The American Hairless Terrier is a breed of feist from the United States that was derived from the Rat Terrier, and the only hairless breed native to the United States. The breed descends from a single Rat Terrier that was born in 1972 in Louisiana whose descendants were bred for hairlessness.
Originally registered as a hairless variety of Rat Terrier, in 2004 the United Kennel Club granted the American Hairless Terrier recognition, in 2016 the American Kennel Club followed suit. Many American Hairless Terriers are still born with a coat, recognised as a coated variety.
The American Hairless Terrier retains many of the characteristics of its Rat Terrier descendants. This breed, developed in the early 19th century in England, were used as ratters and they were nicknamed “Feists” because of their spunky little temperaments.