General characteristics of the dog, the ancestors of the American Hairless Terrier, the popularization and recognition of the breed, its uniqueness, the position of the variety in the modern world. The American Hairless Terrier, or American Hairless Terrier, is almost identical in appearance to the Rat Terrier, but without hair. The dogs come in two sizes, although both are quite small. This breed is built solidly for a dog of this size, although it cannot be called stocky. The lack of hair reveals how muscular it is. The dog has a relatively short tail. The head and muzzle of the American Hairless Terrier is proportional to the body, in the shape of a blunt wedge. The ears are erect, triangular. The eyes are usually dark brown to amber in color. Their color and skin pattern can be any.
Ancestors of the American Hairless Terrier
The American Hairless Terrier is a relatively new breed, first developed in the United States in the 1970s in the Trout area, Louisiana. These canines are exclusively descended from rat terriers, and until 2004 they were not completely separated from this species. The American Hairless Terrier is an active, intelligent and affectionate pet. Its popularity is growing rapidly because many people consider it to be an excellent dog, especially those with allergies. The American Hairless Terrier is also known as the Hairless Rat Terrier, American Hairless and AHT.
The origins of the American Hairless Terrier are linked to the history of the rat terrier prior to the 1970s. Terrier-type dogs were first developed in the British Isles at least a few hundred years ago, and most likely several thousand. Initially, terriers were kept almost exclusively by British farmers to eradicate pests such as rats, rabbits and foxes. For many centuries, terriers have been raised exclusively as working dogs, and their appearance has been maintained to such an extent that it has a positive effect on the working capacity of animals.
Gradually, several different lines of Terrier became pure, such as the Manchester Terrier and the Fox Terrier, bred for killing rats and thus hunting foxes. When the British were first allowed to enter the United States, many early immigrants brought their terrier pets with them to the New World. Since there were few distinct terrier varieties in the early days of colonization, they all mixed together. Subsequent breeders continued to import various British Terrier species to add to their other lines. Breeding programs have bled non-terrier canine breeds such as the Beagles and Chihuahuas. By the beginning of the 20th century, these animals had developed into a unique breed. Teddy Roosevelt kept one of these dogs in the White House, calling it a rat terrier because of its ability to kill rodents, and this name stuck to the breed.
Rat terriers became perhaps the most commonly found dog on family farms from the late 1800s to the 1930s. These dogs were ferocious and relentless pest killers, multiplying farmers' profits and preventing the spread of rodent-borne diseases. The Rat Terrier became an active and inquisitive breed and possessed strong predatory instincts. Unlike most other terriers, such dogs had to live in close proximity to children and neighbors, and only those pets that were at their best with humans were bred.
While most breeders would never want to admit it, many farmers kept their rat terriers, both for companionship and as working pets. Beginning in the 1930s, new pest control methods were developed and an increasing number of farmers abandoned (or lost) their land and moved to cities. The number of rat terriers was significantly reduced, but the breed continued to be a very common species of dogs on those family farms that remained, including in the south. There these pets were known as Feist, which can be translated as "angry dogs" and were used to hunt squirrels. Rat terriers remained mostly working dogs, and breeders had little interest in having their dogs recognized by large kennels. A number of different terrier registers have evolved to preserve their dog's pedigrees. Only the history of the Rat Terrier most of all relates to the American Hairless Terrier.
Origin history of the first American terriers
Mutations are the engine that drives the development of the newest canine species. They are surprisingly common, but many of them are so minor that they become completely invisible. Every time, after a while, a big mutation occurs. One of these changes appeared in the Rat Terrier litter in the fall of 1972. The completely hairless puppy was born from a mating of a regular, normal Type A (short-bodied / non-Teddy Roosevelt) rat terrier in Louisiana. The bald puppy turned out to be identical in exterior to its littermates.
Breeders "puzzled" what to do with this leather-spotted pink-black offspring. Therefore, they decided to give it to their family friends Willie and Edwin Scott. Scott named his new ward Josephine. The newly minted pet quickly fell in love with the entire Scott family thanks to her affectionate, intelligent and lively personality. Scott also found that the hairless Josephine was very comfortable to keep. Households did not have to vacuum the dog's hair or deal with flea infections, although they had to apply sunscreen or cover it in the hot Louisiana sun. The animal was a very friendly dog who loved to travel and meet new acquaintances.
The Scots loved Josephine so much that they had the idea of creating a new naked species. In this regard, they consulted geneticists, dog breeders, veterinarians and university students. Many experts have questioned this idea. Eventually, the Scots were able to get some advice and started a breeding program. At the age of one year, Josephine was brought together with her father, as it was believed that he may have a gene responsible for hairlessness.
This was confirmed when a litter of three puppies was born, including one hairless female, later nicknamed "Gypsy". The scots crossed Josephine several more times, but no hairless puppies were born in further litters. Finally, in 1982, healthy nine-year-old Josephine gave birth to her last puppies. To produce this offspring, this dog was mated with a son from a previous litter, and received a naked male and female, and two covered females. They were named: Snoopy, Jemima, Petunia and the Queen. They laid the foundation for the American Hairless Terrier breed.
Popularization of the American Hairless Terrier breed
The Scots were overjoyed at their success and decided to keep the offspring for themselves. On an official basis, for the development of the breed, the Trout Creek kennel was created, which the couple intended to call the American Hairless Terrier. Realizing that they would need to expand if they wanted to start a full-fledged kennel, Scott started a new breeding.
When Snoopy was one year old, he was mated to his three sisters. The litter reproduced by Jemima, the hairless sister, was completely hairless. Among the offspring that Petunia and the Queen gave birth were naked and woolly puppies. Veterinarians confirmed that the mutation responsible for hairlessness in terriers was recessive. Now that the confirmation was received, it was possible to breed a new hairless breed, they began to seriously help the Scots with their breeding program.
