Pug vs Rat Terrier

Compare the Pug to the Rat Terrier. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Pugs and Rat Terriers.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - Both the Rat Terrier and the Pug are good for new owners, but the Rat Terrier is a slightly better choice.
Children - Both the Pug and Rat Terrier are great with children.
Grooming - The Rat Terrier is very easy to groom. The Pug has high grooming requirements.
Barking - The Pug has an above-average tendency to bark. The Rat Terrier rarely barks.

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Pug vs Rat Terrier

Breed Name	Pug	Rat Terrier
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	12-18 yrs.
Height	10-14 in.	10-18 in.
Weight	13-20 lb	10-24 lb
Intelligence	Below Average	High
History
Origin Country	China	United States
Origin Year	206 BC	1800 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Very Good	Good
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Personality
	Affectionate Enjoys Attention Jealous Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Likes To Snuggle Stubborn	Affectionate Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	No	Yes
Medium Yard	No	Yes
Large Yard	No	No
Temperature Tolerance ¹	55°F to 80°F	45°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Often	Rarely
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	Low	Medium
Exercise Required	Low	Medium
Top Running Speed	12 mph	27 mph
Strength	Low	Low-Medium
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	High	Low-Medium
Shedding	High	Medium
Dander	High	Medium
Drool Amount	None	None

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Pug	Rat Terrier
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	Yes	Yes
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	No	No
Average	Yes	No
Focused & Patient	No	Yes
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Below Average	Average
Chasing	Below Average	High
Follow Commands	Below Average	High
Fighting	Below Average	Below Average
Guarding	Below Average	Below Average
Herding	Below Average	Very Low
Hunting	Below Average	High
Protection	Below Average	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Below Average	High
Sledding	Very Low	Very Low
Watch	Below Average	Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Pug	Rat Terrier
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	12-18 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	Yes	No
Cheyletiella Dermatitis	Yes	No
Corneal Ulcers	Yes	No
Demodectic Mange	Yes	No
Distichiasis	Yes	No
Dry Eye	Yes	No
Entropion	Yes	No
Epilepsy	Yes	No
Eye Problems	No	Yes
Heart Problems	No	Yes
Hemi-vertebrae	Yes	No
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	Yes
Legg-perthes Disease	Yes	Yes
Nerve Degeneration	Yes	No
Patellar Luxation	Yes	Yes
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	Yes	No
Proptosis	Yes	No
Pug Dog Encephalitis	Yes	No
Staph Infection	Yes	No
Vaccination Sensitivity	Yes	No
Yeast Infection	Yes	No

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Pug	Rat Terrier
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	No
Single Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Straight	Yes	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Short	Yes	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black	Yes	No
Fawn	Yes	No
Black & White	No	Yes
Black, Tan, & White	No	Yes
Blue, White, & Tan	No	Yes
Red, White, & Sable	No	Yes
White	No	Yes
White & Apricot	No	Yes
White & Blue	No	Yes
White & Chocolate	No	Yes
White & Fawn	No	Yes
White & Lemon	No	Yes
White & Red	No	Yes
White & Silver	No	Yes
White & Tan	No	Yes
White, Blue, & Fawn	No	Yes
White, Chocolate, & Tan	No	Yes