American hairless terrier

June 9, 2022 June 22, 2022

The American hairless terrier’s name tells you a lot about him. He originated in America. He’s great for allergic pet owners. And he’s got that feisty, friendly, sociable and energetic vibe that most terriers have. What his name doesn’t tell you is that he’s very sweet and curious; he loves his humans and is very protective, making him a naked little watchdog with a big-dog attitude.

Intelligent, relatively easy to train, and he loves snuggling with his people. This is the ideal dog for moderately active families with older children, although he is quite rare.

History

There are many hairless breeds in the world, but the American hairless terrier is the only one that originated in the USA. He’s also a very new distinct breed – being registered to the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2016. The start of the American hairless terrier breed was the result of a fluke in 1972.

In Trout, Louisiana, a hairless puppy was born into a litter of rat terriers. The owner of this anomaly female puppy gave her to Edwin and Willie Scott, who named her Josephine. They raised her and absolutely fell in love with her personality, playfulness and loyalty – with the added bonus that she didn’t shed dog hair everywhere. With this in mind, they decided to breed her and after mixed advice, bred her back to her sire (father). Of the litter of four puppies, one was hairless (Gypsy). Over the years, she produced more litters, but it wasn’t until eight years later that she produced another (not one, but) two hairless puppies (Snoopy and Jemima), along with two coated puppies (Queenie and Petunia).

With support from experienced vets, the American hairless terrier breed was about to become a reality. At one year old, Snoopy was bred to his sisters. Jemima produced a full litter of hairless puppies, while Queenie and Petunia’s puppies were both hairless and coated. With this amount of inbreeding, it was time for some variety in the bloodline, so the rat terrier was carefully reintroduced to the American hairless to produce both hairless and coated puppies.

Through the keeping of meticulous records, a few things became apparent with this new hairless breed: the gene for hairlessness is recessive, while hairlessness in the ancient breeds (like Chinese crested, Peruvian Inca orchid and the Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican hairless dog)) is caused by a dominant gene. The American hairless terrier is also born with strong dentition and good skin, while other hairless breeds often have poor teeth and can develop skin problems.

The Scotts established the American Hairless Terrier Club of America in 2009 and the breed was officially recognised in 2016.

Temperament

Clever, playful, curious, courageous and peppy, the American hairless terrier is a joy to have around the house. He is gutsy and adventurous, but does equally well curled up on the couch and enjoying cuddles.

He needs good socialisation and training to bring out his best personality.

Health

The first consideration for the American hairless terrier’s health is his skin. It needs to be protected from sunburn, and since the dog doesn’t have a coat for warmth, he needs plenty of winter pyjamas and clothing for the outdoors during colder months.

The American hairless terrier has been carefully bred, but he can still be prone to certain genetic conditions. These include:

Hip dysplasia
Heart conditions
Patellar luxation
Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease

Exercise Requirements

Despite being a terrier breed, the American hairless doesn’t need a whole lot of exercise. He can venture outdoors a few times a day (granted he is dressed and/or protected from the sun) and go on a brisk walk, or play in a fenced yard. They make great indoor pets who will happily bounce around on the couch or charge up and down the corridor. Given the right training and with enough energy, some American hairless dogs do well in dog sports.

It’s crucial to mould the American hairless terrier’s personality with early socialisation and obedience training. Exposure to a variety of other animals and a wide range of people and situations can build his confidence and help him develop into a well-mannered dog.

Grooming Requirements

The American hairless terrier doesn’t need grooming in the traditional sense, although the coated variety will need a quick brush once a week to keep his coat in good condition. The hairless variety needs to have his skin kept clean and injury free, which means clothing and sunscreen are part and parcel of owning this dog. Check his ears, brush his teeth daily, and regularly clip his toenails to keep his feet healthy.