Dog Breeds: American Hairless Terrier

Sometimes genetics grows a sense of humor, as it did in 1972. A little of Rat Terriers was born, and among them was a tiny hairless female. This dog, named Josephine, was bred when she matured, but produced only a single hairless pup. Her next several litters produced no puppies of the hairless variety. Finally, when Josephine was nine years old, she produced two hairless puppies, one male and one female. These pups would be the basis for a new breed that would eventually be labeled as the American Hairless Terrier.

This hairless trait is quite different from the hairless trait shared by other 'hairless' dogs. For one thing, the American Hairless Terrier has no powder-puff variety; they're all hairless. All of them. The second and most importance difference is that the American Hairless Terrier has a autosomal recessive hairless gene instead of the semi-lethal dominant gene common in other hairless breeds. This results in a healthier dog that is truly hairless in every respect.

Physically, the American Hairless Terrier is nearly identical to the Rat Terrier (except for the hairless nature, of course). They're a medium sized dog, typically weighing in at no more than 16 pounds, with strong shoulders, a deep chest, and powerful legs. Ears should be perky and tails should be left long. Docking the tail is an immediate disqualification in the show ring.

Puppies are born with a light fuzz, but this fuzz will shed out as the pup matures. They should be entirely hairless by the time they are six weeks old. The skin should be primarily gray with black, gold, gray, or red spots. There should be no tuffs of hair on an adult dog, but all dogs should have normal eyebrows and whiskers.

Like Rat Terriers, American Hairless Terriers are sweet, playful, loving, and very smart. They also have a lot of energy and are great with children. This last part is especially true if they are raised from puppyhood with said children because they will develop an intense bond to the entire family. This terrier is really territorial, making them excellent watchdogs.

Terriers through and through, the American Hairless Terrier is quick, feisty, and fearless. Because they are so intelligent they are fairly easy to train, but they also have a dominant streak. Proper obedience classes and at least 30 minutes a day of exercise can help curb this and other undesirable behaviors, especially if you keep your dog in an apartment.

American Hairless Terriers don't have the health problems associated with many of the hairless breeds such as absent premolars and skin complications, but that doesn't mean everything is rosy. Because they really do have no hair, they can get sunburns and even occasional rashes. Use a sunscreen rated for dogs and apply lotion (that is lanolin-free) to any rashes that develop. This dog has sweat glands, so expect your dog to sweat and even get pimples. Sweating is normal and pimples will go away on their own.

The total lack of hair makes this dog as 'hypoallergenic' as dogs can get. They still drop dander, however, so they are not truly allergen-free. Still, many people who are allergic to dogs find they can tolerate the American Hairless Terrier. The lack of hair also means that this breed experiences the cold quite intensely, so don't leave him outside in the winter.

If you're looking for a dog with boundless energy who won't drop hair all over your sofa, the American Hairless Terrier might be for you. Just remember to buy him a sweater.