Do you find it sometimes both harder AND easier to train rat terriers vs other breeds simply because they are so smart?  I mean do they learn things so quickly that they start "doing" it without being told? 

It's hard to explain via text but for example with Arabian horses (very smart horses) once you teach the more advanced things like sidepass or flying lead change you have to be VERY careful with your cues because they'll anticipate and start into it early.

I know...clear as mud, right?

I think I know what you mean, what I think I find with terriers is you think you are teaching them one thing but they may be learning another. For example, I wanted to teach Fred to go into his "armchair bed" at night, so I would tell him "go to bed" and then as soon as he jumped in his chair I would say "your the best boy" and tuck him in, yes my dogs are spoiled, anyway one day we are in the living room and my boyfriend says "Fred is the best boy isn't he" well Fred goes up and goes in his bed. It was the Best Boy he picked up on not the go to bed. Ya know what I mean.

The other thing I find I have a hard time with, and still do, is getting them to work without the clicker and treats. They will do a command once or twice and when there is just praise and no treats they are like "nope aint' doin it again til we see some food". My dogs literally "Will Work For Food", I am trying to keep them consistant on praise only and we are struggling they know the reward should be food and they wait for it.

It is good as I have read dogs will respond quicker and more accurately to hand signals. With my two I don't really say commands as much as I use hand signals with them. That way if they are across the yard and I need them to come I can just signal.  They also know when I am running across the yard with my arms flailing everywhere to stop whatever it is they are doing, eating, digging, ripping, shredding, maiming or biting and stare at me like "Whad we do?".

Oh Fred and Alice crack me up!  They could have a TV series.

Glad y'all knew what I meant.  And YES to the hand signals!  Without realizing it as soon as my hand would approach Mayfly's or Mitzy's butt they would already be sitting.  Also, just now talking about this I realized that they DO know what it means when I point one finger at them.  (You know, like you do to warn a child?  Bill always laughs at me for that (like I'll point at one of them to stop barking or stealing Loco's chewie or whatever) BUT they listen.

That TV series would have to be sponsored by National Lampoons!!, It's so funny that I was so afraid to adding a second dog but they are buddies. I swear on my life I laugh almost eveynight at those two. It's kind of like even though Fred is our Alpha dog, he gets in more trouble just from hanging out with Alice, but it's good honest doggie trouble  .

I have read for agility trials and dog competitions it is so much better to use hand signals to guide your dog as opposed to your voice. I think it's definately the way to train. It seems easier to, instead of standing there going sit, sit, siiiiiit, sit, come on siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit. Just to hold a fist up until they do.

The hand signal's are sometimes hard to come up with!!  We do a fist for sit, palm down for down, palm out for stay, a downward motion chop pass the hip for come and the I love you sign to wave, people laugh when we leave the house we say "okay love you guys" and give them the I love you hand sign and they wave bye bye!!

How I taught this was to make the I love you sign with your hands and hold the treat with under your middle and ring finger that are bent over. Let your dog start pawing at your hand first and click (or praise) and give treat til he gets the idea to paw at your hand, then move you hand away til he is just pawing at the air and click (or praise) and treat like crazy, he will get the l love you sign means wave!