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This is our first Decker. We had a TRT (Type B Rat Terrier) for 13 years.
Decker Hunting Terrier Breed Maintenance
The Decker Hunting Terrier has a short, single-layer coat that’s fairly easy to maintain. It’ll shed moderately year-round, but brushing it once every one or two weeks with a slicker brush or grooming glove will help with this.
They won’t require bathing too often. Instead, if they are dirty, you can simply wipe them with a damp cloth. When you do give them a bath, choose the shampoo carefully as they can be prone to skin allergies.
Make sure to check, clean and dry their ears to prevent infections. Terrier breeds like the Fox Terrier and Rat Terrier that the Decker Hunting Terrier were developed from are also slightly more likely to get dental disease, so it’s important to clean their teeth regularly. You should also trim their nails when required.
Decker Hunting Terrier health risks
The Decker Hunting Terrier is generally a healthy breed with very few health issues.
A few major concerns you should be aware of with this breed are:
Heart Conditions — including mitral valve dysplasia and arrhythmia
There’s also a chance of demodectic mange, skin allergies as well as eye diseases and disorders — but these are only relatively minor concerns.
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Patellar Luxation
Patellar Luxation is when the kneecap becomes dislocated from the knee joint. This is usually hereditary. It can be present at birth although may not be noticed until they are around six weeks old — this is classed as congenital. If it develops later in life then it’s classed as developmental. It occurs most often in the back legs. Symptoms to look out for include limping, swelling and inability to bend the knee. There are four grades which will depend on the severity and they may require surgery to treat it.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia can occur in one or both hips. It may be something they get when they are older but it can occur from as early as 16 weeks. This is when the ball and socket rubs and grinds because it hasn’t formed properly in the hip joint. Working breeds are among the dogs most likely to be affected due to the strenuous activity. Their movement will be restricted and it will become very painful for them. Treatment may start with diet and weight management but oral supplements, physiotherapy and surgery are likely to be required too.
Heart Conditions
There are several heart conditions your dog could get. They might get heart disease with the most common including, mitral valve dysplasia, irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and enlarged heart (dilated cardiomyopathy.) Symptoms to look out for including coughing and breathlessness. There is a chance they could have heart failure or a heart attack while puppies can be born with a congenital heart defect.
Treatment will depend on your dog’s specific heart condition, although it’s likely they’ll require medication. If you suspect they have a problem with their heart then they need to be seen by a vet as soon as possible.
Feeding a Decker Hunting Terrier — what’s the best diet?
The Decker Hunting Terrier is an active breed with high energy levels so needs food with the nutrients and calories to support this. They’re a small to medium dog, so food formulated for either small breeds or all life stages may suit them best. This can be wet, dry or a mixture of both.
They’ll benefit from a diet specifically formulated for working — or hunting — dogs. You should look for high-quality food that has protein as the main ingredient. It should also include vitamins and minerals that will support their joints especially as they are prone to issues with these.
Decker Hunting Terrier puppies can be fed four meals as day and then this can be reduced to two once they are adults. Treats can be beneficial, especially when training them, but take this into account when serving up their meals.
You’ll want your Decker Hunting Terrier to have the best possible diet. To help, check out our friends over at Dog Food Advisor for advice including the best dry food and the best wet food for dogs.
