Handsome Charlie is a typical Rat Terrier youngster, who's about 1 1/2  years old and weighs 20 lbs. Agile and sturdy, he loves to play, run, jump, and tussle. Charlie is also a very smart dog, who enjoys learning new things and pleasing his humans. He is house-trained and working hard to become a totally well-mannered young man. He's learning to sit instead of bouncing high in the air when he's excited (like at dinnertime), and he's learning to walk politely on a leash.  Because sometimes his youthful enthusiasm is too much to be contained, however, he needs a fenced yard, where he can frolic to his heart's content. Make that a secure fence--at least 6 ft. high and not chain-link, which he can climb with ease! In fact, Charlie's so athletic and intelligent that he would make an amazing agility, flyball, or other performance dog. Like most of his breed, he's sweet, affectionate, and snuggly most of the time, but he does have a few defensive behaviors that a potential adopter needs to be aware of. Consistent and positive training methods and management of his environment have helped him (and will continue to help) with his quirks. For example, Charlie is very protective of his food and will bite people or dogs who invade his eating space. For this reason, he shouldn't go to a home with young children, who might not realize the significance of the food that they are holding or that the dog is protecting. He may also bite if he feels someone (human or canine) is encroaching on his space if he has a possession, like a toy, or a particular spot that he has claimed. That being said, this behavior hasn't happened often, and usually he gets along well with the other dogs and the dog-savvy cat in his foster home because these situations can be managed. Charlie is young and still learning there are better ways to express himself. If you're an experienced and patient pet parent who knows how to use positive training methods, you can help Charlie continue to learn better ways to communicate while he learns to trust. Charlie hopes you live no more than a few hours' drive from his foster home so that he can visit you and show you firsthand the kinds of situations that can trigger his occasional behavioral issues. To see more of this truly amazing, athletic, handsome and slightly challenging dog, check out Charlie’s online photo album at http://imageevent.com/newrattitude/charlie.