Two New Breeds Join the AKC

The AKC, the American Kennel Club, is currently home to 187 qualifying breeds.  These breeds can compete in dog shows, and are considered "official" under the American Kennel Club's standards.  And now, two more breeds join this group of 187 to make 189 official kennel club breeds.

Spokeswoman for AKC, Gina DiNardo, says that the two breeds welcomed in to the AKC are good "family dogs."  Though they're different from each other and from the rest of the breeds who are a part of the American Kennel Club, they are both great dogs for families and children to have.  

So, let's give each of these breeds a mini breed feature!  

First off, the American Hairless Terrier:

Yes, it's true, they are bare-skinned!  We've seen them before, yes.  But how are they different from the Chinese Crested, the most infamous of hairless dogs? Well, technically, it's an offshoot of the Rat Terrier.  It weighs in between 5 and 25 pounds, and can be 7 to 18 inches at its tallest point.  

The breed can trace back to 1972, when a single hairless puppy was born in a rat terrier's litter.  The Louisiana breeder decided he liked the look of the dog, and began breeding her in order to reproduce her hairless gene.  This is when the American Hairless Terrier was born.  

The dog is great for families with dog allergies, because this breed doesn't have hair!  The name "hairless" is true, it refers to the lack of gene that produces hair in animals.  Since they're born without hair, it makes the great for allergies, because there's no shedding.

Now, onto the Sloughi:

The Sloughi, or the Arabian Greyhound, is proud to finally receive its recognition in the hound group in the American Kennel Club.

Though the Sloughi is found in Morocco and North Africa, it is not related to a similar-looking dog, the Saluki.  The connection is made because of their look and their long, lean legs.  

The Sloughi breed was bred in order to hunt, specifically animals like gazelles.  While they are affectionate enough, their hunting desire pops up when owned by a family.  They need a lot of exercise, a big yard to play in!  

So let's welcome these two new breeds to the American Kennel Club!  We'll be watching out for them at the next National Dog Show!