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Peruaanse Haarloze Hond

Country of Origin * Peru
History

The name of the Perro sin Pelo del Peru has an interesting origin. When Spanish explorers found Peru, they also found this hairless breed in the domiciles of the natives. The houses were usually decorated with orchids, and therefore the breed was called the Peruvian Inca Orchid dog. Other Names: Perro sin Pelo del Peru, Moonflower Dog, Perro Flora, Chien nu du Pérou, Peruanischer Nackthund, Peruvian Hairless Dog, Perunkarvatonkoira, Peruu Inca Orhideekoer, Inkade Orhideekoer, Viringo and Peruaanse Haarloze Hond The name of Moonflower Dog also has a story to its name. The lighter-toned variations of the breed were kept inside during the day to prevent sunburn, and at night were allowed to roam free under the moonlight, thus leading to their name. It was believed the Peruvian Inca Orchid dogs - officially Perro sin Pelo del Peru - were crossed with the sight hounds brought by the Conquistadors to produce the modern breed. However, since statues, drawings and other artifacts dating before Pizzaro's time document hairless dogs very similar to what is seen today, it is more likely the breed descended from the hairless dog of Mexico, the Xoloitzcuintli. The Peruvians utilized methods of selective breeding constantly in their culture, even marrying brother/sister pairs among themselves to produce consistency. They applied these methods to breeding their dogs as well, and perpetuated the hairless type. The breed still comes in furred varieties occasionally in litters, but they are only used to help with the hairless version's teeth, eye and skin problems. There is a "night time" and "day time" version of the Peruvian Inca Orchid: the night time version is light-skinned. This dog was prized among the Peruvians and breeders would try to get the lightest pigment they could. The other time, the day time dogs, also called Inca Hairless Dogs, are black in color. Historians say the Peruvian Hairless was brought to the Americas 2,000 to 3,000 years ago during the migration from either Asia across the Bering Strait, or from Africa. Many theories abound to the origin of the Peruvian Inca Orchid, but they are believed to have been around since A.D. 750 when they appeared in the settlements of the Moche people of Peru. Today they still serve their original purposes, although now the hairless type performs in the show ring. They are kept as bed warmers, companions and house pets.