Mexican Hairless Dog
Encyclopedia
The Mexican Hairless Dog is a rare, hairless breed
of dog
, the size of which varies greatly. It is also known as Xoloitzcuintle (ʃoloit͡sˈkwint͡ɬe; ʃoʊlɔɪtsˈkwiːntli ).
for more than 3,000 years. Most likely, early forerunners of the Xolo originated as spontaneous hairless mutations of indigenous American dogs. Hairlessness may have offered a survival advantage in tropical regions. Indigenous peoples of Central
and South America
had Xolo dogs as home and hunting companions, and today they are still very popular companion dogs; even as the national dog of Mexico. Their value in ancient native cultures is evidenced by their frequent appearance in art and artifacts, e.g., those produced by the Colima
, Aztec
and Toltec
civilizations in Mexico.
Xolos were considered sacred dogs by the Aztec
s (and also Toltec
s, Maya
and some other groups) because they believed the dogs were needed by their masters’ souls to help them safely through the underworld, and also they were useful companion animals. According to Aztec mythology
, the god Xolotl
made the Xoloitzcuintle from a sliver of the Bone of Life from which all mankind 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, toward the Evening Star in the Heavens. Some people in Mexico continue to believe this breed has healing qualities. The Aztecs also raised the breed for their meat. Sixteenth-century Spanish accounts tell of large numbers of dogs being served at banquets.
When Columbus arrived in the Caribbean
in 1492, his journal entries noted the presence of strange hairless dogs. Subsequently, Xolos were transported back to Europe.
The breed is not well known in the US, even in Texas
(which is among the states which border Mexico). As a result, the Xolo has been mistaken for the mythical Chupacabra
of Mexico.
The Xoloitzcuintle is the symbol of Club Tijuana
, a Mexican professional football club.
Despite the Xolo's more than 3000 year history in Mexico, the breed did not receive any official notice there until the 1950s. The FCM, founded in 1940, was not prepared to declare the Xolo an official purebred at that time. According to breed historian, Norman Pelham Wright, author of The Enigma of the Xoloitzcuintli Xolos began to turn up at Mexican dog shows in the late 1940s. While it was recognized that these were indigenous
specimens of a native breed, interest in them was minimal at that time. Information was scarce and no standard existed by which to judge them. Within a decade the FCM realized that the breed would be extinct if drastic action were not taken to save it. This led to the widely publicized Xolo Expedition of 1954. With the official sanction of FCM, Wright and a team of Mexican and British dog authorities set off to discover if any purebred Xolos still existed in remote areas of Mexico.
Eventually ten good Xolos were found and these dogs formed the foundation of Mexico's program to revive the breed. A committee headed by Wright authored the first official standard for the breed; and, on May 1, 1956, the Xolo was finally recognized in its native land and, as Mexico is a member of the FCI
, worldwide too.
(AKC). A Mexican dog named Mee Too made breed history as the first AKC registered Xolo in 1887. Chinito Junior, bred and owned by Valetska Radtke of New York City became the breed's only AKC champion to date. He earned his title on October 19, 1940.
In 1959, the Xolo was dropped from the AKC stud book due to the breed's scarcity and perceived extinction
. The Xoloitzcuintli Club of America (XCA) was founded in October 1986 to regain AKC recognition for the breed. On May 13, 2008, AKC voted to readmit the breed to its Miscellaneous Class starting January 1, 2009. The XCA is the official parent club for the breed, founded on October 26, 1986 for the purpose of regaining AKC recognition for the Xoloitzcuintli. The founding members voted unanimously to recognize all three sizes (toy, miniature and standard) and both varieties (hairless and coated) at their initial meeting. Since then, the XCA has compiled a stud book modeled on requirements for eventual AKC acceptance, held an annual independent specialty show, published a quarterly newsletter, The Xolo News, and maintained an active national rescue network, National Xolo Rescue (known before 2009 as The Xolo Rescue League). As of January 1, 2007, FSS registered Xolos are eligible to compete in AKC performance events. The breed will be moved into the AKC Studbook in December 2010 and will be eligible to be shown in the AKC Non-Sporting group as of January 1, 2011.
