|
|
Rescue an American Hairless Terrier
American Hairless Terrier Puppies for Sale
American Hairless Terrier
An adult
American Hairless Terrier - Courtesy of Horizon AHTs. "This breed of dog
is excellent for allergy sufferers. They have absolutely no body hair, no
dander. Most people who cannot tolerate a Bichon, Poodle, Yorkie, or Wheaton
Terrier can tolerate this breed. An allergy test is recommended before
buying any breed where allergies or asthma are a problem."
|
Find an American Hairless Terrier Breeder
Place an Ad |
|
Rescue an American Hairless Terrier
List Your Rescue |
|
Pronunciation |
American
Hairless Terrier |
|
Description |
In build, the American Hairless Terrier is
identical to the medium-sized Rat Terriers, from whom he is directly descended.
The American Hairless is a well-muscled dog with a deep chest, strong shoulders,
solid neck, and powerful legs. The ears are carried erect when the dog is alert
and are called bat, similar to the Rat Terrier's.
Tails must be full length. Bobs, either natural or docked are a
disqualification. The skin is pink with gray, black, golden or red spots.
Hairless-to-hairless breeding always produces completely hairless puppies.
Hairless-to-coated mating is producing variable results, depending on chances
and whether the coated dog is a carrier of the hairless trait. Hairless pups are
born with a bit of sparse fuzzy hair all over their body. The pup will shed this
fuzz, starting with the head, proceeding backwards, becoming entirely
and eternally hairless by the age of six weeks. They do not have tufts of
hair on the head, feet and end of tail, as do the Chinese
Crested. They do however, have normal eyebrows and whiskers. |
|
Temperament |
American Hairless Terriers are intelligent,
alert, playful and loving dogs. Very inquisitive and lively. This affectionate dog makes
an excellent companion for anyone. They are good with
children, especially if they are raised with them from puppyhood. The American
Hairless Terrier, unlike other dog breeds, will break out in a sweat when hot or
scared. They are fairly territorial, and like all dogs, need a human who understands how to be his leader. For the most part friendly
with strangers. AHT's make good watchdogs. They are not good swimmers and need
to be closely monitored. These dogs are quick and very playful. The temperament of these dogs is pure terrier. They have the lively, feisty,
fearless nature found in the best of terriers. Ratting
cannot be recommended, due to the increased vulnerability brought on by the lack
of a protective coat. This breed seems to train easily and are eager to please. Small dogs have the tendency to lack in human leadership. Be sure you are this dogs true pack leader in order to curve any negative behaviors. |
|
Height, Weight |
Height: 7-16 inches (18-41 cm.)
Weight: 5-16 pounds (2.5-7 kg.) |
|
Health Problems |
These dogs do not have absent premolars or any of
the breeding complications associated with the hairless breeds. The AHT does not
have the major skin problems commonly seen in hairless dogs. Sometimes they will
get a rash on their skin. Because of their lack of hair, they do need protection
from the sun. Sunscreen should be applied or a shirt should be worn, not only
for the protection from the sun but from the cold as well. AHT's do have sweat
glands and will get pimples! They go away on their own. Rashes due to grass
allergies are not that uncommon. Other allergies do occur as well. |
|
Living Conditions |
The AHT will do ok in an
apartment so long as they get at least 20-30 minutes of exercise a day. They are fairly active indoors and
should have at least a small to medium sized yard.
AHT's love to dig. Since they have sweat
glands they do not drool at the mouth or pant in order to balance their body
heat. They should wear a sweater in cold weather. |
Exercise |
The breed enjoys challenging games and outdoor
romps. They need to be taken on a long daily walk. |
|
Life Expectancy |
About 14-16 years. |
|
Grooming |
The only special care required is preventing
sunburn and keeping them warm in cold weather. They should be bathed one to
three times a week, owners preference. Their nails should be trimmed weekly. If their skin becomes dry, lotion (without lanolin) can be
applied. This breed obviously does not shed and they do not get fleas, but
they do shed skin cells about every 20 days, therefore there is some dander but
it is very minimal. AHT's forget they do not have any hair and romp around
outside. Scratches and cuts do happen and they need to be attended to by
hydrogen peroxide or any other antiseptic agent.
This breed
is very good for allergy sufferers. Many AHT breeders have experiences , doing
hands on and remote allergy tests with people who have allergic responses to
dogs and more often than not, individuals who can not tolerate even those breeds
who are known to be 'hypoallergenic'... can tolerate an AHT. Studies have found
them to be the best breed of dog for people with dog allergies. Many breeders
can recount stories of grown men crying at the prospect of owning a dog for the
first time in their lives. For those individuals and families who have never
owned a dog before either due to their own allergies or a family members ,
holding a dog for the first time without a reaction is a rather powerful feeling
for them.. ! |
|
Origin |
In 1972, a remarkable thing happened: in a litter
of mid-sized Rat Terriers, a completely hairless
female was born. It became the prized pet of Willie and Edwin Scott of
Louisiana, U.S.A. They named their hairless dog Josephine. The Scotts bred
Josephine and produced one hairless female in her first litter, but through the
next several litters, the little terrier failed to whelp any more exhibiting the
hairless trait. Finally, at the age of nine years, she crowned her attempts by
having a litter with two hairless pups, one of each sex. These hairless pups
where the foundation of a breeding program to produce and stabilize the breed.
The Scotts worked under the guidance of their geneticist and veterinarian. They
named their new breed American Hairless Terrier. These are not just freak dogs.
They differ substantially from the hairless types of Asia and Africa in that no
Powderpuff variety is needed to obtain hairless pups, as the hairlessness gene
is not semi-lethal dominant but autosomal recessive. Furthermore, these dogs do
not have absent premolars or any of the breeding complications associated with
the hairless breeds. For these traits, the Scott's nude puppy and its progeny
are truly remarkable and unique in the canine world. The Scotts are still
working on establishing this breed. They are working toward keeping the
temperament of the Rat Terrier while still maintaining the hairless trait. |
| Group |
Terrier |
|
Recognition |
UKC, NKC, AHTF, AHRTC, CKC, APRI,
ACR, DRA |
|
UKC = United
Kennel Club
NKC = National
Kennel Club
AHTF = American
Hairless Terrier Federation
AHRTC = American
Hairless Rat Terrier Club
CKC = Continental
Kennel Club
APRI = American Pet Registry Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry
DRA = Dog Registry of America, Inc. |
"Scooby McGurk, the
American Hairless Terrier at 8 years old. He is the world's first
and only Search and Rescue trained AHT. He is an unusual dog, very
intelligent, feisty and outgoing, and high energy, high drive dog.
He knows over 200 words and phrases and is currently being trained
for mold detection."
_____________________________________
Ripley, the spunky AHT.
What a beautiful face!
Ripley
"I had the pleasure of meeting Ripley. He was an
adorable little thing! Ripley is very alert, lively and playful. He just loved playing with my kids."
Ripley and Sara.
Ripley
Ripley
Ripley
American Hairless Terrier Pictures 1
American Hairless Terrier Pictures 2
American Hairless Terrier Pictures 3
Hairless Breeds
Small Dogs vs. Medium and Large Dogs
Understanding Dog Behavior
|
|
