While these dogs are registered by a variety of registries, the text and drawings below were taken from the United Kennel Club's website. These standards are a good way to illustrate the common base for the three breeds ; note the similarities between that for the Rat and Teddy Roosevelt Terriers, as well as the clear acceptance that the Hairless evolved from the Rat Terrier breed itself. Originally this Terrier was recognized and registered by both the Universal Kennel Club International and the National Rat Terrier Association. It is unclear which of those two maintains the oldest registry database for these dogs (UKCI claims this honor but I didn't find a date on their website) and both still actively register them today. The Rat Terrier is also now in the American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service registry, to determine the breed's eligibility for exhibition in their conformation events. For the moment, there is still some minor confusion between the RTs and the TRTs due to their having come from a common registry background, however the breed clubs and fanciers devoted to them are now for the most part concentrating on making them recognizably separate breeds, and for exhibition purposes resulting in titles they are separate breeds.
(Click on any photo below to see the variety of colors and markings these breeds come in) |
American Hairless Terrier
The first American Hairless Terrier, a
female named Josephine, was born in 1972, part of a litter of purebred,
coated Rat Terriers. The breeder, Edwin Scott, began to develop the
breed from Josephine’s descendants. Although he never used any dogs but
Rat Terriers in his breeding program, it was always Scott’s intention
for the hairless dogs to be a separate breed. However, in 1999, when
United Kennel Club recognized the Rat Terrier, Scott and his fellow
breeders agreed to allow the hairless dogs to enter the UKC registry as
Rat Terriers, hairless variety. Upon separation, all of the hairless
Rat Terriers and all of their coated descendants, products of careful
breeding to the finest coated Rat Terriers, were given the name
originally chosen for the breed by Edwin Scott: American Hairless
Terrier. While it may seem contradictory to have coated dogs in a
hairless breed, it will be necessary for the foreseeable future to
continue to include some Rat Terrier crosses until there are sufficient
hairless dogs to maintain a separate and healthy gene pool.
The American Hairless Terrier was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 2004. |
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The Rat Terrier is an American breed
descended from the terriers brought over by English miners and other
working class immigrants. These terriers probably included crosses
between the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Manchester Terrier and the now
extinct white English Terrier. These dogs were used as ratters, and
gambling on their prowess in killing rats was a favorite hobby of their
owners. Some of these dogs were crossed with Whippets or Italian
Greyhounds (for speed) and Beagles (for hunting ability). Eventually,
these tough little terriers evolved into today’s Rat Terrier. The breed
was popularized by President Teddy Roosevelt, who frequently hunted
with his Rat Terriers. Many are still used as ratters and squirrel
hunters, particularly in the South, where they are sometimes known as
“Feists.”
The Rat Terrier was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1999. |
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The Teddy Roosevelt Terrier is an
American breed descended from the terriers brought over by English
miners and other working class immigrants. These versatile terriers
probably included crosses between the Smooth Fox Terrier, the
Manchester Terrier, the Bull Terrier, the Beagle, the Whippet, the
Italian Greyhound, and the now extinct white English Terrier. These
dogs were used as ratters, and soon became known as “Rat Terriers.” Two
types of Rat Terriers evolved, distinguished primarily by leg length.
The short-legged Rat Terriers developed a devoted following and were
named in honor of President Teddy Roosevelt, who was once thought to
have owned these ratters.
The Teddy Roosevelt Terrier was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1999. |
