American Hairless Terrier Dog Breed Introduction | Hairless American Terrier
American Hairless Terrier is a small-sized companion dog from Louisiana, in the United States. This breed was developed from natural hairless Rat Terriers. There are two varieties of American Hairless Terriers; hairless and coated varieties. The former might have whiskers and eyebrows while the latter has a short and shiny coat.
Both varieties have erect V-shaped ears, round expressive eyes, and a broad wedge-shaped head. The hairless variety also has a smooth skin that is warm to the touch. Although, it is prone to sunburn in sunny conditions and hypothermia in cold weather. At birth, the Hairless Terrier variety is born with a light fuzz of hair covering the entire body.
However, the hair gradually sheds from the nose backwards until they are entirely naked at the age of 6 weeks. The American Hairless Terrier makes great watchdogs due to their protective and alert temperament. The hairless variety is also regarded hypoallergenic as a dog can get, although it will produce a little dander.
American Hairless Terrier Origin | History
The American Hairless Terriers were developed in 1972 in Trout, Louisiana after a hairless bitch pup was whelped in a litter of Purebred Rat Terriers owned by Edwin and Willie Scott. The hairless pup was given the name Josephine. The Scotts bred from Josephine and her first litter produced another hairless bitch puppy known as Gypsy. However, Josephine did not whelp hairless multiple litters until the age of 9 in 1981, a bitch and a dog.
In 1983, the dog Snoopy was matted to his hairless sisters and hence many more hairless puppies were whelped. This created the foundation stock for the new breed. Initially, these dogs were registered as the Hairless Variety of Rat Terriers. However, the Scotts adopted a different breed name for their unique line eventually establishing a separate breed club, the American Hairless Terrier Association. The United Kennel Club recognized the line as a breed in 2004 followed by AKC in 2016.
American Hairless Terrier Lifespan
The American Hairless Terriers have a lifespan of 12 to 16 years.
American Hairless Terrier Grooming
The American Hairless Terriers have minimal grooming needs. The hairless variety needs no brushing although it should be protected from sunburn. The coated variety has a short and shiny coat that barely sheds hence needs a once a week quick brushing using a soft bristle brush. Both varieties need an occasional bath unless they roll into something messy.
The American Hairless Terriers need nail trimming every two weeks using nail grinders or clippers to prevent overgrowth, splitting, and cracking. Brush the teeth of this hairless terrier at least twice a week using a canine toothpaste and toothbrush to remove tartar buildup. Clean the ears using cotton balls soaked in an ear cleanser solution once a week to remove dirt or excess wax.
American Hairless Terrier Shedding
The coated variety has a shorty and shiny coat that sheds at low levels all-year round. However, the hairless variety does not shed.
American Hairless Terrier With Hair | Coated
There are two varieties of American Hairless Terriers, the hairless variety and the coated variety. The coated variety has a short, smooth, dense, and shiny coat.
American Hairless Terrier Hypoallergenic
The hairless variety of the American Hairless Terriers is regarded hypoallergenic. This is because it lacks a coat hence it does not shed. However, it produces dander hence it is as hypoallergenic as a dog can be.
American Hairless Terrier Training
The American Hairless Terriers are intelligent dogs that are eager to please making them highly trainable. Socialization and early training is key to raising a well-mannered and well-adjusted companion. Early training helps to teach the pup the acceptable behaviors from an early age before they get inclined towards bad behaviors. To socialize the American Hairless Terriers, expose them to a wide variety of places, people, animals, situations, experiences, sight, smell, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, door bells, sirens, lawn mowers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and whistles.
Enrolling American Hairless Terrier in a puppy class will also serve as a form of socialization. These classes create a controlled setting where puppies interact with each other. They also help the pet parents to not only identify and correct bad habits but also have access to training information and assistance. Keep the training sessions interesting, upbeat, and challenging for a period of 5 minutes distributed throughout the day to prevent distraction and boredom. Use positive reinforcements methods such as petting, verbal praise, playtime, toys, and treats to encourage positive behaviors.
