The American Hairless Terrier's body is neat and trim, resembling a small deer. Its carriage and confident manner should give the
appearance of vigor and self-importance.
Disqualifications: A short-legged dog whose proportions vary significantly from the 10:9 ratio.
Characteristics: The American Hairless Terrier is a lively energetic and alert dog. His intelligence and loving manner make him a
wonderful companion dog and easy to train. The American Hairless Terrier enjoys human companionship and readily adapts to his
owner's lifestyle. Lack of coat makes these dogs unsuitable for hunting like their early ancestors and their skin must be protected
from the sun and cold weather. The best feature of this breed is the ability of allergy sufferers to finally own a dog.
Disqualifications: Extreme shyness or viciousness
Height: 10 inches to 16 inches measured from the ground to the withers.
Faults: Measuring over or under the allowed height. Obesity.
Head: Slightly rounded with medium length muzzle and moderate stop. The muzzle is thinner than the head, tapering to the nose.
The length of the muzzle from the tip of the nose to the stop is approximately one half the length of the head from the tip of the
nose to the occiput. The head is proportionate to the body and when viewed from the front or side forms a blunt wedge shape.
Faults: Abrupt stop. Snipey muzzle.
Serious Faults: Apple head
Ears: Of moderate size the ears are V-shaped and set at the outside edges of the skull. Naturally erect, tipped, or button are
acceptable. Matching ears are strongly preferred while non-matching ear carriage should be penalized to the degree of variation.
Note: Ear carriage may not stabilize until the dog has matured. Dogs under one year of age should not be penalized for variations
in ear carriage.
Faults: Erect ears with sides curving inward forming a tulip shape, rose ears, or non matching ear carriages.
Disqualifications: Hound dog or hanging ears. Cropped ears.
Teeth: Full dentition. Scissor bite is preferred but level bite is acceptable.
Faults: Missing teeth, overshot
Disqualifications: Undershot
Eyes: Round or oval eyes of moderate size with an alert expression. Eyes may be any color.
Faults: Walleye, china eye.
Nose: Black or Self colored
Neck: The neck is medium length with a graceful arch tapering slightly from the shoulders to the head. The neck is smoothly
muscled and blends into well laid back shoulders.
Body: Length of the body is slightly longer than height. Topline is level to a slightly arched loin with the croup sloping gently to the
tail set. There should be a moderate tuck-up. Shoulders are smoothly muscled. Forelegs are long, straight and sturdy in bone.
Elbows are close to the body and feet neither turn inward or outward. The hindquarters are well muscled with the length of the
upper and lower thighs approximately equal. Back legs are moderately angulated with the feet neither turning inward or outward.
Faults: Fiddle front, cow-hocked.
Tail: Moderately long tail that starts thick and tapers off to point. Carried up or back.
Faults: Ring tail or bent tail.
Disqualifications: Natural bob tail or docked tail.
Feet : Compact and oval with center toes slightly longer than the others. Toes may be well split up
but not flat or splayed. Front dewclaws may be removed or left.
Faults: Splay foot, flat foot.
Skin: Warm to the touch, soft, smooth and free from hair except for whiskers, guard hairs and eyebrows. Short, very fine (vellus)
hair may be present on the body of a mature dog. When hot or scared they may break out in a sweat. This is not to be penalized
in the show ring. Puppies are born with hair. They will begin losing the hair starting at the nose and receding in a band toward the
back until hairless at 6-8 weeks.
Faults: hair on any part of the body other than whiskers, guard hairs or eyebrows.
Serious Faults: Vellus hair longer than 1mm on a dog over 6 months of age.
Disqualifications: coated dog
Color: Dogs may be any color. Usually parti-colored with general color of pink and freckles or spots of contrasting colors will
darken with the sun and freckles enlarge with age.
Disqualification: Albinoism
Gait : The American Hairless Terrier is a straight forward moving dog. The front legs move gracefully, smoothly and effortlessly as
they swing easily like the pendulum of a clock with the feet staying close to the ground. The forequarters have good reach with no
sign of hackney gait. Hindquarters have strong driving power with parallel hocks fully extending. Viewed from any position, the legs
turn neither in nor out, nor do feet cross over or interfere with each other. When viewed from the side, the front feet do not strike
the rear feet nor do they over reach. The AHT moves with a jaunty air that suggests agility, speed and power, as well as elegance.
Faults: crossing over either front or back legs, paddling.
Serious Faults: Hackney gait, single-tracking
Faults: Over or under the height measurement allowed, obesity, abrupt stop, snipey muzzle, tulip ears, rose ears, non-matching
ear carriage, missing teeth, walleye, china eye, fiddle front, cow hocked, ring tail, bent tail, flat foot, splay foot, hair on any part of
the body other than whiskers, guard hairs or eyebrows, crossing over either front or back feet, paddling.
Serious Faults: Apple head, vellus hair longer than 1mm on a dog over 6 months of age, single - tracking, hackney gait.
Disqualifications: Hound dog or hanging ears, cropped ears, undershot bites, natural bob tail or docked tails, a short-legged dog
whose proportions vary significantly from the10:9 ratio, coated dog, albinoism, unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid, extreme shyness
or viciousness, unilateral or bilateral deafness.
should give the appearance of vigor and self-importance. They are very active, lively, and alert.
Height: From withers to the ground 7 1/2 to 11 inches
Weight: 6 to 10 pounds
Head: A rounded skull, cheeks and jaws are lean. A well defined stop is formed where the muzzle joins the skull. The muzzle is
thinner than the head, tapering to the nose. The length of the muzzle from the tip of the nose to the stop is approximately one half
the lengths of the head from the tip of the nose to the occiput.
Ears: Moderate size, naturally erect or tipped.
Teeth: Full dentition, level or scissor bite.
Eyes: Round, full, slightly bulging with an alert expression, eyes may be any color
Nose: Self colored.
Neck: Medium length with a graceful arch
Body: Length of body is slightly longer than height, rump curving slightly to tail set, long straight front legs, and moderately
angulated back legs.
Tail: Carried up or back, moderately long.
Feet: Small slender toes well split up, but not spread. A dainty foot with nails medium length
Skin: Warm to the touch, soft, smooth, free from hair except for whiskers and eyebrows. Puppies are born with hair. They will
begin losing the hair in a week starting at the nose and receding in a band toward the back until hairless at 6-8 weeks. When hot
or scared they will break into a sweat.
Color: Dogs may be any color. Parti-colored with general color of pink and freckles or spots of contrasting colors will darken with
the sun and freckles enlarge with age.
Gait: Graceful, kind of cocky
Faults: Missing teeth, severe under bite or overbite, hair on any part of the body other than whiskers or eyebrows, hound dog or
hanging ears.
