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Xoloitzcuintli

The breeds · companion

AKC Non-Sporting · UKC Sighthound & Pariah · FCI standard 234

Xoloitzcuintli.

FCI 234 utilization: standard and intermediate sizes watchdog, miniature size companion dog. AKC: an ancient natural breed molded by evolution rather than selective breeding; today it serves as a guard and companion. UKC: a very ancient Latin American breed dating before the Aztec Empire, substantiated back some three thousand years, held in esteem by the Toltec and Mayan civilizations, eaten by the Aztecs, nearly lost after the Spanish conquest and recognized by the Mexican Kennel Club in 1956. FCI history: its task was to guide the souls of the dead; the meat was a delicacy in pre-Hispanic Mexico. Wikipedia: pre-Columbian burial finds, Maya and Toltec; sacrifices as guides to the soul..

Breed sets the odds. The parents set the dog. Every number here shows its source, its spread and how sure we are. Nothing on this page is a prediction about one dog.

0INHeight · miniature standardall null, all null, all null. An ideal from the standard, not a range.
10–55LBWeight, all linesminiature 15 to 30 lb; standard 30 to 55 lb; toy 10 to 15 lb.

The lines

Within one breed the line can matter more than the breed. Where the lines differ, the page says which one a value belongs to.

miniature

Miniature size: AKC and UKC over 14 up to 18 in; FCI 234 names it the intermediate size (36 to 45 cm).

standard

Standard size: AKC and UKC over 18 up to 23 in; FCI 234 standard size 46 to 60 cm.

toy

Toy size: AKC and UKC 10 to 14 in at the withers; FCI 234 names it the miniature size (25 to 35 cm). Hairless and coated varieties come in all three sizes.

The body

What the breed is built like. Registry standards give an ideal, not a range.

Height at the shoulder

miniature line14 to 18 in

Breed clubAKC breed standard, 2004

Center blank, ranges. FCI size names differ from AKC names; pairing by height is this library's reading.

standard line18 to 26 in

Breed clubAKC breed standard, 2004

Span covers AKC, UKC, FCI and Wikipedia's whole-breed high of 26 in, which sits above every registry disqualification limit (AKC and UKC 24 in, FCI 62 cm = 24.4 in); the standards' own upper bound is 23 in (AKC, UKC) or 23.6 in (FCI).

toy line9 to 14 in

Breed clubAKC breed standard, 2004

Span covers AKC, UKC, FCI and the whole-breed Wikipedia low (9 in); center blank, the standards print ranges. Males and females share the size ranges (FCI: three sizes for males as well as females). AKC and UKC disqualify under 10 in. The FCI size names differ from the AKC names; the pairing by height is this library's reading.

Weight

miniature line15 to 30 lb

Breed clubAKC

AKC page header is a summary, not the standard.

standard line30 to 55 lb

Breed clubAKC

AKC page header is a summary, not the standard.

toy line10 to 15 lb

Breed clubAKC

AKC page header is a summary, not the standard. Wikipedia gives one whole-breed range, not split by size.

Coat

Hairless variety. AKC: total or almost total absence of hair; a small amount of short, coarse hair is permitted on the top of the head, the feet and the last third of the tail; hair on any other area is a serious fault; skin tough, protective, smooth and close fitting. UKC: general absence of hair, a wisp on forehead, nape, tail and feet is common; hair elsewhere than head, ears, neck, tail and feet disqualifies. FCI 234: total lack of hair on the body with smooth soft skin; coarse hair on forehead and nape no longer than 2.5 cm; the dentition is nearly always incomplete, associated with the hairless gene (AKC and UKC do not penalize missing premolars). Wikipedia: the hairless trait is dominant, a coated pup is the recessive expression, and hairless and coated pups are born in the same litter. Coated variety. AKC: completely covered with a short, smooth, close-fitting coat; long, soft or wavy hair is a serious fault; complete dentition required. UKC: hair all over the body but expected to be sparse on the belly and inside the thighs; short flat coat preferred. FCI 234: short, tight, flat and smooth, no undercoat; full dentition (42 teeth) required. Color: AKC dark uniform preferred, black to bronze, white markings allowed; UKC any color; FCI solid dark preferred with spots and white markings allowed, merle and black-and-tan disqualify.

Breed clubAKC breed standard, 2004

Both varieties in one row (one row per trait). Three registries agree. The Xolo comes in hairless and coated varieties; varieties are described in text because sizes are the modeled lines. AKC, UKC and FCI agree on the short, flat, smooth coated variety.

Shedding

Shedding 1 of 5 (AKC breed page trait score)

Breed clubAKC

AKC breed page trait score, 1 to 5: a breed-club tendency, never a measurement.

The dog at home

What the breed asks of a day. The first thing most homes get wrong.