The first AKC Group Winning Xolo was Bayshore Mole who won a Group 4 placement February 2, 2011 and this was followed up by his littermate Bayshore Georgio Armani receiving back to back group placement. On August 8, 2011 Bayshore Georgio Armani became the fist Xolo to be named Best in Show in AKC competition. Not to be outdone, Bayshore Mole became the first Xolo to win back to back Best in Shows on September 3rd and 4th, 2011. Both dogs were bred by Bayshore Kennel in Virginia.
, with a sleek body, almond-shaped eyes, large bat-like ears, and a long neck, the Xolo is notable for its dominant trait of hairlessness. The dominant hairless trait originated in this breed as a spontaneous mutation thousands of years ago. The recessive expression of the trait will produce a coated variety, which is genetically inseparable from the hairless. Most litters contain both hairless and coated puppies. The coated variety, covered with a short, flat dense coat represents the original form of the dog, prior to the occurrence of the spontaneous hairless mutation. The hairless variety is completely hairless on the body. Some dogs exhibit a few short hairs on the top of the head, the toes and tip of the tail. Most hairless dogs are black or blue in color. According to standard genetic ratios, one out of every four puppies should be born coated.
The allele responsible for the Xolo's hairlessness also affects the dog's dentition: Xolos typically have an incomplete set of teeth.
The Xolo is moderate in all aspects of its appearance, conveying, strength, agility and elegance. Xolo body proportions are rectangular, slightly longer in total body length than the height measured at the highest point of the withers. The breed occurs naturally in two varieties, hairless and coated. Hairless Xolos are the dominant expression of the heterozygous Hh hairless trait. Coated Xolos (hh) are the recessive expression. Breeding hairless to coated or hairless to hairless may produce pups of either or both varieties. Breeding coated to coated will only produce coated pups because they are recessive to the hairless trait and do not carry the dominant H gene.
Both varieties occur in all colors, solid, marked, splashed or spotted. The most common colors are various shades of black, blue, and red. The breed occurs in a range of sizes, which breeders have standardized into three designations:
This is because the breed temperament overall has not been tampered with in their native thousands-year history in the central americas, because that temperament was a good fit for free-roaming family, farm and hunting dog companions among the pre-colonial Indian cultures. This has also ensured a healthy, sturdy physical nature generally innate in both coated and uncoated xolos.
Xolo behavioral temperament, like other breeds, remains true when bred and raised properly, with the strategic breeder priority focused on the maintenance of true physical and temperament breed quality and responsible adopter ownership, rather than money. Given good breeding and wise ownership, as with any dog breed, a wonderful companion results.
Xolo behavioral temperament can be compared to a typical Working breed, with high intelligence, sensitivity, and social instincts. However for the same reasons, well-raised Xolos make outstanding and affectionate companion dogs that bond strongly with their dog-wise humans.
Though physically grown at 1 year, dogs including Xolos are not emotionally mature until after the age of 2 years. Like other highly intelligent breeds such as terriers, and with the additional intelligence and energy of a "primitive" dog breed, Xolo intelligence, energy and spirit are such that they need calm, persistent and loving training. Therefore, obedience training and continued training and socialization is needed until adulthood at 1-2 years of age.
Quality and knowledgeable dog training is more critical with this breed than most other dog breeds, because of their intelligence and spirit, and energy during puppyhood. Anyone considering adopting this breed should expect to invest in additional dogtraining education for themselves, plus ensuring a spacious, safe physical environment for the Xolo puppy(ies) - more so than most other breeds. The reward is a hypoallergenic, intelligent and affectionate canine companion.
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
, the size of which varies greatly. It is also known as Xoloitzcuintle (ʃoloit͡sˈkwint͡ɬe; ʃoʊlɔɪtsˈkwiːntli ).
