American Hairless Terrier
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via Wikipedia: American Hairless Terrier · see source
The American Hairless Terrier is a companion dog breed from the United States. It was developed from naturally hairless Rat Terriers.
History
In 1972 a hairless bitch pup named Josephine was whelped in a litter of purebred Rat Terriers and adopted by Willie and Edwin Scott of Louisiana. She conformed to the Rat Terrier type except for her coat.
The Scotts bred her, and her first litter produced another hairless bitch, Gypsy. In 1981 Josephine produced two more hairless pups, and in 1983 the dog Snoopy was mated to his hairless sisters, establishing foundation stock. The breed was originally registered as a hairless variety of Rat Terriers, but the Scotts later adopted a different breed name and formed the American Hairless Terrier Association.
Description
The American Hairless Terrier, per the United Kennel Club breed standard, usually reaches 10 to 18 inches in height and weighs 7 to 14 pounds. Its ears are pricked, and its tail—either naturally short or long—is never docked. Puppies are born with a fine fuzz that they lose from the nose backward by about six weeks old, though whiskers and eyebrows sometimes stay.
The skin comes in any color, often with freckles that grow larger over time. Because it lacks hair, this breed is prone to hypothermia in cold and sunburn in bright sun. Some individuals are born with a short, dense coat, which may be solid white or bi-color, tri-color, sable, or brindle, always including some white.
More in Dog Breeds Originating in the United States
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: American Hairless Terrier (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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