Which breed is a hairless dog from Peru once used as an Inca guard dog?

Which breed is a hairless dog from Peru once used as an Inca guard dog? The Peruvian Inca Orchid. Also called the Peruvian Hairless Dog or Perro Sin Pelo del Perú, it is one of South America’s most distinctive native breeds.

Hairless dogs appear in ceramics from several pre-Inca cultures, including the Moche, Vicús, Chancay, and Chimú. They were also kept during the Inca Empire, which explains the breed’s connection with the Incas. The dogs were valued as companions, and their alert, wary temperament made them useful as watchdogs around people and property.

The breed is not always completely hairless. Coated puppies can occur, and the breed standard recognizes small, medium, and large sizes. Hairless examples commonly have incomplete dentition because the genetic mutation responsible for hairlessness also affects tooth development. Their skin may be black, gray, brown, copper, or mottled, and they often need protection from strong sunlight.

A common mix-up is the Xoloitzcuintli, another famous hairless breed associated with ancient civilizations. The Xolo comes from Mexico; the Peruvian Inca Orchid is the Peruvian breed.