted from horse terminology and synonymous with the word Pinto.
   
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TUXEDO
Is known as Black and Tan in many breeds. It is also called Irish Spotting White or Tan Point in other breeds. Since the Rat Terrier comes in many colors the term tuxedo covers them all, describing the dog with a solid body color which extends down the legs, leaving the feet either tan, tan and white, or white only. Tuxedos must have white somewhere on the body and it is usually seen as a patch of white on the chest.
   
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SABLE
Or Sabling is a layer of darker colored hairs or dark tipped hairs seen around the muzzle, eyes, ears, spine and tail. While sabling is most commonly seen as black hairs on tan, there are also blue sabling and dark chocolate sabling on tan dogs. Sabling is dense at birth and lessens as the dog matures. Some sabled puppies mature with no visible sabling but will carry it genetically and may throw sabled offspring.
   
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TICKING
Is flecks of color on a white background and is common in hound breeds. Ticking increases with maturity, and may be light or heavy or absent. A tri colored dog may have 2 colors of ticking on white. ROAN is not mentioned in the Rat Terrier Breed Standard (currently under review), but commonly seen in heavily ticked hound breeds and typically appears as white spots on darker background.
   
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SADDLEBACK and BLANKET BACK
Are piebald dogs with saddle or blanket-sized color patches on their backs. These are general descriptive terms just to help create a mental picture of the dog's appearance. The two dogs on the left have Saddleback patterns, while the two dogs on the right have Blanket Back patterns.
   
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CALICO
Is a tri color dog whose tan color is found in irregular patches anywhere on the dog. Typically, a puppy's point markings spread until they create a mask appearance or completely cover the face and head. Calicos may be black, chocolate or blue. It may take months to determine if the dog is becoming a calico so this is not usually included on registration papers. The term Red Headed Calico is commonly used to describe the dog whose tan or reddish-tan color has spread to the top of his head.
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| 4.
Photo Guide Page 4
Faulted and Disqualified Colors and Patterns.
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FAULTED COLORS AND PATTERNS CONSIDERED UNDESIRABLE FOR THIS BREED BUT THE DOG MAY STILL BE REGISTERED
These dogs may be penalized in the show ring and breeding for these colors or patterns is strongly discouraged.
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FALLOW WITH BLACK MASK (currently under review)
Is a heavy, dark pigmentation around the mouth and muzzle and a fixed trait in the Pug, Boxer, and Bull Mastiff breeds. Only the BLACK mask on the FALLOW dog is currently mentioned in the UKC Breed Standard but this mask also occurs in blue and chocolate dogs and is less obvious in those colors. The mask may be completely or partially hidden by white facial markings but still carried genetically. It may also be hidden on the black dog. DNA testing is now available to detect the genetic black mask marker in these dogs.
   
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* * * * * * * A WORD FROM THE ARTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS * * * * * * *
The following colors are also listed as FAULTS in the ARTA COLOR GUIDE and UKC RAT TERRIER BREED STANDARD but are generally disregarded because they are inherently confusing as described and photos will only add to that confusion. We are currenlty discussing all of our faulted colors with UKC. Any subsequent revisions will be reflected here and in the UKC Rat Terrier Breed Standard as soon as they are completed.
FAWN: Pale yellowish tan with self-colored nose
CREAM: Pale yellow to off white
SILVER: Extreme dilution of blue
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DISQUALIFIED COLORS AND PATTERNS PROHIBITED AND NOT REGISTERABLE
Some have health risks associated with them while others carry no health risks. Breeding for these colors is in violation of the ARTA Code of Ethics.
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BRINDLE
Presents no health risks and is a common pattern in many breeds. Brindling appears as linear stripes of color on the dog and may be any combination of colors. Brindles can vary from faint and subtle to bold and distinct. This pattern may be hidden by black and still carried genetically.
   
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MERLE
Is called Dapple in Dachshunds. The Harlequin Great Dane is genetically merle. Merle is associated with health risks involving the sensory organs, i.e., sight and hearing. When merle is bred to merle the risks escalate and may even result in death to the fetus. Dog breeds that allow merle and breed for this pattern must handle those risks with great care.
   
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ALBINO
Is RARE in any breed and generally considered a mutation. Albino is often associated with vision, hearing, structural and even temperament problems.
For more information on the various types of albinism and the research into this subject, go to: WHITEDOBES.COM
   
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The following DISQUALIFIED colors are self-explanatory (NO PHOTOS NEEDED):
ABSENCE OF WHITE
Any Rat Terrier that lacks white somewhere on the coat.
ANY SOLID COLOR OTHER THAN WHITE
Self explanatory
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Photo Guide Page 1:
Black, Tan/Tan Sable, Chocolate, Blue
Photo Guide Page 2:
Blue Fawn, Pearl (Isabella), Apricot, Lemon, White
Photo Guide Page 3: Patterns
Bi, Tri, Piebald, Tuxedo, Sable, Ticking, Saddleback/Blanket Back, Calico
Photo Guide Page 4:
Faulted and Disqualified Colors
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