Which breed is a hairless dog from Mexico that dates back over 3,000 years?

The Xoloitzcuintli is a hairless dog from Mexico that dates back over 3,000 years. Often shortened to “Xolo,” it is one of the world’s oldest and most distinctive dog breeds.

The breed’s name comes from Xolotl, an Aztec deity, and the Nahuatl word for dog. In pre-Columbian Mexico, Xolos were valued as companions and were also associated with religion and funerary traditions. Indigenous peoples sometimes buried them with the dead because dogs were believed to help guide souls through the afterlife.

Archaeologists have found dog remains and representations connected with ancient Mexican and wider Mesoamerican cultures, including the Colima, Maya, Toltec, Zapotec, and Aztec peoples. The breed occurs in hairless and coated varieties, and it comes in toy, miniature, and standard sizes.

The hairless type is not completely without hair: many Xolos have a small crest on the head, while some can grow hair on the feet or tail. Their exposed skin also means they need protection from strong sun, cold weather, and irritation. The American Hairless Terrier, Chinese Crested, and Peruvian Inca Orchid are separate breeds.