The cheerful breed American Hairless Terrier appeared in the USA. She is relatively young and still in the process of becoming. A unique feature is the complete absence of wool. This makes the dog very comfortable to care for and allergic to.
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Breed history
The ancestors of the naked terriers were red terriers. In this breed, from time to time, naked puppies were born. For the first time, American Edwin Scott, the owner of a large nursery, drew attention to this feature. Once, in 1972, he was presented with a naked puppy-girl named Josephine.
Edwin and his family liked the dog so much that he decided to investigate and consolidate the phenomenon of lack of hair. His work was successful. Soon enough dogs were born, which allowed us to talk about the emergence of a new breed. The gene that caused baldness did not bring dangerous genetic diseases and mental abnormalities, breeding was promising.
American Naked Terriers or AGT are awaiting official international recognition soon. The breed standard is not yet fully established, breeders continue to improve the appearance of the dog. In some countries they are considered a variety of rat terriers. AGT are popular and have been recognized as an independent breed in America, Canada, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine. The population of dogs in the world is relatively small.
Description and character of the American Naked Terrier
Dog American Hairless Terrier - friendliness itself.Occasionally, the breed is confused with American crested, which, as you know, has hair on its head, legs and tail. But these breeds differ in body structure, skin structure and character.
Dogs confirm their belonging to terriers with character, they like to play, they are very impulsive and cheerful. They love to drive cats, but it doesn’t come to self-mutilation. Naked terriers find common language with everyone, get along well with other animals. These are companion dogs, very owner-oriented, love children. Due to the lack of wool, AGT are unsuitable for hunting, they are friendly to strangers, but with the right training they can become good guards.
Puppies of the American hairless terrier are born covered with short hair, begin to lose it from about 2 weeks and remain with bare skin, velvet to the touch. There is a short-haired breed breed. The weight of adult dogs is from 2 to 7 kg. The standard size at the withers is from 25 to 46 cm. Appearance is very similar to a hair-covered relative - a red terrier.
Description of the breed:
- the head is wide, wedge-shaped, of proportional size;
- well developed muscles;
- the muzzle is long;
- eyes are slightly convex, set obliquely;
- ears may be erect or semi-hanging;
- chest is deep;
- paws thin and muscular;
- tail saber, thick at base;
- the skin is smooth, without folds;
- the color is diverse, usually on the main background there are spots of a different color.
Interestingly, the naked terrier has a lively facial expression that can convey feelings. The muzzle can become thoughtful or joyful, angry or perplexed, due to the absence of hair, the movements of the facial muscles are clearly visible. Sometimes the dog sweats from fear, fright or heat, it must be wiped with a dry cloth to keep the skin clean.
Hypoallergenicity of a four-legged friend
Owners of naked terriers consider their dogs an ideal breed, they do not have wool on carpets and furniture. Animals do not smell like a dog, they can swim several times a week. Touching their delicate velvety skin evokes pleasant emotions.
This is the only breed that people with allergies to dog hair tolerate well. In asthmatics, the allergic reaction is so strong that it ends with attacks of suffocation. American Hairless Terriers are a hypoallergenic breed that even people with asthma can afford.
Features of keeping and caring for a dog
Due to its small size and complete absence of hair, the naked terrier is an excellent breed for keeping in an apartment. AHT care is required to a minimum - once a week the dog is washed using mild shampoos. Usually swimming is well perceived. After washing, moisturizing lotions are applied to the skin and wiped dry with a towel. After each bath, they brush their teeth and rub their ears.
Be sure to trim the claws with claws once a month, and treat them with a nail file so that the pet does not scratch the skin during scratching. These are the main features of care and hygiene.
Dogs rarely get sick, like winter walks. Some withstand frost without clothes. They run naked without freezing with active movement, and in overalls and shoes they can walk for a very long time. In summer, animals do not need to be treated for fleas, this is a big advantage. Experienced dog breeders are advised to keep calendula alcohol tincture and hydrogen peroxide in the medicine cabinet to lubricate damage to delicate dog skin. You will also need a baby cream to protect the dog from sunburn in the summer days.
