Mexican Hairless Dog
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mexican Hairless Dog | ||
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| Alternative names | ||
| Xoloitzcuintli Xoloitzcuintle Xoloitzquintle Tepeitzcuintli |
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| Common nicknames | ||
| Xolo | ||
| Classification and breed standards | ||
| FCI: | Group 5 Section 6 #234 | Stds |
| AKC: | Non-sporting (FSS) | Stds |
| The AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS) is an optional recording service for purebred dogs that are not yet eligible for AKC registration. | ||
| CKC: | Toys | Stds |
| KC (UK): | Utility | [? Stds] |
| UKC: | Sighthounds and Pariah Dogs | Stds |
The Mexican Hairless Dog is a rare, (almost) hairless breed of dog which can be quite variable in size. It is also known as Xoloitzcuintli or Xoloitzcuintle (the initial x is pronounced as an sh), Tepeitzcuintli or Mexican Hairless. Most owners of this dog call them "xolos" for short.
[edit] Appearance
The breed ranges in size from about 10 pounds/4 kg to 50 pounds/20 kg, with an average body temperature of 104 °F/40 °C. Similar in appearance to a Pharaoh Hound, with a sleek body, almond-shaped eyes, large bat-like ears, and a long antelope neck, the Xolo is notable for its dominant trait of hairlessness. Many members of this breed are also missing several teeth. There is also a "coated" Xoloitzcuintle with a very short coat of hair, and individual dogs may exhibit varying degrees of head and body coats.
[edit] History
The breed is native to Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, and may date back 3500 years more. Some incorrect anthropological records suggest that some pre-Columbian cultures raised the dogs for food consumption. [1] Besides that, Xoloitzcuintles are believed to have been kept as pets. Xolos were considered sacred dogs by the Aztecs because they believed the dogs were needed by their masters’ souls to help them safely through the underworld. According to Aztec mythology, the god Xolotl made the Xoloitzcuintle from a sliver of the Bone of Life from which all man was made. Xolotl gave this gift to Man with the instruction to guard it with his life and in exchange it would guide Man through the dangers of Mictlan, the world of Death, towards the Evening Star in the Heavens. A true to breed dog should have a dark skin not the pink skin that is sometimes seen.
Even today a lot of people in Mexico believe this breed to have healing qualities. Some cultures ate the meat of the Xoloitzcuintli for ritual or medicinal purposes, and the meat may still be found for sale in some parts of rural Mexico.
Xoloitzcuintles are not currently recognized by the AKC, making them a rare breed in the United States. The breed is recognized by the FCI through the Mexican Kennel Club (Federación Canófila Mexicana). The FCM began a registration and breeding program for the Mexican hairless dog on May 1, 1956. Prior to that time the Xoloitzcuintles were considered nearly extinct. New breed stock is still found in remote pockets of rural Mexico.
