The American Hairless Terrier*

The American Hairless Terrier is a new dog breed that first showed up as a natural mutation in a litter of Rat Terrier puppies in the early 1970s. This dog is unique among all hairless breeds because the hairless gene in the American Hairless Terrier is recessive, and not lethal dominant. Two hairless parents will always produce hairless puppies. Unlike other hairless dogs, the American Hairless Terrier also has a full set of teeth and a totally hairless body, except for whiskers and eyebrows.

American Hairless Terrier puppies are born with sparse, short and fuzzy hair. After birth, puppies begin to lose their hair starting at the head and working towards the back. By the time the puppies are 6 to 8 weeks old, they are totally naked with soft, smooth and silky skin. Their soft pink skin feels warm and is usually covered with freckles or small spots of a darker color. These spots come in many colors, including black, brown and red. The spots will enlarge with age and they darken in the sun. The delicate pink skin needs to be protected from long periods of sun exposure.

The American Hairless Terrier comes in toy and miniature sizes. The toy is 4 to 8 pounds and the miniature is 8 1/2 to 16 pounds. They are small, well-balanced and muscular dogs with a sleek and elegant look. Both the toy and the miniature are lively, alert and very intelligent dogs. They make excellent companions. Their high energy makes them suitable playmates for active children and their loving nature makes them loyal family members.

* NOTE:

This information has been contributed by, and is property of The American Hairless Terrier Club, and is gratefully used here with permission.

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