I'm Ellen B., the breeder behind Country Rat Terriers located in Brookfield, MO. Having a dog in our lives is such a blessing. We find so much fulfillment in providing that same companionship to other homes! Our hope is to prepare each of our puppies with thoughtful socialization so they have the best foundation to seamlessly transition into their new homes.
Q. & A. with Ellen
Why did you start breeding?
I have had rat terriers since I was 5 years old. They are amazing companions and great farm dogs. Went with me everywhere and were always following us through the fields. As I grew older I discovered they were becoming very hard to find and not many people knew about them. I decided to dedicate my time to preserving the breed and strive to raise healthy, well socialized family companions.
What makes your program special?
We only raise our puppies in our home and never kennel any of our dogs. We have a huge yard fenced off with lots of dog houses to lounging, toys and play equipment for our dogs as well as free range on the farm and trips to town. We handle each puppy every day from birth and make sure to spend lots of time with them. We make sure they are well socialized and used to daily household noise.
What are the different breed coat colors in your program?
Our puppies include white and tan, white and red, white black and tan, white, chocolate and tan, white and chocolate, white and lemon, white and fawn, white and blue fawn, black white and tan, white and apricot, red white and sable, blue white and tan, and black tan and white. Colors will vary depending on the parent dogs.
Where do your breeding dogs live?
They live in my home.
Matched dogs
These dogs are already reserved or have gone home.
Merida
Went home
Female
Jasmine
Went home
Female
Jane
Went home
Female
Giselle
Went home
Female
Wendy
Went home
Female
Belle
Went home
Female
Kida
Went home
Female
Aurora
Went home
Female
Bear
Went home
Male
Teddy
Went home
Male
Theo
Went home
Male
Luca
Went home
Male
Mocha
Went home
Male
Nougat
Went home
Male
Hazelnut
Went home
Male
Brownie
Went home
Male
Hershey
Went home
Male
Sesame
Went home
Male
Ginger
Went home
Female
Parsley
Went home
Male
Pepper
Went home
Female
Sage
Went home
Male
Basil
Went home
Male
Cayenne
Went home
Female
Lady
Went home
Female
Rita
Went home
Female
Perdita
Went home
Female
Snoopy
Went home
Male
Huckleberry
Went home
Male
Odie
Went home
Male
Dodger
Went home
Male
Getting a puppy from Ellen
Ellen has been certified by Good Dog’s screening team for responsible and trusted breeding practices. When you’re ready to reach out, feel free to ask any questions about the breed, their program, or specific puppies.
Together, you’ll choose the puppy that’s right for you, stay in touch with regular updates, and plan how to bring your new puppy home.
Price
Puppy prices include a $100 non-refundable deposit and between $700 - $900 final payment, before taxes & fees.
Pay over time with Klarna.
“Price includes the health guarantee, vet exams, vaccinations, worming, ckc papers, early puppy socialization, their start on crate trainings, potty training, baths, nail trim, & noise desensitization. ”
Contract & health guarantee
Ellen may provide a written contract or
health guarantee when you purchase a puppy. This helps
protect both you and your breeder, ensuring that you
both have a clear understanding of the terms of your
puppy purchase. If Ellen offers a contract
or guarantee, the details will be personalized by them.
If you have any questions or want to know more,
don’t hesitate to reach out to Ellen directly.
Country Rat Terriers meets or exceeds our community standards in these areas:
Responsible breeding practices
Health of breeding dogs and puppies
Puppy environment and enrichment
Buyer education and policies
Parent dogs
Millie, mom
Rat Terrier
About Millie
Millie is very energetic and feisty. She loves exploring and playing on our farm. She is always running around, looking for new things to investigate.
B.B., mom
Rat Terrier
About B.B.
B.B. is a female Rat Terrier. Carefully selected as a great representative of her breed, Ellen decided to make her part of their program. Ellen has passed Good Dog’s screening process, which involved a review of their breeding practices, environment, and the mental and physical health of their dogs.
Beefy, dad
Rat Terrier
About Beefy
Beefy loves digging holes and digging more holes. He will not share a hole for it is his hole. Once dug he will lay in it and not let any other dog bask in the glory which is his hole. Glued to the hip of his best friend Butters. These two wrestle all day or until a hole is dug. Beefy also enjoys new toys and treats. Will sit on the porch all night to guard against the critters of the night. Only barks if he sees a threatening critter, or the mailman. Beefy is a Chocolate Tri Mini male. (His fur ranges from dark chocolate to chocolate/blonde depending on how much his fur bleaches in the sun!) 14lb Excavator.
Bayo, mom
Rat Terrier
About Bayo
Bayo is a female Rat Terrier over 4 years old. Carefully selected as a great representative of her breed, Ellen decided to make her part of their program. Ellen has passed Good Dog’s screening process, which involved a review of their breeding practices, environment, and the mental and physical health of their dogs.
