We were lucky enough to get Bare Louise in August, 2002, when she was 3 months old. We named her after the childhood teddy bear (Bear Louise) of one of Linda's old friends. She does have a lot of nicknames, though (Louise, Weezie, Squeezie, Weasel, etc).
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After having dogs "forever", up to 6 at one time (most were rescues), we were dogless for a few years. Linda, especially, missed having a dog. She decided that for once, she would search out the ideal dog for our current situation, and began researching breeds on the internet. She fell in love with this breed, but it was several years before we were able to have one. Then, things just lined up right, as though it were meant to be that we would have this particular dog. (Many, many thanks to Starla & Steve!!)
Update: We now have a second American Terrier (hairless), Gary, who was born in 2000 but came to us in early September, 2006. My nickname for him is Garybaldy :>) It took a few months for the two dogs to bond. They still have their jealous moments and arguments, of course, but they really love each other now, and often play together.
American Terriers were developed from Rat Terriers, starting with a hairless pup that was born in the 1970's. They are born with hair which, I'm told, is different from the usual hair, and which falls out over the next few weeks, never to return! They do have some "fuzz" in some areas but it is barely visible.
Many (not all) people who are allergic to dogs can tolerate contact with an Amercian Terrier. Our AT's live with cats, so unless they were recently bathed, they might produce a reaction in a person with allergies.
Fleas have nowhere to hide on a hairless dog, so we don't need to treat our AT's with any flea prevention (though we do use it on the cats). And there's no dog hair on the recliners or bed or in the car!
Hairless dogs do require some special care, though. Nothing too difficult, but we do need to make sure they stay warm enough, and protect them from sunburn in the summer. Our house is somewhat cool even in the summer, especially on the floor. Though our dogs are allowed on the recliners whenever they want, and have several cushy beds, they often need a T-shirt, or at least a blanket they can burrow underneath at naptime. In the winter, they wear a T-shirt and/or a sweater most of the time (they have extensive wardrobes!*) and they have fleece jackets to go over that when they venture outside. Louise has occasionally worn boots (she tolerates them better than I thought she would, but prefers not to wear them). But we have a goat barn and several small sheds with lots of shavings, hay and/or straw on the ground, and that's where they usually spend most of their "outdoor" time in the winter. So the boots are not really necessary.
I use a sunscreen made for children on our AT's to protect them from sunburn. Louise doesn't like it very much when I apply it! I found out the hard way that I have to rub it in well and wait a little while before letting her out after the application - otherwise she runs out and rolls in the dirt, which sticks to the sunscreen and makes her look filthy! I ONLY use the sunscreen when she is going to be out in the sun a lot.
Louise's brown spots fade in the winter, especially the ones covered by her T-shirts. They darken in the summer with exposure to the sun, and are increasing somewhat in number and size as she ages. Gary is fairly light in color but also changes shades according to the season.
*Louise has LOTS of clothes, and Gary is accumulating quite a collection also! Some of them are "store-bought", but many are home-made from the sleeves of jerseys, or the legs of child-sized sweatpants. I've made these T-shirts for years for my Nigerian Dwarf Goat kids - certain kids need a little extra help staying warm when they are first born. I used them for Louise when she was little, because I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something she would soon outgrow. I still make these for her now, because they fit her better than a lot of the commercial dog T-shirts I have tried, and I can find all sorts of neat colors & patterns. I never thought I would be one to enjoy dressing my dogs, but I have to admit that it's fun, and I do have a good excuse - umm - reason to do it!
Louise was raised with 5 children the first few months of her life, and still loves kids. We sell at a flea market every Sunday (weather permitting) from April till November, and we always took Louise with us till recently. She LOVES all the attention she gets, from adults & children alike, and is always especially gentle with babies. She also gets to meet a lot of dogs there. It's been a great way to keep her socialized! Lately we have been leaving her home to keep Gary company.
Gary had a different background; he is very lovable and playful with us and with Louise but absolutely HATES it when other people come to our house! When he goes to the vet, though, he is perfectly behaved (unlike Louise!)
Louise and Gary are a huge part of our lives, and we're very grateful to have them!
Bare Louise and her favorite cat, Ollie.
