Breed comparison
Rat Terrier
vs Jack Russell Terrier.
Both are small, whip-smart, prey-driven terriers with an outsized engine for their size, and both are frequently underestimated by people who see the compact frame and expect a lapdog. The Rat Terrier is the more biddable, slightly easier American ratter; the Jack Russell is the more intense, near-bottomless-energy English fox-bolter.
If the choice is close, energy and intensity usually decide it: the Rat Terrier is genuinely high-energy but more workable, the Jack Russell is in a league of its own for drive and determination.
Quick answer
Choose the Rat Terrier for a whip-smart, biddable, genuinely versatile terrier that is still plenty of dog but a touch more workable. Choose the Jack Russell Terrier only if you can match its near-bottomless energy and famously strong prey drive with real daily commitment. Both are far more terrier than their small size suggests, and neither suits a low-effort household.
Rat Terrier
- Trainability
- 8/10
- Energy
- High
- Training difficulty
- 43/100
- Group
- Terrier
Jack Russell Terrier
- Trainability
- 7/10
- Energy
- Very high
- Training difficulty
- 65/100
- Group
- Terrier
Scores from the TailorPup Dog Training Difficulty Index.
Key differences
Trainability
The Rat Terrier edges it at 8/10 vs the Jack Russell 7/10. The Rat Terrier is notably biddable for a terrier and eager to work with its handler; the Jack Russell is just as smart but more independent and determined to do things its own way, especially once prey drive kicks in.
Energy level
This is the sharpest difference. The Jack Russell runs very-high energy, near-bottomless by most accounts, while the Rat Terrier is high energy but a notch more manageable. Both need serious daily outlets, but the Jack Russell demands more of a committed, active lifestyle.
Prey drive
Both carry a strong prey drive from their ratting and hunting pasts, but the Jack Russell is widely considered to have one of the strongest prey drives in the dog world, bred specifically to go to ground after foxes. The Rat Terrier prey drive is real but generally a step less extreme.
Versatility
The Rat Terrier is a genuinely versatile American farm dog that excels at obedience, agility, and earthdog work with a cooperative attitude. The Jack Russell is equally capable in sport and work but channels it with more raw intensity and less patience for repetition.
Which is easier to train?
Both are highly capable terriers (Rat Terrier 8/10, Jack Russell 7/10) but they ask for different handling. The Rat Terrier cooperative streak makes it a slightly easier student that responds well to structured, reward-based sessions. The Jack Russell is just as intelligent but needs its enormous energy burned off before training even starts, and its prey drive means recall around small animals is never fully reliable. Both are terriers underneath the trainability score: bore either one and the mischief starts.
Which one is right for you?
Choose the Rat Terrier
Owners who want a clever, cooperative, genuinely versatile small terrier for obedience, agility, or earthdog work, with slightly more manageable energy than the Jack Russell.
Rat Terrier training guide →Choose the Jack Russell Terrier
Very active, experienced owners who want an intense, relentless working terrier and can commit to serious daily exercise and secure containment for a dog with near-bottomless drive.
Jack Russell Terrier training guide →The verdict
Choose the Rat Terrier for a whip-smart, biddable, genuinely versatile terrier that is still plenty of dog but a touch more workable. Choose the Jack Russell Terrier only if you can match its near-bottomless energy and famously strong prey drive with real daily commitment. Both are far more terrier than their small size suggests, and neither suits a low-effort household.
Frequently asked questions
Which is calmer, a Rat Terrier or a Jack Russell Terrier?
The Rat Terrier is the calmer and more workable of the two, though still high-energy. The Jack Russell runs very-high energy that is often described as near-bottomless, and it is widely considered one of the most demanding small breeds to live with.
Which is easier to train?
The Rat Terrier is marginally easier (8/10 vs the Jack Russell 7/10) thanks to a more cooperative, biddable nature. The Jack Russell is just as intelligent but more independent, especially once its very strong prey drive engages.
Are they good with small pets?
Neither is a safe default around small animals. Both were bred to hunt vermin and have strong prey drives, the Jack Russell especially so, bred specifically to bolt foxes from dens. Secure fencing and careful introductions matter for both.
Whichever you pick, train it right
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