Trout Creek Kennel continued to breed more offspring throughout the 1980s and 1990s. American Hairless Terriers were introduced to new owners, many of whom fell in love with the breed. Many new breeders were recruited and the variety quickly became popular throughout the country. Because the Scotts and other breeders initially kept detailed records, the pedigree of the American Hairless Terrier is better known than almost any other breed. It was well known to specialists that the population of these dogs was very small.
To expand the gene pool, a program of careful crossing of American Hairless Terriers with other Rat Terriers was initiated. Rat Terriers come in two or three sizes depending on the registry, and the American Hairless Terrier is eventually found in both miniature and standard sizes. However, the species has not been crossed with Toy or Giant Rat Terriers, or Type B / Teddy Roosevelt Terriers. The American Hairless Terrier Association (AHTA) was founded by the Scots and several other hobbyists to regulate the breed's breeding, keep records of breeding, and promote and protect it.
Recognition of the American Hairless Terrier
Although Scott's ambition was to develop a completely new breed, most of the early breeders registered their dogs with various Rat Terrier organizations. This was possible because all dogs introduced into the American Hairless Terrier line were registered purebred Rat Terriers. This meant that all American Hairless Terriers were also technically purebred, registered rat terriers. Eventually, several Rat Terrier registries began to consider the American Hairless Terrier as a distinct variety.
The American Hairless Terrier was first officially recognized in 1998 by the American Rare Breed Association (ARBA) and the National Rat Terrier Association (NRTA). Over the years, most Rat Terrier registries have been vehemently opposed to having their breed recognized by large kennel clubs, fearing that it would undermine the dog's health and performance. In the 1990s, the relationship changed somewhat, and in 1999 the UKC granted full recognition to the Rat Terrier and Teddy Roosevelt Terrier as separate varieties.
The UKC consulted the AHTA about their breed. The UKC wanted to register the American Hairless Terrier as a species of Rat Terrier and name it Hairless Rat Terrier. While the AHTA really wanted separate recognition, the Scott family and other breeders decided that any formal recognition would be a lasting step towards their eventual goals. Since the UKC is the second largest dog registry in the United States (and worldwide for that matter), participating in its events could popularize the American Hairless Terrier and attract new fans to the breed.
Also in 1999, the variety received recognition outside the United States, then it was recognized in Canada by the Canadian registries. In 2004, the UKC decided to completely separate the American Hairless Terrier from the Rat Terrier and the breeds were then recognized as separate. With full recognition, the UKC has granted AHTA status as the official parent club. The UKC understands that AHTA intends to continue crossing American Hairless Terriers with other Rat Terriers for the foreseeable future to increase genetic diversity.
What is unique about the American Hairless Terrier?
The American Hairless Terrier is unique among hairless dogs, as evidenced by genetic studies. All other hairless dog breeds such as the Xoloitzcuintli, the Peruvian Inca Orchid and the Chinese Crested dog are bound to come in two coats. This is because the mutation that causes their hairlessness is dominant homozygous fatal, which means that a dog only needs one copy of the hairless gene to be hairless. But, if she has two copies of the naked gene, she will die in the womb. As a result, hairy and hairless puppies will always be born in the litters of these dogs, even if both parents are naked.
The hairlessness of the American Hairless Terrier is determined by a completely different gene mutation. This hairless trait is recessive, which means that the dog must have two copies of the hairless gene in order to remain hairless. Therefore, crossing between two naked individuals will lead to the complete exclusion of the woolly coat from this breed. In fact, the ultimate goal of the AHTA is to one day eliminate dogs with hair altogether, but only after a large enough gene pool has been built up. The American Hairless Terrier is different from other hairless breeds. Its mutation does not affect the animal's dentition, eliminating the serious dental problems that are present in other hairless breeds. The American Hairless Terrier is also almost completely hairless and does not have tufts of fur on its head and back like other hairless breeds.
Breed representatives are becoming more and more popular due to the fact that allergy sufferers do not react to them. Although in carriers of extreme allergies, these dogs can still provoke the onset of the disease. Research seems to confirm that this is the best breed for those with such flaws, to a much greater extent than other hairless dogs. Many who cannot stand even breeds such as the Bichon Frize or Poodle report that the American Hairless Terrier gives them few problems.
The position of the American Hairless Terrier breed in the modern world
In 2009, a group of owners of these dogs decided to have their pets registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC). To this end, they created the American Hairless Terrier Club of America (AHTCA). At this point, the AKC had already included the Rat Terrier in the AKC-FSS, but decided not to allow the American Hairless Terrier to compete with other Rat Terriers. The AHTCA was successful in getting their dog into the AKC-FSS, the first step towards full recognition, and their club was chosen as the official AKC parent club. However, it is unclear how quickly the breeds will transition to the Misclass due to AKC rules and regulations. It is also not entirely clear how the AKC will view the ongoing program of introducing additional Rat Terrier blood to the American Hairless Terrier.
Until recently, the Rat Terrier was bred almost exclusively as a working dog. The breed retains a very high level of pest control performance. While the American Hairless Terrier was bred primarily for looks and communication, it almost certainly has most of these working inclinations. The breed has also competed very successfully in many canine competitions such as competitive obedience and agility.
Despite this ability, the American Hairless Terrier is kept almost exclusively as a companion and show dog, which is likely the breed's future. Since they were recently developed, the American Hairless Terrier remains a rare species. Due to its adorable nature and interest in hairless dogs, the American Hairless Terrier population is growing quite rapidly and the status of the breed could improve significantly in the near future.
More about the breed in the following video:
