American Hairless Terrier
Price range: $500-$2,000
Common health issues: Hip dysplasia, cardiac issues, patella luxation
Contrary to its name, the American Hairless Terrier sometimes has hair. The breed comes in two varieties: coated and hairless. The coated has short hair while the hairless has smooth skin and may have eyebrows and whiskers. While it has the benefit of being low-maintenance as well as allergy-friendly, its lack of coat presents special concerns, such as sunburn and low cold tolerance. The breed is friendly and protective and only needs moderate exercise. These small dogs are easily trained and enjoy canine sports.
The only hairless breed native to the United States, the American Hairless Terrier is related to the Rat Terrier (then known as the Feist), which immigrated with British miners in the late 1800s. In the U.S., they were crossed with the Smooth Fox Terrier. President Theodore Roosevelt is credited with coming up with the name Rat Terrier. In 1972, the first hairless was born, and by 1983 the American Rat Terrier became its own breed.