History
The Xolo is native to Mexico. Archaeological evidence shows that the breed has existed in MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
for more than 3,000 years. Most likely, early forerunners of the Xolo originated as spontaneous hairless mutations of indigenous American dogs. Hairlessness may have offered a survival advantage in tropical regions. Indigenous peoples of Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
had Xolo dogs as home and hunting companions, and today they are still very popular companion dogs; even as the national dog of Mexico. Their value in ancient native cultures is evidenced by their frequent appearance in art and artifacts, e.g., those produced by the Colima
Colima
Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....
, Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
and Toltec
Toltec
The Toltec culture is an archaeological Mesoamerican culture that dominated a state centered in Tula, Hidalgo in the early post-classic period of Mesoamerican chronology...
civilizations in Mexico.
Xolos were considered sacred dogs by the Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
s (and also Toltec
Toltec
The Toltec culture is an archaeological Mesoamerican culture that dominated a state centered in Tula, Hidalgo in the early post-classic period of Mesoamerican chronology...
s, Maya
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
and some other groups) because they believed the dogs were needed by their masters’ souls to help them safely through the underworld, and also they were useful companion animals. According to Aztec mythology
Aztec mythology
The aztec civilization recognized a polytheistic mythology, which contained the many deities and supernatural creatures from their religious beliefs. "orlando"- History :...
, the god Xolotl
Xolotl
In Aztec mythology, Xolotl was the god with associations to both lightning and death.Although often depicted in relation to the underworld, Xolotl was not a psychopomp in the Western sense. Xolotl did, however, aid the dead on their journey to Mictlan, the afterlife in some myths.Xolotl was also...
made the Xoloitzcuintle from a sliver of the Bone of Life from which all mankind 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
Mictlan
Mictlan was the underworld of Aztec mythology. Most people who died went to Mictlan, although other possibilities existed . Mictlan was located far to the north, and consisted of nine distinct levels....
, the world of Death, toward the Evening Star in the Heavens. Some people in Mexico continue to believe this breed has healing qualities. The Aztecs also raised the breed for their meat. Sixteenth-century Spanish accounts tell of large numbers of dogs being served at banquets.
When Columbus arrived in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
in 1492, his journal entries noted the presence of strange hairless dogs. Subsequently, Xolos were transported back to Europe.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(which is among the states which border Mexico). As a result, the Xolo has been mistaken for the mythical Chupacabra
Chupacabra
The chupacabras is a legendary cryptid rumored to inhabit parts of the Americas. It is associated more recently with sightings of an allegedly unknown animal in Puerto Rico , Mexico, and the United States, especially in the latter's Latin American communities...
of Mexico.
The Xoloitzcuintle is the symbol of Club Tijuana
Club Tijuana
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente is a Mexican football team from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Tijuana plays in the Primera División de México It was founded in January 2007. The colors that identify the club are red and black.-History:...
, a Mexican professional football club.
FCI
Indigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a species is defined as native to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. Every natural organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native...
specimens of a native breed, interest in them was minimal at that time. Information was scarce and no standard existed by which to judge them. Within a decade the FCM realized that the breed would be extinct if drastic action were not taken to save it. This led to the widely publicized Xolo Expedition of 1954. With the official sanction of FCM, Wright and a team of Mexican and British dog authorities set off to discover if any purebred Xolos still existed in remote areas of Mexico.
Eventually ten good Xolos were found and these dogs formed the foundation of Mexico's program to revive the breed. A committee headed by Wright authored the first official standard for the breed; and, on May 1, 1956, the Xolo was finally recognized in its native land and, as Mexico is a member of the FCI
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...
, worldwide too.
American Kennel Club (AKC)
Xolos were among the first breeds recorded by the American Kennel ClubAmerican Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
(AKC). A Mexican dog named Mee Too made breed history as the first AKC registered Xolo in 1887. Chinito Junior, bred and owned by Valetska Radtke of New York City became the breed's only AKC champion to date. He earned his title on October 19, 1940.
