American Hairless Terrier: Size, Temperament, Health and Adoption Guide
American Hairless Terrier history and background
The American Hairless Terrier belongs to the Terrier Group and originates in the United States. The first one, a female named Josephine, was born in a litter of coated Rat Terriers, and breeder Edwin Scott developed the breed from her descendants. Scott intended the hairless dogs to be a separate breed, even though they were briefly registered with the UKC as a hairless variety of the Rat Terrier. Some coated dogs and Rat Terrier crosses remain part of the breed for now to keep the gene pool healthy. The United Kennel Club recognized the breed in the early 2000s, and the AKC recognized it later, in 2016.
How big does a terrier get? American Hairless Terrier size
The AKC places this breed in its small size category, and the UKC describes it as a small-to-medium terrier. The AKC gives a height of 12-16 inches and a weight of 12-28 pounds. That makes it one of the terrier small dog breeds rather than one of the large terrier breeds.
American Hairless Terrier temperament and personality
The AKC describes the temperament as alert, curious and energetic. The UKC says its curiosity and intelligence make it easy to train, and the AKC rates its trainability 5 of 5. The ancestors of this breed were bred to hunt, and both varieties still have a strong hunting instinct. The UKC calls it an exceptionally friendly companion that gets along well with children, other dogs and even cats, while the AKC rates family affection and child compatibility 5 of 5 and dog compatibility 3 of 5.
Exercise and care
The AKC rates energy at 3 of 5 and mental enrichment at 3 of 5. These dogs enjoy human companionship and will happily share activities with their owners. The hairless dogs require protection from the sun and from cold winter weather.
Grooming and shedding
The AKC rates both grooming frequency and shedding at 1 of 5 for this breed. Mature hairless dogs are free of hair apart from whiskers, guard hairs on the muzzle and eyebrows, though short, very fine hair may be present.
American Hairless Terrier lifespan
The AKC gives a general life expectancy of 14-16 years for the breed.
AKC breed facts
These are the American Kennel Club’s general facts and 1 to 5 ratings for the American Hairless Terrier as a breed. General tendencies don’t establish any one dog’s ancestry, personality or health; ask the listing organization about the dog you are considering.
- AKC group
- Terrier Group
- AKC recognition year
- 2016
- Height (AKC published)
- 12-16 inches
- Weight (AKC published)
- 12-28 pounds
- General life expectancy
- 14-16 years
- AKC size category
- Small
AKC general breed ratings (1 to 5)
- Energy: 3 of 5
- Mental enrichment: 3 of 5
- Trainability: 5 of 5
- Grooming frequency: 1 of 5
- Shedding: 1 of 5
- Vocalization: 3 of 5
- Drooling: 1 of 5
- Adaptability: 5 of 5
- Playfulness: 3 of 5
- Watchful or protective tendency: 3 of 5
- Affection toward family: 5 of 5
- Openness toward strangers: 3 of 5
- AKC child compatibility rating: 5 of 5
- AKC dog compatibility rating: 3 of 5
Health screenings AKC lists for the breed
Breeding evaluations AKC names for the breed; they are not a diagnosis or a testing plan for any one dog.
- Patella Evaluation
- Hip Evaluation
- Cardiac Exam
Source: American Kennel Club breed profile (opens in a new tab), retrieved November 4, 2026 (snapshot akc-2026-11-04).
Written by Lily's Second Chance with AI assistance from the sources listed under References. Facts were checked automatically against those sources on November 8, 2026.
References
- Breed Standards : American Hairless Terrier | United Kennel Club (UKC) (opens in a new tab), United Kennel Club, checked November 8, 2026
- American Hairless Terrier - AKC breed profile (snapshot akc-2026-11-04) (opens in a new tab), American Kennel Club, checked November 4, 2026
