Description:

Country of Origin: The first appearance of the American Hairless Terrier was in 1972 when an entirely hairless puppy was born from a litter of Rat Terrier puppies in Louisiana. Edwin and Willie Scott were the owners of the pup and when the puppy matured, they bred her in an attempt to produce more like her. The Scott"s were not successful until many years later when one of this pup"s litters produced one hairless male and one hairless female. With the assistance of a geneticist and a veterinarian, these two pups became the foundation of the American Hairless Terrier. PLEASE NOTE: This breed has been accepted for recording in the AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS). This is simply an avenue to maintain reputable records regarding the breed’s development. This breed is not eligible for AKC (American Kennel Club) registration. Size: The American Hairless Terrier is a small to medium sized dog. At full grown, they will stand between 7-16 inches in height and will typically weigh somewhere between 5-16 pounds. Coat: Even though the American Hairless Terrier"s coat sounds self explanatory...uh...they are hairless...there are still several pattern varieties. The skin of the American Hairless Terrier can appear as pink with gray, red, black or golden spots. A breeding between two hairless dogs will always produce hairless puppies. However, a hairless dog bred to a coated dog may offer a variety of coated or hairless puppies, depending on whether the coated dog carries the hairless gene. When the American Hairless Terrier is born, they will have a light fuzzy coating on their bodies. This will begin to shed starting from the head and working its way back. The puppy should be entirely hairless by the age of six weeks. The American Hairless Terrier does not come in a powder puff variety, therefore, there are no areas of the body that will maintain hair growth, unlike other hairless breeds. They do however, have normal whiskers as well as eyebrows. Due to their lack of hair, this is a good breed of dog for allergy sufferers. Character: The American Hairless Terrier is the very epitome of a terrier. They exhibit large amounts of energy, are very curious and feisty as well as fearless. They are, however, also friendly and affectionate. They can be startled easily and will bark when that happens, which makes them a good watch dog. The American Hairless Terrier will also begin to sweat when frightened or if they are simply hot. While the American Hairless Terrier is athletic and enjoys digging and hunting small prey, the breed is not recommended for hunting of any kind due to it"s lack of protective covering. It is also imperative that the American Hairless Terrier be monitored around water, as they are not known to be strong swimmers. Temperament: The American Hairless Terrier makes a wonderful family companion due to its affectionate and loving nature. They do well with small children, especially when they have been raised with the children. They are relatively territorial, however, they will easily warm up to strangers. As stated previously, the American Hairless Terrier is very high energy and requires an owner with plenty of time to play. Care: Because of lack of fur, sunscreen should be applied to the American Hairless Terrier. Also, there should be close supervision when the dog is outside in sunny weather. In cold and rainy weather dog they should have some sort of protection when outside. The American Hairless Terrier does not exhibit any of the major health concerns associated with other hairless varieties of dog such as absent premolars. They do however get the occasional skin rash, which can be due to grass allergies. Other allergies are a possibility as well. Due to the fact that the American Hairless Terrier does have sweat glands, they do get pimples on their skin. This is not of large concern, as they should clear up naturally. Training: The American Hairless Terrier breed is curious, intelligent and fairly easy to train. Like many small breeds, they can become destructive in the home if proper dominance is not established. The American Hairless Terrier requires a consistent and firm pack leader. Activity: Similar to other terrier breeds, the American Hairless Terrier enjoys agility games and regular outdoor play. They should receive at a minimum, 20-30 minutes of exercise per day. A good long, daily walk coupled with some playtime in the yard should keep your American Hairless Terrier happy.