Xoloitzcuintli Breed Standard Overview

The Xoloitzcuintli breed standard is a unique and fascinating topic. This ancient Mexican breed comes in three sizes: Toy, Miniature, and Standard.

The Xoloitzcuintli's distinctive physical characteristics include a short, smooth coat that can be either hairless or coated. The hairless variety is known for its sleek, wrinkled skin.

With a lifespan of 12-18 years, the Xoloitzcuintli is a relatively long-lived breed. Regular grooming is essential to maintain their skin's health and appearance.

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The Xoloitzcuintli breed standard is a unique and fascinating topic. This ancient dog breed has a rich history and a distinctive appearance.

The Xoloitzcuintli is an old Mexican breed that dates back over 3,000 years. It was highly valued by the Aztecs and Mayans for its loyalty and companionship.

Xolos come in three sizes: toy, miniature, and standard. Each size has its own specific weight and height requirements. The toy Xolo weighs between 10-14 pounds and stands 10-14 inches tall at the shoulder. The miniature Xolo weighs between 14-18 pounds and stands 14-18 inches tall. The standard Xolo weighs between 23-31 pounds and stands 18-23 inches tall.

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Xolos have a short, smooth coat that comes in a variety of colors, including black, blue, merle, chocolate, and red. They can also have a brindle or fawn pattern. Their coat requires minimal grooming, making them a great choice for busy owners.

Xolos are known for their alert and watchful nature, making them excellent watchdogs. They are also highly intelligent and trainable, but can be strong-willed at times.

The Xoloitzcuintli breed is a unique and elegant dog, with a natural, primitive type that's slim and moderate in all respects. The body feels warm to the touch in hairless dogs.

The breed comes in two varieties: hairless and coated. The hairless variety has a complete or almost complete lack of hair on the body, with a smooth and soft skin. The coated variety has a completely short-coated, tight, flat, and smooth coat with no undercoat.

The Xoloitzcuintli's body proportions are rectangular, slightly longer in total body length than the height measured at the highest point of the withers. The breed occurs naturally in a range of sizes, which breeders have standardized into three designations: Standard, Miniature, and Toy.

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The Xoloitzcuintli has a clean and graceful outline.

Medium bone is ideal, but it should be in proportion to the overall size of the dog.

The breed is slightly longer than it is tall in a ratio of 10:9, with females often being slightly longer than males.

There are two varieties: hairless and coated.

The hairless variety exhibits a total or almost total absence of hair, while the coated variety has a complete coat with no thin or bare patches except on the belly and the inside of the rear legs.

The breed is divided into three size varieties: Toy, Miniature, and Standard, for exhibition.

The breed ranges in size from about 10 to 55 pounds and 9 to 26 inches in height, similar to a Pharaoh Hound.

The Xoloitzcuintli has a sleek body, almond-shaped eyes, large bat-like ears, and a long neck.

The dominant hairless trait originated in this breed as a spontaneous mutation thousands of years ago.

Most litters contain both hairless and coated puppies.

The coated variety represents the original form of the dog, prior to the occurrence of the spontaneous hairless mutation.

The hairless variety is completely hairless on the body, with many dogs exhibiting a few short hairs on the top of the head, the toes, and the tip of the tail.

Most hairless dogs are black or bluish-gray in color.

The Xoloitzcuintli is moderate in all aspects of its appearance, conveying an impression of strength, agility, and elegance.

The breed occurs naturally in two varieties, hairless and coated.

Hairless Xolos result from the presence of the dominant allele at the FOXI3 locus, while coated Xolos occur only when two coated alleles are present.

The Xoloitzcuintle's head is a distinctive feature of the breed. The head is wedge-shaped, broad, and strong between the ears.

From a side view, the muzzle is straight with strongly developed jaws. The planes of the skull and muzzle are almost parallel and of equal length.

The toplines of the skull and muzzle are nearly parallel. The stop is slight, but well defined.

The nose is self-colored to blend with the skin or coat color.

The forequarters of a dog are a crucial aspect of their overall physical structure. Shoulders should be moderately laid back with flat muscles. Good angulation of the shoulder and upper arm is essential for a dog's movement and flexibility. Elbows should be firm and held close to the chest, never turned outward. This helps prevent injuries and ensures a smooth gait. Forelegs of good length are also important, straight when viewed from the front.

The coated variety of the xoloitzcuintli breed is a unique and interesting aspect of the breed standard.

The coated variety has hair all over the body, but you can expect to see very little on the belly and the insides of the thighs.

A short, flat coat is preferred for this variety, as it provides a sleek and streamlined appearance.

Hair longer than 2.5 cms is considered undesirable, so you can imagine how important it is to keep their coat well-groomed and trimmed.

The xoloitzcuintli is known for being cheerful, alert, and intelligent. They can be a bit aloof and wary with strangers.

One of the standout traits of the breed is their calm nature, which makes them happy and alert at the same time. They have a thoughtful and intelligent expression that shows their noble character.

As a good watchdog, they're naturally suspicious towards strangers, but they're never aggressive. This makes them an excellent companion for many families.

The xoloitzcuintli is unusually silent, which is a great asset for anyone who values a quiet household.

The FCI recognized the breed in 1956, after a team led by Norman Pelham Wright discovered 10 structurally strong Xolos in remote areas of Mexico.

The FCI, founded in 1940, was initially hesitant to declare the Xolo an official purebred. However, the breed's scarcity and potential extinction led to the widely publicized Xolo Expedition of 1954.

The first official standard for the breed was authored by a committee headed by Wright. This standard helped to establish a foundation for the breed's revival in Mexico.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized Xolos as early as 1887, with a Mexican dog named "Mee Too" becoming the first AKC-registered Xolo.