One of the most unique breeds of dogs I’ve ever seen is the Xoloitzcuintli. I wouldn’t even know how to pronounce the name… if it weren’t for catching an Animal Planet special on the breed.
For the record: sho-lo-eats-quint-lee is how you pronounce it, though most folks just call them “Xolos” (sho-los). The breed is also known as the Mexican Hairless, which eliminates the pronunciation issue entirely.
Like the poodle, the Xolo comes in three sizes: toy (between ten and fourteen inches at the shoulder), miniature (between fourteen and eighteen inches at the shoulder), and standard (between eighteen and twenty-three inches at the shoulder). Xolos under ten inches or over twenty-four inches at the withers are outside of breed standard and are disqualified from competitions.
As the name Mexican Hairless implies, this dog can short on hair. In fact, about the only places you’ll see hair on a competing Xolo is on the top of the head, on the feet, and on the bottom third of the tail. There is a coated variety of Xolo that has short, smooth hair all over. The Xolo’s skin is tough — it has to protect the dog (where hair does the job for other breeds).
This breed has a long history. We have evidence of Xolos in Mexico for more than three thousand years! The name of the breed comes from the Aztec word for dog (itzcuintli) and the name of an Aztec god (Xolotl). The dogs were thought to have healing abilities, including:
- Relieving insomnia
- Easing pain from toothache and rheumatism
- Easing breathing difficulties like asthma (a myth that has also been associated with the Chihuahua)
Xolos are thought to be warmer than the average dog, but that’s another myth. However, dogs (and cats) are warmer than the average human, and that heat can be a source of comfort.
The Xoloitzcuintli was first registered in the American Kennel Club in 1887. By 1959, interest in the breed had dropped off and the AKC removed the Xolo from the breed list. It’s back in the AKC now, and is included in the Non-Sporting Group.
Visit the American Kennel Club for a look at this unique breed!