Pet Feeding Rules
You can feed your pet with natural food or prepared dry food. You can’t give food from your table.
List of prohibited products:
- sweets;
- smoked and fatty meat;
- bread, pasta, potatoes;
- tubular bones of birds;
- mushrooms;
- chocolate;
- fresh milk (for dogs older than 4 months).
When buying dry food, carefully read on the package what it consists of, the less flavoring and preservatives, the better. It is desirable that the composition includes natural, processed meat, and not meat and bone meal. Check the expiration date and integrity of the packaging. When switching to a new feed, buy a small amount, checking the reaction of the dog.
Independently composing a dog diet from natural products, they prefer lean beef, rabbit, chicken. The fillets are frozen for three days in the freezer, then they are taken out when thawed, cut into small cubes and given to the dog. This low-temperature treatment destroys dangerous pathogens that can be found in raw meat.
When compiling a daily menu, you need to adhere to a certain amount of BJU per 1 kg of weight:
- proteins - 10–20 g;
- fats - 1 g;
- carbohydrates - 5-6 g.
The dog gets carbohydrates with cereals, vegetables and fruits. Useful chopped greens, quail eggs, fresh cottage cheese, kefir. The number of meals in 3-month-old puppies is 4 times a day, in 6-month-old puppies - 3 times. Adult dogs are fed morning and evening.
Some dog breeders prefer a mixed type of food, when the dog receives dry food in one meal and natural products in the other. The best indicator that the animal is eating properly is its healthy appearance, clean skin and normal activity. When choosing food, you must also consider canine age - puppies require more protein than adults.
Dog clothes
Immunity in dogs is strong. But in cold weather, it is advisable to walk them in warm clothes. Many breed lovers knit hats for their pets, make shoes, sew warm clothes. It looks very funny.
Pet stores also have shoes and clothing for the American Naked Terrier:
- overalls with fleece or synthetic winterizer;
- raincoats;
- vests;
- Hoodies
- warm suits;
- coat;
- winter boots with fur;
- rubber boots made of silicone.
Teach a dog to dress from puppyhood. This is a breed for which dog clothes are not a whim, but a necessity in the cold season.
Characteristic breed diseases
American Hairless Terriers are in good health. They do not have hereditary diseases or any serious genetic pathologies. Sometimes puppies are born with an incomplete set of teeth, but the dog handlers want to fix this sign as characteristic of the breed.
To maintain the health of AHT, it is necessary to undergo timely deworming and vaccination. Vaccinations are done from 2 months of age, 2 weeks before the procedure, they are treated for worms. Then annually bring the animal to the veterinary clinic for a routine examination and vaccination.
Naked skin can suffer from frost in the winter, and in summer from scorching sunlight. The way out of this situation will be the use of clothing for dogs and protective cream. Animals overheat much harder than cold, so in the summer you can’t put anything on them. An allergic rash sometimes appears on the skin, in which case it is worth changing the food to hypoallergenic. The life span of a naked terrier is approximately 14–16 years.
Parenting and training
Parenting begins as soon as the dog appears in the house. Much attention is paid to socialization; one cannot allow a puppy to grow up pugnacious. To do this, he is introduced to other dogs and people, walking in busy places.
AGT has an active temperament; their ancestors belonged to the hunting breed of the Pied Piper, so dogs require constant physical activity. OKD take place on the training ground or do it yourself.
The puppy easily learns the basic commands, but can be impatient and wayward. Dog training requires patience from the owner, you can not scream at the pet, scold him. A good incentive to success will be praise and encouragement.The owner must be a leader, compliance with this condition will greatly facilitate the process of education and training.
Naked terriers are very smart, well trained, they gladly bring a stick or a ball to the owner, participate in noisy and outdoor games. With pets you can engage in coursing, agility, freestyle, hiking. The breed is suitable for people with an active lifestyle.
