American Hairless Terrier puppies

About the American Hairless Terrier

The American Hairless Terrier came out of a hairless puppy born into a litter of Rat Terriers in the United States in the early 1970s, and the line was bred on from there. It is a small, well muscled terrier, 30 to 41 centimetres tall, and it comes in two varieties, hairless and short coated. Character is pure terrier, curious, busy and quick off the mark, with the sociability of the rat terrier behind it. It rates five out of five for trainability, unusual in the group.

Exercise needs are moderate: a fenced garden or regular walks will do, and it is content to curl up afterwards. Grooming is easy in either variety, though a hairless dog needs sun protection outdoors and warmth in the cold. It rates five out of five with children, with supervision and socialisation as always. Skin problems are rare in the breed despite the lack of coat. The usual mistake is assuming hairless means allergy free, which is not how dog allergies work.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a American Hairless Terrier puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get it socialised before the vaccination course finishes. It will still need four meals a day. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Patellar luxation, graded by a veterinary orthopaedic exam
• Legg Calve Perthes disease, a hip malformation that shows up early as limping and can be corrected surgically
• Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation of breeding stock
• Cardiac disease, screened by a cardiac exam
• Sunburn on the hairless variety, which needs shade and cover outdoors

From American Hairless Terrier breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-hairless-terrier/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your American Hairless Terrier puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a American Hairless Terrier.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 5.4 to 12.7 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other small breeds

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