Rattle

Mix: ½ Rat Terrier & ½ Poodle

Size: Varies since both the Rat Terrier and the Poodle come in 3 different sizes (see below for  sizes of both the Rat Terrier & the Poodle.)

Coat: Can be white, black, brown or gray.  Can be solid in color, or be mixed.  Coat is medium length and can take on the wavy coat of the Poodle, or the straight coat of the Rat Terrier.

*Many people with allergies prefer a poodle mix dog as their fur is more hypoallergenic than most dogs (a characteristic inherited from the Poodle).

Rattle

A Rattle is a mix between a Rat Terrier and a Poodle.  They come in a variety of colors and their coats can range from wavy to straight.  If they take on the coat of the Rat Terrier they will be fairly easy to groom as their coat will be shorter and straighter than if they take on the coat of the Poodle which requires frequent grooming.  Both the Rat Terrier and the Poodle come in three different sizes so depending on which size is used in the breeding process will determine the size of the Rattle.

When considering the nature of the Rattle, you must consider the characteristics of both the Rat Terrier and the Poodle separately in order to determine the characteristics the Rattle may exhibit.

Rat Terrier

The Rat Terrier is a very affectionate breed that loves to be with its owner.  They are smart, lovable, and make a loyal companion.  They’re a great pick for a household family dog as they are very social, and get along well with children and other animals.  However, they also do quite well in city dwellings, provided they get enough exercise.  Originally bred to hunt down rats, they have amazing smelling ability, and are very athletic.  They are generally calm in nature and do not have a reputation for being aggressive.  They can be lively and active and will gladly take a walk or run with their owners, but also know when to settle down and enjoy curling up for some down time.  They have a sturdy, strong build with large ears that can either stand in a point, or curl in a downward fold.  Their coat is short and soft and requires little maintenance other than the occasional brushing.  They come in three different sizes as follows:  Standard:  18 – 25 pounds, Miniature:  10 – 18 pounds, Toy:  10 pounds and under.

Poodle

The Poodle comes in three different sizes, toy (10” and under, 6-9 1bs.), miniature (10-15”, 15-17 1bs.), and standard (over 15”, 45-70 1bs.).  The Poodle has been cited as being the 2^nd most intelligent breed of dog.  Their exceptional intelligence, paired with the fact that they are generally very eager to please, empowers them to excel in obedience training.  They learn quickly and will delight in showing off their new tricks.  Poodles are generally very easy to housebreak.  They are loyal and devoted companions, extremely people-oriented, and crave lots of love and attention.  They are typically calm, good natured, with a sweet temperament, and the ability to bond with all members of their human family.  The standard poodle, in particular, does extremely well in families with young children, while the toy and miniatures fair better with older children.  Poodles do not do well in households where they will be left alone for long periods of time, left outside, or bound to one room of the house.  Poodles have an extremely low-shedding, dense coat which is either curly or corded and should be groomed every 6 – 8 weeks to prevent mats and tangles.  If you should so decide, their coat can also be kept short for low-maintenance.  Poodles come in a variety of colors such as silver, cream, gray, blue, black, white, apricot, red, caf-au-lait, brown, and parti-colored.  The Poodle is oftentimes referred to as the hypo-allergenic dog.  But, while there truly is no such thing as a completely hypo-allergenic dog, they are unquestionably more compatible with allergic persons than other breeds.   Being classified as highly energetic, the poodle, like most dogs, will appreciate daily exercise, such as a walk, play session, or a run at the dog park.

Click here to see complete listing of all Poodle mixes.

SUBMIT A PHOTO OF YOUR RATTLE DOG! Simply use the comments and image uploader section, below.

Photo submitted by: Lillian  9/2/12

This is Barkley he is a gray, black, and white 1/2 rat terrier and 1/2 toy po0dle.
He has been part of our family since he was 8 weeks old. He is very energetic and enjoys a good run or bike ride at the park always keeping up. He is a very loyal companion and we love him very much.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo submitted by: Nanina the Wayside Artist 9/27/12

I’m in love with my playful, good natured, female mini poodle rat terrier mix, Poppy. She’s almost 7 months old, attending puppy club to socialize once a month, and has started puppy obedience classes. She loves to dig, hide her bones, chase squirrels, bark at cats, watch cars pass, and play ball for ever and ever. Most of the time, she ends her days with a dirty nose and a grin.
 