In 1959, the Xolo was dropped from the AKC stud book due to the breed's scarcity and perceived extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
. The Xoloitzcuintli Club of America (XCA) was founded in October 1986 to regain AKC recognition for the breed. On May 13, 2008, AKC voted to readmit the breed to its Miscellaneous Class starting January 1, 2009. The XCA is the official parent club for the breed, founded on October 26, 1986 for the purpose of regaining AKC recognition for the Xoloitzcuintli. The founding members voted unanimously to recognize all three sizes (toy, miniature and standard) and both varieties (hairless and coated) at their initial meeting. Since then, the XCA has compiled a stud book modeled on requirements for eventual AKC acceptance, held an annual independent specialty show, published a quarterly newsletter, The Xolo News, and maintained an active national rescue network, National Xolo Rescue (known before 2009 as The Xolo Rescue League). As of January 1, 2007, FSS registered Xolos are eligible to compete in AKC performance events. The breed will be moved into the AKC Studbook in December 2010 and will be eligible to be shown in the AKC Non-Sporting group as of January 1, 2011.
The first AKC Group Winning Xolo was Bayshore Mole who won a Group 4 placement February 2, 2011 and this was followed up by his littermate Bayshore Georgio Armani receiving back to back group placement. On August 8, 2011 Bayshore Georgio Armani became the fist Xolo to be named Best in Show in AKC competition. Not to be outdone, Bayshore Mole became the first Xolo to win back to back Best in Shows on September 3rd and 4th, 2011. Both dogs were bred by Bayshore Kennel in Virginia.
Appearance
The breed ranges in size from about 10 to 50 lb (4 to 20 kg). Similar in appearance to a Pharaoh HoundPharaoh Hound
The Pharaoh Hound is a breed of dog and the national hound of the Mediterranean nation of Malta. Its native name is Kelb tal-Fenek in Maltese, which means "rabbit hound". The dog is the traditional hunting companion of Maltese outdoorsmen. The breed has no conclusive links with Ancient Egypt and...
, with a sleek body, almond-shaped eyes, large bat-like ears, and a long neck, the Xolo is notable for its dominant trait of hairlessness. The dominant hairless trait originated in this breed as a spontaneous mutation thousands of years ago. The recessive expression of the trait will produce a coated variety, which is genetically inseparable from the hairless. Most litters contain both hairless and coated puppies. The coated variety, covered with a short, flat dense coat represents the original form of the dog, prior to the occurrence of the spontaneous hairless mutation. The hairless variety is completely hairless on the body. Some dogs exhibit a few short hairs on the top of the head, the toes and tip of the tail. Most hairless dogs are black or blue in color. According to standard genetic ratios, one out of every four puppies should be born coated.
The allele responsible for the Xolo's hairlessness also affects the dog's dentition: Xolos typically have an incomplete set of teeth.
The Xolo is moderate in all aspects of its appearance, conveying, strength, agility and elegance. Xolo body proportions are rectangular, slightly longer in total body length than the height measured at the highest point of the withers. The breed occurs naturally in two varieties, hairless and coated. Hairless Xolos are the dominant expression of the heterozygous Hh hairless trait. Coated Xolos (hh) are the recessive expression. Breeding hairless to coated or hairless to hairless may produce pups of either or both varieties. Breeding coated to coated will only produce coated pups because they are recessive to the hairless trait and do not carry the dominant H gene.
