American hairless terrier
The American Hairless Terrier began in Louisiana in 1972, when a hairless puppy was born in a litter of Rat Terriers.
The trait proved recessive and heritable, and a breed was developed from her — the only hairless breed to have originated in the United States.
It stands 18 to 41 centimetres, weighs 5 to 7 kilograms and lives fourteen to sixteen years. Truly hairless dogs have no coat at all, though a coated variety exists. Because there is no coat, there is very little of the dander that carries most dog allergens, which makes this one of the few breeds where the low-allergen claim has a real mechanism behind it rather than being marketing.
- Origin
- Louisiana, United States, 1972, from a Rat Terrier litter
- Size
- 18–41 cm; 5–7 kg
- Lifespan
- 14–16 years
- Coat
- None in the hairless variety; a coated variety also exists
- Allergens
- Genuinely low — no coat means little dander
- Health
- Skin care needs; patellar luxation, Legg-Calvé-Perthes
Related: Airedale terrier · American bulldog · American bully · American English coonhound · American eskimo dog
3 american hairless terrier photos, newest first
Living with a american hairless terrier
The skin is the whole management task. It sunburns readily, so a dog outdoors in summer needs shade and a dog-safe sunscreen on exposed areas, and it chills fast, so a coat in cold weather is not decorative.
They also get spots and blackheads, particularly as adolescents. Gentle regular washing helps; harsh products make it worse.
No coat means no protection against scratches and bites, so rough play with other dogs carries a higher cost.
They are terriers: lively, alert, vocal and prone to digging, and they need real exercise despite the size.
Ask about patellar luxation and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, both of which affect small breeds and this one in particular.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
Worth reading alongside this
More dogs by breed
Every dog breed somebody has posted a photo of.
- Labrador retriever18
- Afghan hound3
- Airedale terrier3
- Akita3
- Alaskan Klee Kai3
- Alaskan malamute3
- American bulldog3
- American eskimo dog3
- American pit bull terrier3
- Aussiedoodle3
- Australian cattle dog3
- Australian shepherd3
- Basenji3
- Basset hound3
- Beagle3
- Belgian Malinois3
- Bergamasco sheepdog3
- Bernedoodle3
- Bernese mountain dog3
- Bichon frise3
- Biewer terrier3
- Black and tan coonhound3
- Bloodhound3
- Border collie3