Ballista, mom
Rat Terrier
About Ballista
Ballista is a female Rat Terrier. Carefully selected as a great representative of her breed, Ellen decided to make her part of their program. Ellen has passed Good Dog’s screening process, which involved a review of their breeding practices, environment, and the mental and physical health of their dogs.
Butters, dad
Rat Terrier
About Butters
Butters is a male Rat Terrier. Carefully selected as a great representative of his breed, Ellen decided to make him part of their program. Ellen has passed Good Dog’s screening process, which involved a review of their breeding practices, environment, and the mental and physical health of their dogs.
Bindi, mom
Rat Terrier
About Bindi
Bindi is a female Rat Terrier. Carefully selected as a great representative of her breed, Ellen decided to make her part of their program. Ellen has passed Good Dog’s screening process, which involved a review of their breeding practices, environment, and the mental and physical health of their dogs.
Parent health testing
Breeder-Reported Testing
Great level
Country Rat Terriers reports to performing the health tests below on their breeding dogs. Ask your breeder about the tests performed on the parents of your litter. Learn more about health testing for Rat Terriers.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip testing reduces the chance of passing down hip dysplasia, which is primarily found in large breed dogs and can cause hip pain and the eventual loss of the function of the hip joint.
Patellar Luxation
Knee testing reduces the chance of passing down Patellar Luxation, which results in the kneecap becoming displaced or dislocated and can cause mild to severe joint pain.
Legg-Calve-Perthes (OFA)
A breeder may perform additional tests on their dogs that do not fall into these general categories. These tests may be more uncommon or very specific to a particular breed.
DNA Disease Panel, Primary Lens Luxation (PLL)
Genetic testing reduces the chance of passing down a wide variety of hereditary diseases of differing prevalence and severity such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (an eye disease) and Von Willebrand's Disease (a blood disease).
Verified owner stories
Hear what other owners say about working with Ellen to bring home their puppies.
Victoria d.
Verified owner · July 2025
Ellen was so responsive and easy to work with. She made choosing and adopting our new puppy a breeze! I had SO many questions for her, and she patiently answered each one. What’s more is that our puppy was very easy to integrate into our home with our other two dogs, thanks to all her pre-work and training to help socialize him at such a young age. Even post-adoption Ellen has been responsive to questions and happy to receive updates; I don’t feel like “just another customer”, she truly cares and it shows! When we decided we wanted a Rat Terrier we were nervous at how hard it would be to find one, and the quality of pup we might expect. With Ellen and her quality dogs, all our concerns were alleviated. We are so in love with our new dog Knox, and couldn’t be happier!
Dottie L.
Verified owner · Mar. 2025
Ellen was so nice to work with. She took videos of my puppy before I picked her up so that I could find out a little more about my puppy's personality. She also delivered my puppy to a meeting point between our locations and provided a puppy blanket with the litter's scent on it and some starter food and toys and even a starter collar for my puppy to take home with her. My puppy is now 6 months old and I couldn't be happier with her. She is very healthy and extremely smart. She has a sweet personality and is very affectionate. This is my 3rd rat terrier in 27 years and I think she has grown into a fine example of the rat terrier breed. Her teeth are perfect and she is very beautiful. She loves other dogs and people. I highly recommend Country Rat Terriers.
Lorie A.
Verified owner · Dec. 2023
I really enjoyed working with Ellen! She was very good at communicating with us, and answered all of our questions. She would have been fine with us picking up Mia from her home but was nice enough to meet us, the day we got our baby fur girl! We love her already and fell in love with her along the way until she was ready to come home to us. Ellen was great at answering questions about Mias parents and even sending us a pic or two of them. I would highly suggest Country Rat Terriers!
Karla E.
Verified owner · May 2025
I couldn’t be happier with my female Rat Terrier from this breeder. She arrived in excellent condition and is now extremely healthy and full of energy. The breeder is reliable, communicates clearly, and truly cares about the breed’s well-being. Their dedication to responsible breeding shines through in the quality and health of the puppies. Thank you for preserving the Rat Terrier in its most beautiful and healthy form!
John H.
Verified owner · Dec. 2024
Ellen was great to work with. The puppy was well adjusted and very social. He was physically in perfect condition. Country Rat Terriers is a quality breeder and I would recommend them to anyone looking for a new best friend.
Daphne W.
Verified owner · May 2023
Country Rat Terriers was an excellent experience! Our puppy was very healthy and well prepared. He is a love bug so happy and social. We loved the family environment she provides rather than the Kennel environment. She is also very kind and sends pics and videos every day so you can get to know the puppy. We would highly recommend Country Rat Terriers to any family looking for an excellent puppy