NEW YORK — A hairless terrier and an ancient North African hound are ready to run with the pack of dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club.
The organization announced Tuesday that the American hairless terrier and the sloughi have joined 187 other recognized breeds. The newcomers can now compete in most AKC shows and competitions, though not at the prominent Westminster Kennel Club show until next year.
Many American hairless terriers are bare-skinned, though others have short coats but carry the hairless gene. Their rise began when a hairless puppy emerged in a litter of rat terriers in the 1970s, wowing a Louisiana couple who decided to breed the hairless dogs deliberately, according to the American Hairless Terrier Club of America’s website.
The lively, inquisitive terriers can do well at canine sports and as pets for people with dog-hair allergies.
The sloughi, or Arabian greyhound, was developed to hunt game as big as gazelles. The lean, leggy dogs are known for speed, endurance, grace and rather reserved demeanors.
