Xoloitzcuintle - Mexican
Hairless Dogs and Puppies

The Xolo dog breed is native to the areas of Mexico, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. Believe it or not, there is also a coated version, which is the original version, and most litters of Xolo puppies can contain both hairless and coated puppies.

Xolos are an ancient breed and have been around for thousands of years. They can be traced back to the time of the the Toltecs, the Aztecs and the Mayans and are considered a natural treasure in Mexico. This dog breed is also more than 300 years old and is considered to be the first dog breed of the Americas. It is said that ancient peoples used these dogs as a form of early heating pad for their aches and pains.

Like Poodles, Xolos also come in three different sizes: from toy, intermediate and standard. The hairless version, which is now the most popular, started as a genetic mutation many years ago and is now also the dominant form for this dog breed. Even so, 1 out of every 4 Xolo puppies or so are born coated (with hair).

Watch a few Xolos play

These dogs come in a variety of different shades: gray, black, brindle, red, slate, bronze, fawn or spotted. Coated Xolos should have an entire coat of hair, similar in length to that of a Doberman.

The Xoloitzcuintle is a very long lived dog breed with 15 to 20 years of age being very common. A sweater is needed in very cold areas but these dogs do prefer warmer climates overall. As you can imagine, skin health is also very important in particular to the hairless Xolo variety as it needs sunscreen too.

In fact, over bathing or over lotioning and sun screening can clog pores and damage their skin. As you'd expect, the dark colored or solid colored Xolos have the hardiest skin while the spotted or light colored dogs need more care.

It is true that Xoloitzcuintles do require a lot of exercise, plenty of toys, discipline and attention - especially the younger dogs. As these dogs mature they will calm down later on. Overall these dogs are very easy going and quite laid back.