Energy

AKC breed page: energy level 4 of 5, mental stimulation needs 4 of 5, playfulness 4 of 5, trainability 4 of 5, barking level 3 of 5. AKC standard: typical temperament is calm, tranquil, aloof and attentive. UKC: naturally calm, happy and alert, suspicious towards strangers, a good watchdog but never aggressive, unusually silent. FCI 234: silent, calm, cheerful, alert and intelligent; may be suspicious of strangers; never aggressive.

Breed clubAKC

AKC scores are the AKC's own 1 to 5 bands, not a measurement. Temperament lines are from the three standards.

Grooming load

1 of 5

Breed clubAKC

AKC breed page trait score, 1 to 5: a breed-club tendency, never a measurement.

Grooming

AKC breed page coat grooming frequency 1 of 5, shedding level 1 of 5. Wikipedia: regular bathing, light grooming and basic skin care are needed, and neglect can lead to acne or other skin problems; most dermatological issues arise from poor breeding, neglect, or excessive bathing and moisturising. FCI 234: the hairless skin is smooth, sensitive to touch and feels warmer because it emits heat directly, although body temperature is the same as in haired dogs; it needs more care from exposure to the sun and the elements because it has no natural protection, and the dog tends to sweat through its feet, so it seldom pants except in extreme heat.

Breed clubAKC

AKC bands are the AKC's own 1 to 5 scores. The sun and heat statements are the FCI standard's own words; the library does not score hairless heat tolerance. No Royal Kennel Club page (the breed is on the RKC import register only), so no grooming_load number.

The work

What it was built to do in the field, and what a test or trial asks of it.

Role

FCI 234 utilization: standard and intermediate sizes watchdog, miniature size companion dog. AKC: an ancient natural breed molded by evolution rather than selective breeding; today it serves as a guard and companion. UKC: a very ancient Latin American breed dating before the Aztec Empire, substantiated back some three thousand years, held in esteem by the Toltec and Mayan civilizations, eaten by the Aztecs, nearly lost after the Spanish conquest and recognized by the Mexican Kennel Club in 1956. FCI history: its task was to guide the souls of the dead; the meat was a delicacy in pre-Hispanic Mexico. Wikipedia: pre-Columbian burial finds, Maya and Toltec; sacrifices as guides to the soul.

Breed clubFCI-Standard N° 234, 2012

Group 5 Spitz and Primitive Types, Section 6 Primitive Type, without working trial (FCI).

How common the problems are

Evaluated dogs skew toward breeding stock; the numbers are still the best there are.

Hip dysplasia

4.3% · OFA current all-data (accessed Oct 9 2026): 4.3% dysplastic of 282 evaluations (normal 95.7%; mild 1.8, moderate 1.8, severe 0.7)

MeasuredOrthopedic Foundation for Animals

OFA rank 190. OFA-evaluated dogs skew toward breeding stock, with normal results over-represented; the true population rate is likely higher. OFA all-data is undated.

Elbow dysplasia

5.4% · OFA current all-data (accessed Oct 9 2026): 5.4% abnormal of 147 evaluations (normal 94.6%; grade 1 5.4, grade 2 0.0, grade 3 0.0)

MeasuredOrthopedic Foundation for Animals

OFA rank 78. OFA-evaluated dogs skew toward breeding stock, with normal results over-represented; the true population rate is likely higher. OFA all-data is undated.

Most common disorders

Wikipedia: shaped largely by natural selection, which has limited structural and inherited health issues common in heavily human-modified breeds; unsuited to living outdoors in colder temperate or northern climates and best regarded as an indoor dog; skin problems follow neglect. FCI 234: the hairless gene is closely linked to missing teeth; breeding two coated Xolos together is not permitted. AKC national breed club recommended tests: patella evaluation, hip evaluation, cardiac exam, ophthalmologist evaluation.

EditorialWikipedia

Editorial (Wikipedia) plus the FCI and AKC statements; no VetCompass paper or club survey was read.

More

akc bands

AKC breed page trait scores (1-5): Energy Level 4; Mental Stimulation Needs 4; Trainability Level 4; Barking Level 3; Watchdog/Protective Nature 3; Good With Young Children 3; Openness To Strangers 3; Good With Other Dogs 3; Shedding Level 1; Coat Grooming Frequency 1; Drooling Level 1; Affectionate With Family 5; Playfulness Level 4; Adaptability Level 4.

Breed clubAKC

Fourteen AKC bands in one row; the selector reads each by name. Breed-club ratings: a tendency, never a measurement.

How to read this page

Every value carries a label. Measured means peer-reviewed data on many dogs. Studied means peer-reviewed, smaller or indirect. Breed club means a club or registry states it. Editorial means expert opinion with no measurement behind it. Where two good sources disagree, both are shown and neither is averaged.

Published when the entry rests on the best information available from no fewer than three independent sources, checked by a second pass that did not write it. 6 sources on this page. Found something wrong? Tell us and the correction is logged with its date.

Also called
Xolo, Mexican Hairless Dog, Xoloitzcuintle, Perro pelon mexicano

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