In the early 1970's, a breeder of Rat Terriers had a litter that included one female that was completely hairless. They bred this dog in the hopes of getting more like her, but this didn't happen for quite a few years, when she had one male and one female that were born. These two puppies became the foundation dogs for the breed.

The other hairless breeds, such as the Chinese Crested, require a powderpuff version (dog with hair) to maintain the breeding program- the hairlessness gene is not semi-lethal dominant but autosomal recessive. That is one of the ways in which the American Hairless Terrier differs. These dogs do not have absent premolars or any of the breeding complications associated with the hairless breeds.

The main goal of this breed is to keep the temperament of the Rat Terrier while still keeping the breed a hairless breed.

This breed gained full recognition with the UKC on January 1, 2004. Prior to this they were recognized as a Rat Terrier, hairless variety.

The American Hairless Terrier should be around 7-16 inches tall and weigh between 5-16 pounds.

These dogs do not have any of the breeding complications associated with the hairless breeds. The main concerns are sunburn as well as getting too cold in the winter. They may also have a problem with allergies.