The Toy Rat Doxie is the result of a cross between the Dachshund and the American Rat Terrier. Both parent breeds were originally for ratting and hunting, and it is inevitable that the resulting offspring is a hardworking dog with a high prey drive.
The American Rat Terrier has been a long-time favorite of rural households across the US, since the Dust Bowl era. Kept for maintaining households, barns and farms vermin-free, the Rat Terrier is somewhat associated with feists, a small type of lively, mixed-breed native dogs, but its ancestry is most probably rooted in Beagle, Greyhound, Miniature Pinscher, and some English terriers.
The Dachshund, literally "badger dog," is a German breed known the world over for its distinctive appearance. It is a low, long dog, well-muscled and well-equipped to hunt prey both above and below ground. There is some debate as to whether it is part of the hound or the terrier group, as it exhibits characteristics of both. It is one of the most popular and recognizable dog breeds today.
