The American Hairless Terrier

THE AHT STANDARD

THE AMERICAN HAIRLESS TERRIER

History

In the autumn of 1972 a small hairless female puppy was born into a litter of purebred Rat Terriers. Not knowing what to do with such a puppy, the litter owners gave her to Willie and Edwin Scott. This unusual little pup was the beginning of a new and unique breed.

Josephine proved to be a highly intelligent, lively and loyal companion which made for a perfect pet. And being hairless meant no fleas, no dog hairs and best of all an enormous plus for allergy sufferers. This is when the Scott's became interested in breeding her and trying to develop a new breed they would call The American Hairless Terrier.

At the age of one year, Josephine was bred to a Rat Terrier and produced a litter of four puppies - three coated and one hairless female which they called Gypsy. Over the years Josephine produced several litters but none with hairless puppies. Finally, at nine years of age, Josephine gave birth to her final litter. She whelped two coated female puppies, one hairless female puppy and finally that long awaited hairless male puppy. On this 30th day of December 1981, the Scott's witnessed the birth of the American Hairless Terrier breed.

THE OFFICIAL STANDARD FOR THE AMERICAN HAIRLESS TERRIER

set forth by Edwin Scott, Founder

Revised April 1, 2004

General Appearance

The American Hairless Terrier's body is neat and trim, resembling a small deer. Its carriage and confident manner should give the appearance of vigor and self-importance.

Disqualifications: A short-legged dog whose proportions vary significantly from the 10:9 ratio.

Characteristics

The American Hairless Terrier is a lively energetic and alert dog. His intelligence and loving manner make him a wonderful companion dog and easy to train. The American Hairless Terrier enjoys human companionship and readily adapts to his owner's lifestyle. Lack of coat makes these dogs unsuitable for hunting like their early ancestors and their skin must be protected from the sun and cold weather. The best feature of this breed is the ability of allergy sufferers to finally own a dog.

Disqualifications: Extreme shyness or viciousness

Height

10 inches to 16 inches measured from the ground to the withers.

Faults: Measuring over or under the allowed height. Obesity.

Head

Slightly rounded with medium length muzzle and moderate stop. The muzzle is thinner than the head, tapering to the nose. The length of the muzzle from the tip of the nose to the stop is approximately one half the length of the head from the tip of the nose to the occiput. The head is proportionate to the body and when viewed from the front or side forms a blunt wedge shape.

Faults: Abrupt stop. Snipey muzzle.

Serious Faults: Apple head

Ears

Of moderate size the ears are V-shaped and set at the outside edges of the skull. Naturally erect, tipped, or button are acceptable. Matching ears are strongly preferred while non-matching ear carriage should be penalized to the degree of variation.

Note: Ear carriage may not stabilize until the dog has matured. Dogs under one year of age should not be penalized for variations in ear carriage.

Faults: Erect ears with sides curving inward forming a tulip shape, rose ears, or non matching ear carriages.

Disqualifications: Hound dog or hanging ears. Cropped ears.

Teeth

Full dentition. Scissor bite is prefered but level bite is acceptable.

Faults: Missing teeth, overshot

Disqualifications: Undershot

Eyes

Round or oval eyes of moderate size with an alert expression. Eyes may be any color.

Faults: Walleye, china eye.

Nose

Black or Self colored

Neck

The neck is medium length with a graceful arch tapering slightly from the shoulders to the head. The neck is smoothly muscled and blends into well laid back shoulders.

Body

Length of the body is slightly longer than height. Topline is level to a slightly arched loin with the croup sloping gently to the tail set. There should be a moderate tuck-up. Shoulders are smoothly muscled. Forelegs are long, straight and sturdy in bone. Elbows are close to the body and feet neither turn inward or outward. The hindquarters are well muscled with the length of the upper and lower thighs approximately equal. Back legs are moderately angulated with the feet neither turning inward or outward.

Faults: Fiddle front, cow-hocked.

Tail

Moderately long tail that starts thick and tapers off to point. Carried up or back.

Faults: Ring tail or bent tail.

Disqualifications: Natural bob tail or docked tail.

Feet

Compact and oval with center toes slightly longer than the others. Toes may be well split up but not flat or splayed. Front dewclaws may be removed or left.

Faults: Splay foot, flat foot.

Skin

Warm to the touch, soft, smooth and free from hair except for whiskers, guard hairs and eyebrows. Short, very fine (vellus) hair may be present on the body of a mature dog. When hot or scared they may break out in a sweat. This is not to be penalized in the show ring. Puppies are born with hair. They will begin losing the hair starting at the nose and receding in a band toward the back until hairless at 6-8 weeks.

Faults: hair on any part of the body other than whiskers, guard hairs or eyebrows.

Serious Faults: Vellus hair longer than 1mm on a dog over 6 months of age.

Disqualifications: coated dog

Color

Dogs may be any color. Usually parti-colored with general color of pink and freckles or spots of contrasting colors will darken with the sun and freckles enlarge with age.

Disqualification: Albinoism

Gait

The American Hairless Terrier is a straight forward moving dog. The front legs move gracefully, smoothly and effortlessly as they swing easily like the pendulum of a clock with the feet staying close to the ground. The forequarters have good reach with no sign of hackney gait. Hindquarters have strong driving power with parallel hocks fully extending. Viewed from any position, the legs turn neither in nor out, nor do feet cross over or interfere with each other. When viewed from the side, the front feet do not strike the rear feet nor do they over reach. The AHT moves with a jaunty air that suggests agility, speed and power, as well as elegance.

Faults: crossing over either front or back legs, paddling.

Serious Faults: Hackney gait, single-tracking

Faults: Over or under the height measurement allowed, obesity, abrupt stop, snipey muzzle, tulip ears, rose ears, non-matching ear carriage, missing teeth, walleye, china eye, fiddle front, cow hocked, ring tail, bent tail, flat foot, splay foot, hair on any part of the body other than whiskers, guard hairs or eyebrows, crossing over either front or back feet, paddling.

Serious Faults: Apple head, vellus hair longer than 1mm on a dog over 6 months of age, single - tracking, hackney gait.

Disqualifications: Hound dog or hanging ears, cropped ears, undershot bites, natural bob tail or docked tails, a short-legged dog whose proportions vary significantly from the10:9 ratio, coated dog, albinoism, unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid, extreme shyness or viciousness, unilateral or bilateral deafness.