What’s a Xolo?

Wazzat XOLOitzcuintle

The XOLOITZCUINTLE (that’s show low eats qweent lee) or Xolo (show low) for short, otherwise was known as the Mexican Hairless. HOWEVER, many do not realise the breed comes in two varieties Hairless and coated (short smooth and flat coat for showing) and three sizes, Miniature, Intermediate and standard.

XOLOITZCUINTLE

HISTORY

The Xoloitzcuintle is one of the most ancient breeds in the Western Hemisphere, it is estimated to have originated 3500 years ago in Mexico. By the 1950s the purebred Xolo was nearly extinct. In 1956 the Federacion Canofila Mexicana (FCM) initiated a breeding program and registration base for the Mexican Xoloitzcuintle, and a breed standard was developed. In turn the breed was recognised by The Federation Cynologique Internationale, however if not for members of the Federacion Canofila Mexicana (F.C.M.) who began a registration and breeding program, they would most probably be extinct today. The team travelled to remote villages and collected specimens of xolo for the program.

The FCM has used the Xoloitzcuintle on its logo since 1940.
(FCI). The Xoloitzcuintle is the national dog of Mexico and treasured by the people

Today it is estimated approx. 50,000 xolos are registered worldwide, the exact number is not known as many Xolos remain unregistered and crossed therefore not true Xolos.
Amongst one of the oldest breeds known the Xolo was first Registered in Mexico in 1956.

The first Xoloitzcuintle arrived in Australia in 2009 and were eligible for showing the following year. Three more followed from 2010 and the breed has gone from strength to strength with many breeders importing in the last few years. The Breed Standard changed in 2012 to allow the coated to be shown, prior to this it could only be bred (and the BSE reflected this) The standard has changed a few times over the years from the very first standard, originally there was only the one size, it was suspected it was the middle size or Intermediate size, breeders bred the breed up to a standard and down to a miniature. .
The first litter born in Australia was in 2014, the journey has been an incredible one in Australia with many Xolos excelling in the show ring in early years, travelling around Australia to share the breed and winning some lovely awards and many hearts.

Xolos served the Aztecs and Mayans as healers, hunters, guards and bed warmers, as well as a food source and sacrificial token.
The Xolo was introduced into Australia in 2009.

The FCM has used the Xoloitzcuintle on its logo since 1940.
(FCI). The Xoloitzcuintle is the national dog of Mexico and treasured by the people

The gene that produces the absence of hair is dominant (Foxi3); however, some Xolos are born with a coat. Xolos often have tusk-like canine teeth, and in hairless dogs, the absence of some teeth.

The Xolo is considered a primitive dog in some behaviours and is thought to be much closer to their canine roots than any other breed of dog. The Xolo can make a wonderful pet; however, puppies need to be well-socialised with a variety of experiences, noises, and areas as soon as possible. Xolos do not particularly want to be around other people, but this can be trained with social training but adore their family. They can come across as snobbish (or aloof); all they do is for their master, and the bond is remarkable. Xolos are credited with an intelligent and fast learning attitude which will require the owner to earn respect and utilise a consistent and structured training and home routine. The Xolo comes in two varieties. The hairless Xolo is a very attractive dog characterised by a lack of hair and smooth and soft skin. The coated Xolo is fully coated and with the same proportions as the hairless variety.

XOLOITZCUINTLE

Xolos come in three sizes

The Xoloitzcuintle is an intelligent, loyal and extremely devoted companion, often known as a Velcro dog. They can develop separation anxiety, but this is generally due to poor preparation or limited training experience.
The Xolo is a calm, cheerful, and alert dog, yet can be reserved towards strangers. It is considered not only an excellent companion but an alert dog as well, the Xolo will alert a person to an issue and generally leave the owner to deal with it.

Xolos make great pets and are very loyal. They excel in the show ring, obedience, and agility arenas. With their quick learning skills, they are easy to train. They do, however, need a firm, consistent routine, and they can get bored easily. Constant social exposure to everyday elements and high foot traffic areas is a must with young dogs.

