This stunning dog is a looker, to be sure, but his breed may surprise you.
From the AKC Xoloitzcuintli breed standard: “The principal characteristic of the hairless variety is the absence of hair, however a small amount of short, coarse hair is permitted on the top of the head, the feet, and the last third of the tail to the tip…The coated variety is completely covered with a short, smooth, close fitting coat.
Hairlessness is an incomplete dominant trait in the breed. Viable hairless dogs possess both the gene for hairlessness and the gene for hair, so consequently, breedings between hairless dogs are statistically likely to produce 25% homozygous hairless dogs, 50% heterozygous dogs, and 25% homozygous coated dogs.
Puppies that have two genes for hairlessness are reabsorbed in the womb, so a litter of hairless dogs can be expected to be 2/3 hairless and 1/3 coated. Breedings between hairless and coated Xolos is allowed, and resulting litters can be expected to produce half hairless and half coated puppies.
Photo of “Itztli” taken by his mistress, Amber Oertle
Great! Please can you come to Mexico and explain it because they continue killing and denying the existence of coat xoloitzcuintles.
Didn’t know that, Rosario, but by “they,” you mean uninformed breeders?
Most breeders do because there is lack of information about the coated xolos and the deny their existence, There is not market$$$ for them.
Looks exactly like my pup who was rescued by an AZ shelter from a rescue in Rocky Point ,Mexico. I’m looking into getting his DNA tested to confirm.
You just never know, Britt! The problem with many DNA kits is that their base samples are limited. Many don’t include a breed as rare as the Xoloitzcuintli, so when shopping around for such a test kit, consider looking for one that has on file the profiles of as many breeds as possible. When you find out, let us know?