 
 
 
 

Photo submitted by: Krystal 10/22/12

Abbey would like to say hello She is 6 months old, very energetic, and playful. Abbey takes to her training very well. I would recommend this breed to anyone that has the time to give it the appropriate exercise and attention that it needs.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo submitted by: Callie 5/4/13
 
This is Penny. She’s a rattle and So sweet and cuddly. She is also athletic and game for anything. She’s very attached to her humans and gives all kinds of kisses. She is so good and trustworthy she doesn’t need a leash for much around our neighborhood. We adore her!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Barbara 7/12/13

Lilly has had her DNA tested and. Is 1/2 Rat Terrier and 1/2. Poodle. She is a certified Therapy Dog with Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care and just took her first “under the seat in front of me” plane trip. She is our third dog we have adopted from our local animal shelter and by far the sweetest, most loveable, smartest dog we have ever had. I would adopt another Rattle in a heartbeat !
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo submitted by: Chris 9/15/13

Chewie was the smartest, most loyal dog I’ve ever known. We lost him to cancer recently, but my wife and I love him immensely. I will be looking for another rattle.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Brenda 10/23/13

This is Kona. She is a Rattle and the sweetest companion. Loyal and always gives an energetic greeting to all 8 of us in our family. She is about 18 pounds. Doesn’t shed, and her hair seems to grow at such a slow pace– we just groom her at home. She came from a litter of 3 – one had short hair like a terrier, one had really curly hair like a poodle and then there was Kona – with a mix of both. Kona is soooo smart and loves to learn tricks and extremely loyal. She will stay with us without a leash and is just so happy to be part of the family. Great dog.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Alysha 11/3/13

Zoey. Half miniature rat terrier half toy poodle
This is the sweetest little dog I have ever had! I have always had poodles and love them but my little Zoey blows them out of the water! She is so hyper and requires a lot of attention but that’s what I love so much about her! She is ALWAYS in a love able mood! Wouldn’t take anything for her! She is a wonderful mix of the 2 breeds! Always finds a way to brighten my day!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Brenda 2/11/14

This is Callie . No DNA test yet but she resembles the rattle. She loves to cuddle and is very loving. Thank you for your assistance in discovering who she could be!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Kimberly 6/10/14

LOVE our little Koa Mae(Mae Mae for short), 3 months old

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Ashley 6/20/14

This is Ayden. Ayden is half Rat Terrier and half Poodle. I’ve had Ayden since he was 8weeks old and I must say I never thought I could become so attached to him. I’m a first time pet owner so everything was brand new to me. Ayden is very playful and is such a sweetheart. He follows me all around the house and loves to cuddle at anytime and anyplace.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Julianicholle 2/17/15

Sebastian Bailey is my 3 yr old rttle. I hv had him since he was a puppy & he is the most loyal dog a gi could ask for!! He also loves taking selfies & sleeping on top if my head =)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Debbie 3/10/15

This is our rattle, Peanut. We got her when she was about 5 mos old.We didn’t know it at the time, but she was a victim of a puppy farm. I never used to like dogs because they were so big. Peanut stays between 9-11#’s. When I discovered how sweet the little dogs can be, I fell head over tea kettle in love! She has been a part of our family for about 4.5yrs. We have had her designated as an Emotional Support Animal for me and she does her job very well. We have never regretted getting her and she will stay with us until she crosses the Rainbow Bridge.
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Kate 3/17/15

This is Dancer, he’s 1/2 toy poodle & 1/2 minature rat terrier. Had him since he was 10 weeks old, he’s now 5 yrs old. Sweet, loyal, and very playful. Loves for me to hide his “cookies” for him to find.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Shelly 5/31/15

This is Toodles. She is a Toodle, aka Rattle. She was my angel, and now is my Angel.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Jan 6/13/15

Audra is miniature rat terrier mix and poodle. She is very intelligent, eager to please, energetic, friendly, and loves to retrieve tennis balls. She is loyal, playful and good with small children. She adores attention and will stay with us without a leash. Training has never been a problem. She senses what you need and expect. Absolutely a joy to be with! First small dog we have owned and we think we have the best dog ever!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Greta 7/15/15

This is Gabby. She is the best dog ever. She is a Rattle. She always beats her two brothers to the ball when we play fetch. She loves to curl up with anyone who sits on the couch. She loves everyone.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Jacqui 7/24/15

This is little Lexi. She is about 3 months old. I have only had her for a week. She is not only very cute but also very mischievous and energetic.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Doug and Kim Griswold

This is our little Rattle, “Yuma”. She was born on Christmas Eve 2007. She’s a ball of energy and has learned a lot of tricks. We have a huge backyard and pond where she loves to run like the wind and chase off any Canadian Geese that try to settle down. She’s sweet, devoted, and a great watch dog (has super hearing). When she was a pup, she was very small and loved to curl up on my shoulder when we watched TV, and even to this day, loves to sit on my shoulder!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Emily 10/2/15

Dodger is an one year old rattle. He is very easy going and intelligent. He knows many tricks and has a good personality. 🙂 He is 1/2 rat terrier 1/2 mini poodle. We got him from The American Quarter Horse Congress puppy tent 🙂
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Lynette Setzkorn 11/18/15

This is Deaf Betty Cly, who I’ve just discovered is a Rat Terrier / Poodle cross, a Rattle! She is the live of my life, deaf since we’ve had her (almost ten years). She was found roaming a construction site in Oklahoma City, but she’d already been spayed, so once had a home. I’m amazed at how much she looks like the white version of these little dogs. She is the best puppy ever.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Additional photo of Deaf Betty Cly, submitted by: Lynette Setzkorn
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photo Submitted by: Kristen Graff 11/25/15

This is Mia! Is she smoking a puppy cigar? No, it’s her bone. As my boyfriend commented, “she is one classy bitch!” We got her from the animal shelter and had no idea what reed mix she was. The vet didn’t even know. There has been much speculation…..until now. My boyfriend found these pictures yesterday and, mystery solved. By looking at some of these pictures, it seems like she is most definitely a rattle.

