Xoloitzcuintle 

   History  

The origin of these dogs goes far back into history. The indigenous people consumed it's meat, which was greatly sought after. The breed was regarded as the earthly representative of the god "Xolotl", from which the breed name obviously originates. It's task was to accompany the souls of the dead to their eternal resting place. The breed is also known by the name "Mexican Hairless Dog". The Xoloitzcuintle, also called the Mexican Hairless or Tepeizeuintli, resembles a robust Manchester Terrier. Xoloitzcuintle is pronounced (show-low-its-queen-tlee). There are three varieties: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. It has a broad skull and a long muzzle with a black or flesh-colored nose. The slightly almond-shaped eyes are medium-sized with a color that may vary from black to yellow, and have a lively, intelligent expression. The ears are bat-like but elegant and about 4 inches (10 cm.) long. The neck is graceful, like that of an antelope. The back is straight and flexible. It does not have a coat, only one lone tuft of hair on its head and longer hair on the tip of its long, sleek tail, although there is a variety called the coated Xolo that has hair all over the body. The coated Xolo's skin, which falls in heavy folds over its body and neck, is reddish gray, black, elephant gray, dark bronze or gray-black; coffee or pink spots sometimes occur. The puppies are born pink, like baby pigs, and only reach the lines demanded by the standard when they are a year old. A Coated Xolo (coats with hair) occur in about one of three.

GENERAL APPEARANCE     It is a very attractive dog, it's most important characteristic and peculiarity is the complete or almost complete lack of any hair, with a smooth and soft skin. It's body has harmonious proportions, chest is broad, rib cage roomy, limbs and tail long.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS* It's body is slightly longer than it is high. Approximately 10:9. Females may be slightly longer than the males. Elongated dogs with short legs should be penalized.

TEMPERAMENT * It is a quiet and tranquil dog that is happy, alert and intelligent. They mistrust strangers and as such make a good guardian and companion.

CRANIAL REGION   

FRONT NASAL DEPRESSION stop * Slight but well defined with cranial-facial axis almost parallel.

FACIAL REGION * NOSE * It should be dark in dark colored dogs, brown or rose colored in blond and bronze colored dogs and spotted in spotted dogs.

SNOUT * Seen in profile it is straight with a strong mandible and maxillary.

LIPS * Tight and together.   CHEEKS * Slightly developed.

TEETH *  Incisors close tightly in a scissor bite. Over and undershot bite as well as any other anomaly in position of the jaws is to be categorized as a serious fault. Absence of molars and premolars is not to be penalized.

EYES * They are medium sized and almond shaped with an alert and smart expression. Color of eyes differs according to skin color and ranges from black, coffee-brown, red-brown and amber to yellow. Color as dark as possible preferred and both eyes should be the same color. Color of lids ranges from black to brown to gray. Pale color or pink patches on the lids are permitted but not very desirable.

EARS * The ears are long, large, expressive and very elegant with a delicate texture (bats' ears). They should always be erect in an alerted state. In this position their axis should be 50-80 degrees in relation to a horizontal line. Cut or droopy ears are not allowed and should be disqualified.

NECK

LENGTH * Proportionally large.

SHAPE * Thin, Flexible, with muscles, slightly arched and very elegant.

SKIN * The neck skin is tight, firm, elastic without a double chin. Puppies have wrinkles that disappear with age.

BODY   Strong build.

TORSO * Straight, the upper line of the back should be perfectly straight. Dogs with arched or sunken backs as well as long backs with short legs are not desirable.

LOIN * Strong and muscled.

HINDQUARTERS * The upper profile of the hindquarters should be slightly convex with an incline of approximately 40 degrees. It should be solid, muscled and very slightly rounded.

CHEST * Seen in profile it is deep and long, dropping down to the elbows. The ribs are slightly arched but never flat. Seen from the front the upper chest is of a good size. The sternum should not be prominent.

ABDOMEN  The lower profile is elegantly marked, starting at the lower chest and finishing at the ventral retraction, which is muscled and tucked up.

TAIL * It is long, thin and complete with some tufts of hair. From the base to the tip it gets thinner. In movement it is happily held up in a curve never drooping over the back. When resting it should hang with a hook at the end. Sometimes it is placed between the legs which is a sign of shyness.

FRONT LEGS * Seen from the front they are straight and perpendicular, proportionate to the body and of a good length. The shoulders are flat and muscled with a good scapula-humerus that allows a long, free and elegant stride. Elbows should be strong and close to the thorax, never turned outward.

HINDQUARTERS Seen from behind they are perfectly straight and parallel to each othe.  Wide thighs are muscled but never touching. The angles of the coxes-femur, femur-tibia-knee and tibia-tarsal are wide which is indispensable to allow a free and powerful leg movement. Cowhocks are to be strongly penalized.

FEET * The feet are semi-long (hare's foot) with compact and tight toes having tufted hair. Nails are short and black in black colored dogs, lighter colored in bronze or blond dogs. The foot pads are strong and resistant to any terrain. Inter-digital membranes are well developed. Dewclaws must be removed on all four limbs.

COAT The characteristic of this breed is the lack of hair although there are some short tufts of hair on the forehead and back of the neck that may be any color but should not reach the length and softness of the Chinese Crested of Tai-Tai. It is common to find odd hairs on the feet and at the end of the tail, however if they do not exist this should not be penalized. Any dogs with long hair will be disqualified.

COLOR * Solid, uniform and dark colors are preferable. There are variants from black, dark gray, light gray, red, liver, bronze and blond. There are also spotted dogs of any color including white spots.

SIZE    There are three sizes for males and females.

a) Standard * 46-55 cms and up to 60 cms in high quality specimens (18 in. to 21.5 in. up to 23.5 in.)b) Intermediate: 36 cms to 45 cms (14.25 in. to 17.75 in.)c) Miniature * 25 cms to 35 cms (9.75 in. to 13.75 in.)

Specimens larger than 60 cms (23.5 in.) or smaller than 25 cms (9.75 in.) are disqualified.

FAULTS  Any deviation from the aforementioned criteria must be considered a fault and as such the gravity of the fault will be measured against the standard.  Very wide head  Very long body  Shy or aggressive character Exaggerated poor pigmentation (Albino)  Hair in non-specified regions Flabby, loose or wrinkled skin  Double chin  Clear, round and bulging eyes Short tail  Very long body with short legs

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS *A dog with a coat of hair covering the body Cropped or droopy ears -Over or undershot bite -Taller than 60 cms (23.5 in.) or smaller than 25 cms (9.75 in.)  Docked tail  Tufts of hair on the forehead long or soft, as with Chinese Crested Dog   Males should have two testicles of normal appearances that have completely dropped into the scrotum.

Faults    Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault an d the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note* Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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