Both varieties occur in all colors, solid, marked, splashed or spotted. The most common colors are various shades of black, blue, and red. The breed occurs in a range of sizes, which breeders have standardized into three designations:
- Toy: 10 to 13 in (25.4 to 33 cm) high at shoulder, approximately 12 to 18 lb (5.4 to 8.2 kg)
- Miniature: 13 to 18 in (33 to 45.7 cm) high at shoulder, approximately 20 to 25 lb (9.1 to 11.3 kg)
- Standard: 18 to 24 in (45.7 to 61 cm) high at shoulder, approximately 35 to 45 lb (15.9 to 20.4 kg)
Temperament
Adult Xolos are noted for their calm demeanor, but puppies can be extremely high energy, noisy and often chewy until maturity (after 2 years old), when they settle down and become calmer. The Xolo breed has definite primitive temperament traits (very high intelligence, high energy, inquisitiveness, strong hunting and social instincts). Thus Xolos today can be escape artists, climbing and jumping fences to chase small animals. They possess guard dog ability and will not back down from a fight, yet as adults, when raised properly, are known to become steady, well-trained and affectionate companions.This is because the breed temperament overall has not been tampered with in their native thousands-year history in the central americas, because that temperament was a good fit for free-roaming family, farm and hunting dog companions among the pre-colonial Indian cultures. This has also ensured a healthy, sturdy physical nature generally innate in both coated and uncoated xolos.
Xolo behavioral temperament, like other breeds, remains true when bred and raised properly, with the strategic breeder priority focused on the maintenance of true physical and temperament breed quality and responsible adopter ownership, rather than money. Given good breeding and wise ownership, as with any dog breed, a wonderful companion results.
Xolo behavioral temperament can be compared to a typical Working breed, with high intelligence, sensitivity, and social instincts. However for the same reasons, well-raised Xolos make outstanding and affectionate companion dogs that bond strongly with their dog-wise humans.
Though physically grown at 1 year, dogs including Xolos are not emotionally mature until after the age of 2 years. Like other highly intelligent breeds such as terriers, and with the additional intelligence and energy of a "primitive" dog breed, Xolo intelligence, energy and spirit are such that they need calm, persistent and loving training. Therefore, obedience training and continued training and socialization is needed until adulthood at 1-2 years of age.
Quality and knowledgeable dog training is more critical with this breed than most other dog breeds, because of their intelligence and spirit, and energy during puppyhood. Anyone considering adopting this breed should expect to invest in additional dogtraining education for themselves, plus ensuring a spacious, safe physical environment for the Xolo puppy(ies) - more so than most other breeds. The reward is a hypoallergenic, intelligent and affectionate canine companion.
Health
As their breeding has followed natural selection for thousands of years, rather than alteration of the natural form per varying human tastes, the breed is generally not prone to health and structure problems as many other dog breeds may be, if they have been well-bred. Xolos are not suited for outdoor life in temperate and northern climates and should be considered an indoor dog. They need bathing, light grooming and skin care as with other dogs of similar physical type, including skin care proper for un-coated varieties or acne. "For the Hairless: Most skin problems arise from poor breeding, neglect, or over-bathing and over-lotioning, stripping natural protections and clogging pores. A well-bred, hairless Xolo will have very fine soft skin, yet hardy." (- quoted from www.dogbreedinfo.com/xoloitzcuintle.htm). Lighter colored Xolos will need protection from strong sun.Trivia
- The Xolo was featured in Royal de LuxeRoyal de luxeRoyal de Luxe is a French mechanical marionette street theatre company. They were founded in 1979 by Jean Luc Courcoult. Based in Nantes, the company has performed in France, Belgium, England, Germany, Iceland, Chile, Australia and Mexico.- Gigantic puppets :...
's street theater performance in GuadalajaraGuadalajaraGuadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
, Mexico (november 2010) and NantesNantesNantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, France (may 2011). A huge puppet of the dog accompanied the company's famous Giants.
External links
- The Xoloitzcuintli Club of America (XCA), AKC Xolo parent club.
- www.xcusa.net - The Xoloitzcuintle Club USA (XCUSA) actively supports and promotes the Xolo breed in the United States.
- www.xoloworld.com - Xolo World is also an XCUSA website.
- A descriptive comparison of the Xolo vs. similar "hairless" breeds.
- American Kennel Club (AKC)
- URCANIS breedingclub of Sweden