Treeing Cur vs Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz - Breed Comparison

Long ago the English visited Spain to sample their wines, bringing with them smooth coated English Fox Terriers which were later crossed with other dog breeds of the area.

It is believed that the Andalusia Ratter’s ancestors were smooth coated fox terriers. The Club Nacional del Perro Andaluz Ratonero Bodeguero was established and in 1993 a standard for the breed was set.

It is only fairly recently that the breed was recognized by the Royal Canine Society of Spain but it isn’t recognized by any of the major kennel clubs.

The Treeing Cur dog is a mixed-breed, working dog which hails from the USA and recognized by the United Kennel Club in November 1998.

They’ve always been used to tree animals such as squirrels, raccoons, bears, and even mountain lions. They were developed to be used as hunting and guarding dogs.

Aside from these good qualities, today the dog makes an excellent family companion.

Also known as the Spanish Jack Russell, the Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz looks very similar to this popular Jack Russell Terrier.

He is a small to medium sized dog with a lean, muscular body. The Ratonero developed in the south of Spain and is thought to be a mix of local ratting dogs and Fox Terriers. This ensured a quick, agile hunter.

The dog stands at between 35 – 43cm in height and weighs 6 - 9kg. The dog’s head is fairly small with dark brown eyes and half erect-half floppy ears. The coat is mainly white with some freckling. It is short and smooth with shades of black and tan covering the facial area. Some of these dogs are born with a natural bob-tail.

Temperament:

These dogs are known to have robust, hearty, happy personalities, full of the joys of living. They get on well with children as well as other pets if they have grown up with them.

Introductions should be slow if one of these dogs are brought into a home where there are already other pets. He is a very active breed and will be requiring plenty of mental stimulation and physical exercise.

They can provide quite a bit of entertainment for their human families as they can become quite clownish. They’re the kind of dogs that can adapt to life in the countryside or the city.

Standing at between 46 – 61cm in height and weighing between 14 – 27kg, the medium-sized Treeing Cur is athletic and muscular.

He has a short to medium-length double coat that can be in a number of colors. Red and white, tan and white, black and white, brindle, some freckling and bi-colored or tri-colored.

The eyes are mostly brown but can be green or blue too. They’re well-muscled and robust and have medium length floppy ears. The tail is mostly docked but is sometimes left long.

Temperament:

These dogs are alert and intelligent, being easy to train and wanting to please their owners, getting along well with all members of the family, including children and other dogs.

They’re strong-willed dogs and will require training and socialization if you want them to be well behaved wherever they are. He is intelligent so there won’t be any trouble with training him. He is very responsive to what his owner requires of him, with a desire to make their owners pleased with them.

Your Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz to this day is a ratter, always alert and ready to spring on prey. He is always lively and friendly, and with his loving nature, makes a splendid companion for his human family.

He is also a stubborn dog, liking to go his own way, and therefore will require training and socialization. He is an adaptable little dog too and when you bring him into your home he is willing to adapt to your way of life and become a loyal and loving member of your family.

The Treeing Cur is a working dog that loves all the action. He is an alert, intelligent dog, and being territorial and protective, he makes an excellent guardian dog too.

They can show some aggression towards strangers and other dogs they don’t know. Apart from being an excellent hunting dog, the Treeing Cur loves to be around their human family, making loyal and loving companions.

With good care, your Andalusian Ratter isn’t likely to get sick, but still, you would be better off knowing about some of the common dog diseases your pet could get.

Legge Perthe’s Disease:

This is usually seen in young dogs where there is lameness in the hind legs and hip pain. It is believed that Legge Perthe’s occurs because of a genetic predisposition, and when it develops, there is sadly no cure.

Skin Infections:

Skin infections may seem fairly mild but nothing can be further from the truth. They can be painful and frustrating. Skin redness, dryness, itchiness and pain can cause your pet to lick and bite and make the situation worse. If your pet is being driven crazy by a skin irritation, get him to the vet who will do a complete physical examination.

Other diseases to be aware of include hip dysplasia, obesity, epilepsy and bloat.

These dogs are very healthy and you’re not likely to have many vet bills when you bring one into your home.

However, there are always some diseases that can plague dogs and these are -

Ear Infections:

The Treeing Cur has floppy ears, and particularly if it's a dog that loves swimming, it will battle with moisture in the ears. Dogs with floppy ears don’t have good air-flow inside the ears like a dog with erect ears would have. This means that the dog is prone to ear infections.

Cancer:

This is such a common dog illness that can strike even young dogs. That is why it is important to check your dog over regularly for lumps and bumps on the body. Age increases the risk of cancer, so if you feel an unusual lump on your Treeing Cur, better to have your dog checked out at the vet.

This is a fairly low maintenance dog as the short smooth coat will be easy to brush twice a week.

Check him over for unusual lumps, trim his nails and check inside his ears, look into his eyes to ensure they are bright and alert and look inside his mouth to make sure he doesn’t have any rotten teeth.

Have your pet neutered or spayed if you want to avoid puppies. This can be beneficial for your pet’s health too.

Feed your Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz only the best food there is. If you opt for commercially manufactured food, make sure its full of vitamins and minerals. Your little pet will want consistency and simplicity with his food to avoid digestive problems.

Try and provide him with some home-made food which can be added to the dry kibble twice a week as a treat. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots all chopped up ad mixed into the dry kibble will ensure your pet’s health.

Some raw meat added in occasionally will also go towards ensuring his good health.

Always make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.

Provide him with a safe, dry, warm, comfortable place to sleep.

Get him to the vet when you see he is sick.

Ensure he has sun and shade in the garden.

Never ever leave him in a hot car.

Exercise:

Being an energetic working dog, this dog isn’t going to be content to be lying around. He is going to need regular exercise. He loves a brisk walk or even a run next to you when you go cycling.

When at home, you can consider ball games and hide and seek games with him. They just love to run, and if you live near a park, he will want to be off the leash if possible for some free running and sniffing around.

They’re smart dogs and will need some form of mental stimulation as well.

Grooming:

The short coat of the Treeing Cur will do well with a brush twice a week. While you brush your dog, check him out for ticks and fleas. Also, check him over for any unusual lumps.

Part of his grooming should be to check inside his ears for signs of redness, to make sure his eyes are nice and bright still and to see if he will let you look inside his mouth for bad teeth. Bad teeth can be a source of pain for him.

Make sure to keep his nail trimmed as well.

Diet:

Caring for your Treeing Cur in a responsible manner means ensuring good food. Such an active dog will require proper nutrients so as to meet his energy and health needs.

Your Treeing Cur will need a high-quality commercially manufactured dog food for active dogs and they will also benefit from other simple cooked foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables. The habit of feeding your Treeing Cur human foods such as chocolates, popcorn, peanuts, onions and spices could cause digestive upsets and possible vet fees.

Make sure your pet has constant access to fresh, cool water.