Bernedoodle vs American Hairless Terrier - Breed Comparison

Derived from the Rat Terrier, the American Hairless Terrier was born in a litter of Rat Terriers in 1972.

The evolution of this breed is very different from other hairless breeds. The American Hairless Terrier was independently developed when a hairless pup was produced in a litter of normal Rat Terriers. The owners of this pup, Edwin and Willie Scott attempted to breed her to other Rat terriers but were not successful in having another hairless pup until years later. Then they had a litter with one male and one female hairless puppy.

From that point on they worked with a veterinarian and a geneticist to develop the breed until it was accepted as a separate breed from the Rat Terrier in 2004 and accepted into the AKC in 2016.

The breed is very rare and with hairless dogs breeding only produces about two thirds of the litter as hairless and one third as coated. If a hairless is bred to a coated terrier, the chances of getting hairless puppies are 50% hairless and 50% coated. It is very rare to get a hairless when breed two coated terriers. The difference between the American Hairless Terrier and other hairless breeds is that the hairless gene in most breed is a lethal dominant gene, but in the AHT it is a recessive gene.

The Bernedoodle is a hybrid cross between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Standard Poodle. They have been around for many, many years but the first official” cross between the two breeds came from Sherry Rupke out of SwissRidge Kennels. The first Bernedoodle were achieved in 2003. She now has an entire breeding program for this hybrid.

A bernedoodle or a first generation is a cross between a purebred a purebred Poodle and a purebred Bernese Mountain Dog. This is a 50/50 mix. This mix is a very low shedding dog and though no dog is hypoallergenic, the Bernedoodle is as close as it gets. If the cross is true between two purebred dogs, the new breed will have the calm, sweet demeanor of the Bernese Mountain Dog and the intelligent, goofy, playfulness of the Poodle. At the same time the Bernedoodle is a hybrid so there will not be two exactly alike.

With purebred dogs you get a lot of consistency from one dog to another. Not so with the Bernedoodle. Each one will be a little different. Sometimes a hybrid dog can be healthier than their parents. Other times there can be health issues with hybrid. It is all about the breeder and if they breed for the right health traits.

If the breeder is conscientious enough the pup will have the best characteristics of both original breeds. Therefore, the Bernedoodle is happy, smart, playful, friendly and social. Sometimes the breeding doesn’t go as planned and you can end up with a Bernedoodle with the stubbornness of the Bernese or the hyper activity of the poodle. As a new cross breed, the Bernedoodle is not recognized by the American Kennel Club because it is a hybrid. They are recognized by the International Designer Canine Registry, The American Canine Hybrid Club, The Designer Dogs Kennel Club.

The American Hairless Terrier is similar to it’s breed of origin, the Rat Terrier, and the coated AHT looks very much like a Rat Terrier. They are small to medium in size, very muscular and have more refined features than the Rat Terrier. Their round eyes can be a variety of colors including amber, brown, grey, turquoise and blue. The tail is not docked but rather long and thin.

The AHT might have eyebrows and whiskers or they might only have whiskers. Their head is broad, and wedge shaped with upright ears. They are an energetic, social and intelligent dog.

Since the Bernedoodle is a hybrid and not an AKC recognized breed, there is no set-in stone breed standard. There are three sizes of Bernedoodles and at least three generations. All of these should be strong boned dogs with powerful and compact bodies. They have log ears, button eyes and a triangle shaped muzzle. The tail is long and bushy, and the coat is medium to long.

There is no standard color, but the most common color is black and white or tri like the Bernese Mountain Dog. They can also be black and brown, sable or merle. The coat is wavy or curly like the poodle.

This is a curious, intelligent, little dog. They are terrific family dogs with a note to say they are better with older children than with younger. If they are raised with small children, then they are terrific with them. They are territorial, and the children become part of their territory. They will guard and protect them.

They need to play, and this is the biggest requirement for owners. Be sure you have time for them. This is not a couch potato dog. They have a lot of energy and can be destructive and “barky” if that energy is not dissipated. They are terriers through and through and love to “go to ground” whether going in holes they find or digging the holes themselves. They will go after small rodents like chipmunks. They need to be protected in these activities since their skin is vulnerable to scratches and cuts from brush. Their prey drive is strong, so it is important to protect them from themselves in this respect.

They are curious and feisty and every inch the terrier. Affectionate, friendly, and social it is also important to remember they can be scared easily, hurt if play is too rough, and this will trigger barking. They make very good watch dogs.

This is a very social dog that needs to be with people. If you don’t have a lot of time for a dog, then this is not the one for you. He is gentle, calm and affectionate. He is intelligent and sometimes stubborn. They need to be socialized early in life and they will be great with kids and other small animals. They tend to be very playful. Toys and minis have more energy, more stubbornness and more of the poodle divaness.

There are not many health problems bothering this sturdy little dog.

The American Hairless Terrier has limited breeding stock and it is still a rare breed. Its health problems are mostly related to its hairless state. The breed is highly susceptible to sunburn, rashes, pimples, and allergies. They often need clothing in all seasons to protect them from the heat of the sun or from the cold. The skin must be cleaned regularly often daily with soap and water. This is especially true if sunscreen is used as they are open to skin infections.

Hip dysplasia is also a common issue for this small breed.

Because the breed is so new and bred pure so far, there is not a lot of information about their health or their life span. Even as they seem to have less issues than their parents – the Bernese cancer issue for example does not seem to plague the Bernedoodle. However, that does not mean they don’t have issues. They are still prone to some serious issues.

Skin issues, hip and elbow dysplasia, and eye issues are prevalent in this new breed. They have a tendency toward hot spots and sometimes allergies. Asks a reputable breeder if they have tested the parents and the puppies for dysplasia and eye issues.

The American Hairless Terrier has some food needs that might be different from other breeds. They should not be given food that contains soy, wheat or corn. They need to be fed at least 3-4 times a day in small amounts as puppies and twice a day as adult. Be sure to avoid overeating and obesity. Puppies need about 400 calories a day whether you feed four times or two times. The adult American Hairless Terrier needs about 500-600 calories per day. This might be half a cup to a cup per day.

Health issues

As previously mentioned the American Hairless Terrier has skin health issues and is also prone to hip dysplasia.

Exercise and games

This is a great breed for games if you make them small to match his size. He is energetic, athletic and playful. He loves agility, lure chasing and barn hunt activities. They need a good half hour of vigorous exercise per day.

Feeding

Since the Bernedoodle comes in three different sizes, there will be three different feeding regimens. No matter the size of your dog, feed them quality food twice a day. The standard is a big dog and should be fed as such but the toy and mini will eat a lot less. You can pretty much feed a standard Bernedoodle the same thing you feed a Bernese Mountain Dog. The Bernedoodle is a picky eater and you may have to change up their food at times to keep them interested.

Health issues

Again, these are healthy dogs because the cross breed is so young. There are not a lot of genetic issues. As mentioned previously hip dysplasia, eye issues, elbow dysplasia and skin issues are possible.

Exercise and games

This is a calm, not over active dog. They do not share the high energy level of the poodle but rather carry the calm, gentle energy of the Bernese. The toy and mini varieties tend to have a faster motor than the standard. They need daily walks no matter what their size is. They will need your attention regularly.