American Hairless Terrier

The American Hairless Terrier is a relatively new breed, getting its start in 1972 when a hairless puppy was born to two Rat Terriers. The hairless puppy was given to a couple in Louisiana, Edwin and Willie Scott. The Scotts loved the dog, named Josephine, and began a breeding program that established the American Hairless Terrier. Strangely enough, there is a coated variety of the American Hairless Terrier that still fits the breed standard. The reason for this is so that Rat Terriers can continue to be crossed into the breed until the hairless variety has a sufficient and healthy gene pool on its own. The American Hairless Terrier is a popular breed amongst allergy sufferers, with even the coated variety shedding very little.