The white coat serves a practical purpose. According to the FCI standard, the almost uniformly white coat with black and tan markings was selected so the dog remained visible in dark warehouses, stables and tanneries, where they hunted rats and mice. Bodega is Spanish for a wine cellar; ratonero means a mouse catcher.
| FCI | Group 3 (Terriers), Section 1 Large and medium-sized Terriers, Standard No. 371, working trial optional, provisionally recognised |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Spain |
| Size (height at the withers) | males 37 to 43 cm, ideally 40 cm; females 35 to 41 cm, ideally 38 cm; a 2 cm tolerance for balanced, fault-free construction |
| Weight | males 10 to 12 kg, females 8 to 10 kg |
| Life expectancy | no reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | very short and dense, even across the whole body; long, curly or wiry hair is disqualifying |
| Colours in the standard | predominantly pure white with black patches, mainly on the head and base of the neck, with tan markings on the face, cheeks and above the eyes; entirely white dogs are disqualified |
Fox Terriers in the sherry trade
From the mid-19th century, British wine importers brought old English Smooth Fox Terriers to Jerez, where local landrace ancestry was added. According to the standard, the finest dogs come from the Jerez area, the home of sherry; in English the breed is also called the Sherry Terrier. Meet the British ancestor in the Smooth Fox Terrier entry.
Provisionally recognised by the FCI since 2024
The FCI provisionally recognised the Andalusian Terrier on 03.09.2024. Until definitive recognition, the FCI says the breed cannot receive a CACIB, the qualifying award towards an international beauty championship. Dogs can still win titles such as World or Section Winner, and their pedigrees carry the FCI logo.
A hunter outside, clean indoors
Cheerful, curious, affectionate and brave, persistent and keen when hunting rodents: that is the standard’s description. It also calls the breed a loyal companion and ideal house dog, adaptable to any environment or climate and exceptionally clean. The hunting instinct does not, however, disappear indoors.
Turning, jumping and trotting
Lightly built, agile and coordinated, with excellent turning and jumping ability and a preference for trotting: that is the movement profile. Mantrailing, agility or retrieving channel hunting enthusiasm into teamwork, while a reliable recall is the most important training goal.
Ears, tail and coat
The very short, dense hair needs little care; a rubber grooming mitt is enough. Characteristic triangular ears tip forwards when alert and may fold back as rose ears at rest. Pricked and hanging ears are disqualifying.
How healthy is the breed?
Reliable figures are lacking. The breed is absent from McMillan and colleagues’ UK analysis (2024), and Europe PMC yields no study of its diseases. Gould and colleagues (2011) found a mutation causing primary lens luxation in many terrier breeds and breeds with terrier ancestors. We found no data on whether it occurs in the Andalusian Terrier. Ask the breeder what examinations and genetic tests the parents have had.
Your dog if...
you want a medium-sized, short-haired dog who is calm and clean indoors and enjoys working outside. Less suitable if you keep hamsters, guinea pigs or rabbits, or expect long off-lead woodland walks. A bodega mouse catcher remains a mouse catcher, even on the sofa.
Another Spanish rat hunter, smaller and with pricked ears, appears in the Valencian Terrier entry. Assess whether an Andalusian Terrier fits your life with the breed quiz; find more background in our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German). For the weeks after arrival, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. That spotted white coat works well on a magazine-cover canvas; explore more styles among our dog portraits.
Further reading
- Jack Russell Terrier: a working dog who happens to be small
- Puppy will not sleep: what really helps on the first night
- Older dog, new rules: how to give your senior their best years
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 371 Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz (Andalusischer Terrier) (fci.be, German version dated 26.09.2025, English version dated 12.09.2024, valid standard published on 03.09.2024, original language Spanish); FCI breed page No. 371 and FCI page on provisionally recognised breeds; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed not included); Gould D et al., ADAMTS17 mutation associated with primary lens luxation is widespread among breeds, Veterinary Ophthalmology 2011.
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