Xoloitzcuintle | Dog Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

Last Updated on October 28, 2022 by Pets Feed

One of the treasures of Mexico is the Xoloitzcuintle (Xoloitzcuintli) or the Xolo dog breed. Due to the lack of hair, these animals are called “Mexican hairless dogs”. They belong to the oldest species.

The Xolo is a breed of dog from Mexico, one of the oldest and also one of the purest. It is a breed whose main characteristic is that it is hairless, although sometimes specimens with a golden or orange coat appear. This characteristic does not come from a genetic mutation, but comes from the breed itself, which means that there was no interference from humans to reach this special animal.

Breed name	Xoloitzcuintle
Country of origin	Mexico
Weight	4 – 25 kg
Height (at the withers)	25 – 60 cm
Life expectancy	14 – 16 years
Size	Medium

Other names: Xolo, Mexican hairless dog, Xoloitzcuintli

Xoloitzcuintle photos

Physical characteristics of the Xolo dog

The Xoloitzcuintle or Xolo is a hairless dog with soft skin. The length of its body is slightly greater than the height. The skin can be black, gray, red, liver, bronze and light. There are three breed sizes: miniature (adult dog height – 25 – 35 cm, weight 4 – 7 kg), medium (height 36 – 45 cm and weight 7 – 14 kg) and standard (height – 46 – 60 cm, weight – from 14 to 25 kg).

Distinctive features

• Head: The head is small and narrow. The shape is triangular. The forehead is flat. The transition from forehead to muzzle is pronounced.
• Jaws: Scissor bite. The jaws are strong but narrow.
• Ears: The ears are large and triangular. Set high.
• Eyes: The eyes are small, oval in shape. Widely spaced. The color is dark.
• Frame: The body is elongated. The chest is moderately wide and deep. The abdomen is strongly compressed. The back is curved.
• Limbs: The legs are straight and parallel. The legs are elongated, reminiscent of a hare.
• Coat: There is no coat. The presence of woolen pieces on the tail, the back of the legs and the nape of the neck is authorized. The wool is short and fluffy. The skin is smooth, elastic, there are folds only on the muzzle. The color can be different: black, brindle, brown or bronze.

Behavior and character

The Xoloitzcuintle can be a pretty tough and uncompromising dog that only trusts its family, period. Moreover, even within the family he can single out the only one for himself, a loved one. On the other hand, he can be relatively soft and indifferent, indeed, indifference will be a compromise that he will use in relation to unknown and unfamiliar people.

Intelligence is developed, due to which the animal well understands its owners, well understands a person in principle and can learn various commands.

In the circle of his family, the Xoloitzcuintle shows great devotion and affection, loves to play and, in general, have fun, actively spend time. Although, strictly speaking, it does not have a high energy level and does not require long and serious charges.

He perceives children normally, and calm with other animals.

Health

It is important to know which diseases the Xoloitzcuintle is predisposed to:

• Allergies – Allergic reactions in Xolo often occur to new foods or skin care products.
• Skin diseases – in Xoloitzcuintle, sweat comes out through the paws, with improper care, due to this feature, the dog’s skin can become covered with a fetid coating. In this case, you must urgently contact your veterinarian, if you do not take any measures, serious problems with the skin may arise.
• Dental problems – early loss, tartar, caries.
• Injuries – the absence of a coat contributes to injury during walks, active games.
• Obesity – occurs due to inactivity and overeating.

Basic care

There are no hairs, and therefore there is nothing to comb. Eyes should be cleaned daily, ears 2-3 times a week. But the claws need to be cut once a week, because in this breed they grow quickly. Needs protection from sun and cold.

Exercise

The Mexican hairless dog requires about half an hour of daily exercise, and those of medium and large size, about an hour. Make sure they are well protected from the weather (cold and heat) before walking.

Xolo Dog Fun Facts

• In Mexico, the Xoloitzcuintle is a national treasure.
• The natives ate Xolo meat, appreciating its taste and magical, healing effect on humans.
• The Xolo dog was considered an earthly representative of the god Sholotl (from this name). The purpose of these dogs was to accompany souls to the afterlife. The owner’s funeral ended with the murder of his Xolo, after which the dog’s flesh was eaten.
• Xolo notifies the owners of the arrival of strangers by fussy throwing around the house.

Breed history

Xolo’s homeland is Mexico. The history of the Mexican Hairless Dog began over 4000 years ago. On Mexican lands, archaeologists managed to find ancient burials, in which not only statuettes in the form of shoo dogs were found, but also mummies of these animals, dated 5000-3000 years BC.

The finds were divided into two types, some were completely naked, on the other figures were strokes that imply the presence of wool. The breed is so ancient that according to some information, its representatives can be considered the first companions of man.

For sure, no one can explain the reason for the appearance of dogs without hair. The most truthful version is a spontaneous genetic mutation. The Xolo dog breed is unique in that only nature participated in its formation through natural selection. Man did not in any way influence the formation of Mexican hairless dogs.

There are sad periods in the history of Xolo. There was a time when the breed was on the brink of extinction. When Mexico was conquered by the Spaniards, bald dogs were declared an object of pagan worship. The conquerors began mass extermination of the Xolo.

For their revival, the breed representatives should thank Norman Wright. It was this man in 1954, having traveled around many small deaf Mexican villages, bought more than a dozen hairless dogs. They became the foundation of the Xolo revival. Two years later, the Xolo dog was officially recognized in its homeland. The number of representatives of the breed grew steadily, as did their popularity.