Xolos have been used worldwide as therapy and assistance dogs, this is not a normal activity trait in the breed and there are much better breeds suited to these activities.

XOLOITZCUINTLE

Xolo Care & Lifestyle

Xolos enjoy food, and are well known for their liking to chew on veggies and fruit. They are a good eater on the whole and no doubt this stems from years of scavenging what they could. They do equally well on a kibble diet and cooked meats as they do on a raw diet, its up to each owner to feed what suits their own dog and the lifestyle best. During cooler months, the Hairless Xolo require a coat, and during summer, a sun coat can be used. Some use sunscreen, but I believe less chemicals and products on the skin is better.

Weekly bathing and skin care is advised to keep the skin clean and blemish free.

As a breed, they don’t seem to have any serious genetic problems; however, as more Xolos are bred and more breeders test, issues may come to light. Basic health tests are Hips and elbows scored by a professional (standards)
Patellar checks (miniature, intermediate)

Ophthalmologist Eye tests check for hereditary cataracts and any abnormalities; no eye issues have been reported in the breed as of yet.
Some breeders test the heart and conduct DNA checks, but as the testing is still in its early stages, there are no known issues in the breed yet. In time, with more dogs, breeders, and testing, issues may come to light. In Mexico, standards require hip and Elbow X-rays and scoring, which is typically done after 18 months of age, usually around 2 years old.

The Xolo is generally a long-lived breed, averaging 12 – 14 years old. It’s not uncommon for dogs to reach 16 years old and a few years older in the miniature sizes. As with all breeds, dogs live as they are treated during life; in general, the breed is healthy.

Xolos can live in harmony with other dogs/ breeds, it’s best to keep the same sizes together as xolos can be quite unruly and harsh in their play. The miniatures do not fare well with large dogs not remembering their actual size. Xolos tend to like free roam rather than be kennelled and being part of the family, they are mainly inside dogs, due to the extremes of temperature. Surprisingly the heat affects them worse than the cold, having no hair to help keep the sun at bay, they are known to fret when kennelled and especially when away from the family.

Xolos can be unruly as youngsters and give them an inch and they will take ten miles; a strict routine and regular training is a must. This coupled with social training (Regular outings to high foot traffic areas) School drop off and pickups,

Sporting events, Cinema closing times are all good areas to accustom the dogs to people and a bit of mayhem. First-time dog owners can own the breed; however, they need a strong bond with their breeder for advice and help. Experienced owners do well and just need a change in training ideas and the delivery. Xolos as stated are swift learners and can lose interest very quickly so its up to the owner to keep the games (i.e. training) fun and of benefit to both parties. Potential owners need to look at their lifestyle and if they have the time for a xolo and the training. Another point of great importance is the social outings and the questions and instant curiosity and questions the breed brings from strangers. As a Xolo owner, every owner has a job to help educate the general public about the breed, and a ten-minute walk often ends up an hour-long walk answering questions from the general public. The breed is not suited for people who dislike interacting with strangers, but those who are willing to engage, both for the sake of the dog’s training and the breed in general.

The coated xolo is like any coated dog and is a wash and wear dog with the short, smooth, flat coat, a regular wash and brush is all that is needed.

The hairless require a bit more care and each dog will vary, some dogs can be washed daily, while some only need weekly and some even less. It all depends on the environs of the dog and the skin of each dog, this also changes with age and certain lines in the breed. The hairless require a gentle moisture crème on the skin; this can change with each dog. Of interest is that certain colours may have a thicker hide as well. The Reds and Bronze colours can have a thicker hide than some of the other colours. The nails of the xolo grow very fast, they need cutting/clipping, and or a Dremel weekly, some are known to have twice weekly nail cutting, young pups nail care starts a few days after birth.

The coated xolo is like any coated dog and is a wash and wear dog with the short, smooth, flat coat, a regular wash and brush is all that is needed.