Mia is certainly very athletic, energetic (she can run full speed for 1 mile, no lie), fiercely loyal, extremely affectionate and the silliest dog we have ever had; She’s bananas! She is so much fun but sometimes we wish we could take out her vocal chords because she barks at anyone and anything that she is not intimately comfortable with. She will also chase anyone and anything……and then, of course, there is the biting. However, I attribute the barking, chasing and biting to her being a pound puppy who is very protective of her family. Also, I suspect most of the barking is because she’s a Chatty Cathy who has a lot to say!
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Linda 1/19/16

We recently purchased a pup and they told us she was a Rattle. Can anyone confirm by the photo that she is a Rattle. She kind of looks more like a MaltiPoo to me.

REPLY: Linda, Wow, I have to agree with you that your pup does look like a Maltipoo, although it is often difficult to tell for sure. Most of the Rattles take on a bit more of a wiry coat, but if you look at a couple of the photos submitted (above), such as “Toodles” or “Ayden” they have a look possibly closer to your pup (?) If you wanted to know for sure you could always do a DNA test, (more info on that here…..dog DNA Test). Otherwise, as your puppy grows, I suppose time will tell…your puppy may change in looks as she gets older and perhaps the breeds will become more clearly defined at that point. Have you asked your vet? Sometimes they can pinpoint the mix of breeds within a dog so that may be a resource for you too.
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Jude 5/2/16

This is Minnie-Rella Petunia who is a Rattle. She is a mix of rat terrier and toy poodle. Minnie-rella came to us as a gift from a sweet family who could no longer keep her. She has become a precious part of our family. She is super active. She may be tiny but she has a huge personality. We are crazy in love with this little girl.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Marcia 8/18/16

My baby was left in the desert at 5 weeks old. Didn’t know her breed until I accidentally found it on google She is a rat terrier
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo submitted by: Ann Aylott 8/30/16

Our little Lucy was a rescue puppy out of Tijuana , WE ADOPTED HER AT 3 MONTHS, SHE IS NOW 7 MONTHS.
She’s our first rescue, out of our 3 little dogs. Lucy is the most fun loving little girl, at the dog park, she is the life of the party. She runs like a greyhound , and all like to chase her or be chased by her. She is so gentle and sensitive. We were told she was a min pin mix or Jack Russell. We had a DNA test done, and were most surprised when she came back. As a Rattle. We love her to bits!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Lori 9/10/16

Gia Bikinis. I adopted her from a rescue group 3 years ago. I was never sure what breeds she is. Now I’m thinking she looks like a rattle. Don’t know but she is the sweetest little girl and the love of my life.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Madison 11/20/16

This is our dog Gruedle. We rescued her from a kill shelter when she was sell a puppy. She had been severely abused by her previous owners and there was physical evidence of this. She, despite her past, turned out to be a very sweet dog. She can be destructive, though she is highly intelligent. We think she may be a Rattle, or otherwise a Pootalian, though we aren’t sure which one.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by:  Catrese West  1/19/17

This is my little rattle Ava! She is the smartest little dog I have ever seen. She does tricks, goes out on her own and never leaves the yard. She was trained very quickly and LOVES affection. She is energetic and loves everyone. AND she only barks when she is begging for food! I used to have mice in the winter….not since I got her! I don’t know what she’s doing to them but I haven’t seen any. Long story short, I couldn’t ask for a better little companion.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Sherry Mothershead 11/15/17

His name is SWIFFER, for the floor cleaning product. Husband named him. LOL! Adopted from the Shelter in September after our boy passed away. We NEEDED him. He’d been at the shelter for 1& 1/2months, taken to two adoption events, and no one wanted him. I had his DNA tested, Poodle/Rat terrier, a little cocker spaniel. Personality fits completely. Intelligent, affectionate. He’ll have us until.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo Submitted by: Sarah Whitscell 4/2/18

This is Leelah the Toy Poodle, Miniature Rat Terrier mix. She is super loyal and bonded strong with me. I couldn’t imagine life without her. I adore this little dog so much. She loves to run and bark, and we never have to wonder if someone pulls in the driveway cause she lets us know right away! Lol. Leelah’s favorite game is to play catch. She also is great at keeping rodents away from the house and me warm at night!