Page 204 - ShowSight - April 2020

THE
AMERICAN HAIRLESS TERRIER
1. Where do you live? What do you do “outside” of dogs?
2. In popularity, The American Hairless Terrier is currently ranked #136 out of 195 AKC-recognized breeds. Do you hope this will change or are you comfortable with his placement?
3. Do these numbers help or hurt the breed?
4. Does the average person on the street recognize him for what he is?
5. Are there any misconceptions about the breed you’d like to dispel?
6. What special challenges do breeders face in our current eco- nomic and social climate?
7. At what age do you start to see definite signs of show-worthi- ness (or lack thereof)?
8. What is the most important thing about the breed for a new judge to keep in mind?
9. What’s the best way to attract newcomers to your breed and to the sport?
10. What is your ultimate goal for the breed?
11. What is your favorite dog show memory?
12. Is there anything else you’ d like to share about the breed? Please elaborate.
KATHY KNOLES & JANET PARKER
Janet Parker began her journey with AHT through rescue and is now an avid exhibitor in both AKC and UKC forums. Kathy Knoles is a fifth genera- tion dog show enthusiast. We use the kennel name Edelweiss that was regis- tered by Kathy’s great grandfather with the AKC in 1894. We also both breed and show Chinese Cresteds. I see a pat- tern here—we like our dogs naked.
Janet Parker lives in Jackson Michigan, and I live in Springfield,
Illinois. We both own boarding kennels with grooming salons. Janet also does prosthetic makeup for movies and television. Cur- rently, she’s working on “The Walking Dead”. I retired from the Illinois Legislature.
Do we hope the breed’s popularity will change or are we com- fortable with the placement? We see this breed rising in popularity everyday. Five years ago, you never saw them outside of the small pockets in Texas, Florida and the Carolinas. Now they are every- where; Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Colorado, etc. We have requests for show puppies weekly.
We think that as long as the people research the breed and the breeders are responsible and take back a dog if it isn’t the right fit, it will help the breed. Breeders like us will breed more litters and there will be more AHT’s in the ring. We strive to keep them out of rescue. That is where Janet first fell in love with them through her rescue work. So we are especially careful where our puppies go.
Does the average person on the street recognize the breed? No, they usually think they are a Xolo.
Are there any misconceptions about the breed we’d like to dis- pel? They are Terriers. They have lots of energy. They are great for families with young children. The biggest thing is that they are not born hairless; they have hair and then it starts to fall out within the first day. Also, they have full dentition.
What special challenges do breeders face in our current econom- ic and social climate? Getting our breed recognized by the fancy and the general public. It’s hard to place puppies when people don’t know what they are.
At what age do we start to see definite signs of show-worthiness? With AHT’s the first thing you want to look for is temperament. We start to see that at about three weeks. They must have an outgo- ing Terrier temperament.
What is the most important thing about the breed for a new judge to keep in mind? First and foremost is the size range, the standard has a huge range and all are correct. While we personally prefer 13-15", they can be much taller. Our opinion is they are a Rat Terrier offshoot. Rats are not that big.
The best way to attract newcomers to our breed and to the sport? When I am showing, I always let people play with and touch my dogs. Once someone has been around them for a bit, they are smit- ten. When we sell a puppy, we always encourage them to come to a show. See what it’s all about. I tell them anyone can do it. AHT just need someone to hold the leash, they do the rest.
Our ultimate goal for the breed? To breed consistent quality dogs with the proper Terrier temperament.
Our favorite dog show memory? Watching a dog we bred win the Garden this year.
We’d also like to share that AHT are not for everyone. They are Terriers. They are active, sometimes destructive, they are agile and busy. They must have social interaction; they love their people fiercely and want to be with them. They cannot be put in a crate and forgotten.
KARYN PINGEL
My first “sibling” was a Dachshund, giv- en to me when I was only six months old. My mother bred and exhibited both Dachs- hunds and Samoyeds, so I was exposed to
the dog “bug” early on. There was never a time in my life when we didn’t have at least two dogs. That is until my husband, Ryan Pingel, and I married and found out that our daughter, Corbyn, was extremely allergic to many things, including dogs. We were forced to place our rescue dog with a relative when Corbyn was only a toddler. We never thought we would be able to have another dog, but our son’s persistence pushed us to look for other options. After going six years without a dog, we happened across a magazine article referencing the “hypo-allergenic” breeds, including the hair- less (Chinese Crested, Xolo, and the American Hairless Terrier). We decided that we owed it to ourselves, and especially our dog-crazed son, to see how Corbyn would do with these hairless breeds. Much
202 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, APRIL 2020