10 Things You Didn’t Know About the American Hairless Terrier
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This American dog breed is as rare as it gets, and the certainly look the part. The American Hairless Terrier is a purebred variation of the common Rat Terrier. The most prominent difference is the fact that the Hairless Terrier travels without a coat. If you see one of these animals, you’ll probably recognize them straight away because they stand out among the rest. Their distinctive quality is also what makes the American Hairless Terrier one of the best pet dog breeds to have out there. There many things that you probably didn’t know about American Hairless Dogs; here are 10 things you didn’t know to finally change that.
1. Hairless in the US
It’s easy to characterize the American Hairless dogs apart from the fact that its body is completely devoid of hair. This dog breed is typically small and muscular in nature. It also happens to be the very first hairless breed that came from the US—that’s according to the American Kennel Club.
2. Long toes
It’s quite an interesting fact that the dog breed’s toes appear slightly longer compared to that of the standard dog breed. These longer toes are just some of the unique qualities that make up the American Hairless Terrier dog breed.
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3. Origination
Seeing the American Hairless Theater, you should come to expect the stark nakedness of its body, but regardless of how much you prepare, you still might get a little surprised or shocked by the way it looks. This breed of dogs originates from Louisiana back in 1972. It came from a litter of rat terriers. The first American Hairless Terrier was named Josephine.
4. Club level
After years of breeding, the American Kennel Club finally recognized the breed in 2011. That’s almost 40 years after its owners used Josephine to breed other dogs. But even then, it wasn’t fully recognized. It belonged to the Foundation Stock Service. The breed got an update in 2014 as the breed was moved to Miscellaneous Class. It was only in 2016 that this dog was fully recognized as a separate breed to the public.
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5. Fun dogs
Even though they look different from other terriers, they do carry some of the type’s most common traits. American Hairless Terriers are fun to have as pets. They are full of energy and are extremely playful. They will certainly keep you entertained and on your toes all the time. You surely won’t get bored if you had one of these for a pet.
6. Territorial terriers
One thing you should keep in mind about having American Hairless Terriers as pets is the fact that these dogs could be extremely territorial. You should pay attention to its attachment to certain people and certain things. This dog might get upset if ever its boundaries have been crossed.
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7. Health
The American Hairless Terrier is a fairly unhealthy dog. You’ll have to take it for its daily walks in order to stay healthy, but there are no other big requirements aside from that. The same just usually goes: proper, balanced nutrition is key. No matter, the dog still has a tendency to get healthy problems as it gets older.
8. Coat varieties
Even though their name says that American Hairless Terriers should be hairless, there are a few varieties that have coat on them—even though they are quite minimal and very close to the body. The still almost look as if they’re hairless.
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9. Hanging ears
Any American Hairless Terriers that have hanging ears will automatically be disqualified as a purebred. Other characteristics that will disqualify a dog include bobtail or docked tail on varieties that have absolutely no coat. Those that have coats may be disqualified if the coat is too long. Albinism automatically disqualifies a dog from being classified as an American Hairless Terrier.
10. Not good swimmers
It’s highly recommended that you fence around pool areas if you have them because these dogs are not good swimmers at all. They will need to be closely monitored if there’s going to be some water around. These dogs can be too quick sometimes, and in their playfulness, they might have an accident. It’s better to be safer than sorry.
