Overview
The Ca Rater Mallorquí is a small ratting dog from Mallorca, a lean, fine-boned terrier type with prick ears, a smooth coat in black and tan or tricolour, and a natural or docked short tail. It is a working farm dog in origin, and it is recognised only within Spain. You are very unlikely to meet one in Britain.
Ratters across the Mediterranean share a type: alert, fast, confident, quick to bark and quick to chase anything small. Expect that, and expect a dog that is more athletic and more opinionated than its size suggests.
Exercise and walking needs
An hour a day in two walks with some free running in a secure space suits an adult. They are quick and agile and enjoy a game as much as a walk.
Play matters. A ball or a tug toy and a few minutes of find-it give the dog something to hunt that is not a mouse.
On the walk
- Recall: Fair with training, poor when a rat, mouse or squirrel appears. Use a long line in open spaces.
- Other dogs: Confident and sometimes snappy with pushy dogs. Fine with calm company; careful with big, boisterous ones.
- Lead: Light but quick. A harness stops a sudden dash from jarring a small neck.
- Weather: A thin coat on a small body. Cold rain is unpleasant for them; add a coat and keep moving.
Tips for professional walkers
- Keep the lead on near roads; a ratter moves faster than you can react.
- Carry a favourite toy to redirect a chase before it starts.
- Look over the coat for ticks after walks in long grass; there is little hair to hide them.
- Watch for a skip in the back leg, which in small dogs can mean a slipping kneecap worth reporting.
What to ask the owner
- How does the dog react to small animals and to other small dogs?
- Does it have any patella or dental problems?
- Is it used to a harness, and does it wear a coat in winter?