Xoloitzcuintle (Mexican Hairless)
An ancient Mexican breed, mostly hairless, in three sizes: calm, watchful and very attached to its family.
At a glance
- Size
- Medium
- Height at the withers
- 25–60 cm
- Weight
- 4–25 kg
- Life expectancy
- 12–16 years
- Exercise
- 45–60 min a day
- Grooming
- Once a week
- Coat
- Hairless, Smooth, hairless, short
- Colours
- Black, Grey, Liver, Red, Brown
- Bred for
- Companionship, Guarding
- Country of origin
- Mexico
- FCI
- Group 5, no. 234 · Spitz & primitive types
Breeders on Kuldo
No breeders on Kuldo have this breed yet.
Living with the breed
| Affectionate with family | 5/5 – Very high |
|---|---|
| Good with children | 4/5 – High |
| Good with other dogs | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Good with cats | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Open to strangers | 2/5 – Low |
| Energy | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Playfulness | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Needs mental stimulation | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Easy to train | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Prey drive | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Watchful and protective | 4/5 – High |
| Barking | 2/5 – Low |
| Shedding | 1/5 – Very low |
| Grooming effort | 1/5 – Very low |
| Drooling | 1/5 – Very low |
| Good for first-time owners | 4/5 – High |
| Suits apartment living | 4/5 – High |
| Adaptability | 4/5 – High |
| Copes with being alone | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with heat | 4/5 – High |
| Copes with cold | 1/5 – Very low |
Kuldo's own guidance from the breed's typical traits. Every dog is an individual, so talk to the breeder.
Is it the right breed for you?
Great if you …
- want a low-shedding dog
- like a calm, watchful companion
- live in a warm climate or don't mind dog coats
Think twice if you …
- want a dog that loves all strangers
- live in a cold climate without heating
- dislike regular skin care
Care
Temperament
Xolos are calm, loyal and alert, devoted to their family and reserved with strangers. They make attentive watchdogs without being noisy.
Exercise
Daily walks of 45–60 minutes and some play suit most adults. They enjoy agility, lure coursing and family outings.
Grooming
Hairless Xolos need regular baths, moisturiser or sunscreen and protection from cold; coated Xolos need only weekly brushing.
Training
They are intelligent and sensitive and respond best to calm, positive training. Early socialisation helps with their natural wariness.
Health
Missing or misaligned teeth go with the hairless gene, and skin problems, sunburn, patellar luxation and hip dysplasia occur. Ask the breeder for hip, knee and eye results.
Health tests breeders usually do
- Hips (HD)
- Kneecaps (patella)
- Eye examination
Ask the breeder to show you the parents' results.
About the breed
The Xoloitzcuintle is one of the oldest breeds of the Americas, kept in Mexico for thousands of years and linked in Aztec belief to Xolotl, a god of the underworld. It comes in standard, intermediate and miniature sizes, from about 25 to 60 cm, and coated puppies are born alongside hairless ones.
Xolos are calm and quiet indoors, alert and protective of their home and often wary of strangers. They bond strongly with their people. Hairless dogs need sun protection, skin care and warmth in cold weather, but there is little shedding and no coat to brush.
Did you know?
The hairless gene in Xolos is dominant and lethal in double dose, so hairless parents typically produce some coated puppies.