Use no harsh correction methods such as yelling, punching, shoving, or kicking since they make training counterproductive. Start teaching your hairless pet basic commands words like wait, lie down, come, sit, heel, drop it, etc. one at a time until the dog is well-versed before proceeding to the next command word. Effectively housebreak American Hairless Terriers by creating a feeding schedule, potty training and crate training.
American Hairless Terrier Temperament | Personality
- Playful.
- Alert.
- Intelligent.
- Eager to please.
- Inquisitive.
- Protective.
- Energetic.
- Curious.
- Trainable.
- Bold.
- Friendly.
American Hairless Terrier Exercise
The American Hairless Terriers are energetic dogs with moderate exercise needs. Regular walks or brief playing sessions in a secured yard will keep them physically and mentally stimulated. These are also highly trainable dogs that can do well in a wide range of canine activities such as rally, obedience, and agility competitions.
American Hairless Terrier Barking
They are protective and alert dogs that bark at any unusual sounds or approaching people making them great watchdogs.
American Hairless Terrier Height
The American Hairless Terriers have a height of 12 to 16 inches ( approx. 30 to 41 cm ).
American Hairless Terrier Weight
Mature American Hairless Terriers have a weight of 12 to 16 pounds ( approx. 5.4 to 7.3 kg ).
American Hairless Terrier Size
The American Hairless Terriers are small-sized dogs with a height of 12 to 16 inches ( approx. 30 to 41 cm ) and a weight of 12 to 16 pounds ( approx. 5.4 to 7.3 kg ).
American Hairless Terrier Health Issues
The American Hairless Terriers are robust and healthy dogs with a lifespan of 12 to 16 years. However, they may suffer from certain health issues such as Luxating Patella, Legg-Calve Perthes, and Demodectic Mange.
Other dog breeds include:
American Hairless Terrier Food | Dog Food
The American Hairless Terriers respond well to either raw food, home-made food, or commercial dry or wet food. The amount of food that American Hairless Terriers feed on depend on the age, activity level, metabolism, body build, and size. The dogs should be fed with dog-formulated for small-sized dogs that is appropriate for their age i.e. puppies, adults, and seniors.
The American Hairless Terriers may be prone to getting overweight. Therefore, pets should check the calorie consumption, weight level, and the treats given to aid in training. Parents should also be well-versed with human foods that are harmful to the dogs. Ensure this terrier has access to clean water at all times.
Blue American Hairless Terrier | American Hairless Terrier Colors
The American Hairless Terriers may have a solid, bi-color, or tri-color coat. Some of the coat colors include blue, sable, black, brown, brown, red, or brindle. The coated variety can have a bi-color coat, solid white, tri-color, sable and brindle, always with some white.
American Hairless Terrier Allergies
Although rare, American Hairless Terriers may suffer from various allergies:
Food allergies – Rarely, the American Hairless Terriers may suffer from a true food allergy that is accompanied with a wide range of symptoms from skin issues to gastrointestinal stress.
Skin allergies – Seldom, this breed suffers from skin issues although it may suffer from skin allergies caused by food, contact, and environmental allergies that manifest on the skin.
Contact allergies – This allergy causes inflammation to the skin once the allergen comes in contact. Some of the contact allergens that affect American Hairless Terriers include plastics, certain fabrics, carpet cleaning detergents, grooming products, lawn chemicals, nylon carpet, and latex.
Environmental allergies – Some of the environmental allergies that affect American Hairless Terriers include fleas, mites, ragweed, grass, pollen, house molds, dust and dust mites.
American Hairless Terrier Price | Cost
The average cost of American hairless Terriers is $800 to $2000 depending on the age, pedigree, and the proximity of the breeder.
Are American Hairless Terriers Hypoallergenic
Yes. The hairless variety of this breed is considered hypoallergenic since it does not have a shedding coat.
How Much Do American Hairless Terriers Cost
The American Hairless Terriers cost $800 to $2000 depending on their pedigree, age, and the location of the breeder.
American Hairless Terriers Quick Facts
- There are two varieties of American Hairless Terriers; the hairless variety that may have whiskers and eyebrows and the coated variety that has a short, dense, and shiny coat.
- The hairless variety is regarded hypoallergenic.
- Although hairless, American Hairless Terriers have a normal dentition of 42 permanent teeth in mature dogs and 28 milk teeth in puppies.