What kind of dog is Dante in Pixar’s Coco?

Dante in Pixar’s Coco is a Xoloitzcuintli, often called a Mexican hairless dog.

Dante is Miguel’s loyal but unruly dog and later becomes an important companion during Miguel’s adventure. The Xoloitzcuintli is an ancient Mexican dog breed whose name comes from Xolotl, an Aztec deity, and the word for dog in Nahuatl. The breed may be hairless or coated.

Coco uses Dante’s breed to connect him with Mexican history and Indigenous tradition. In the film’s mythology, Dante eventually becomes an alebrije, a brightly colored spirit guide in the Land of the Dead.

The breed name is commonly shortened to “Xolo,” but the full answer is Xoloitzcuintli. It is also sometimes written with a second spelling, “Xoloitzcuintle,” though “Xoloitzcuintli” is the form used for the breed’s English Wikipedia article and is the expected answer here.