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Dear Ami, My husband and I
are involved with your basic dog training class on Thursday nights. We are most
impressed with the instructor, Ami Moore. She is not only an excellent animal
behaviorist, but she also excels in training techniques. I have been
recommending her and her classes to others. We both have had dogs all our lives
and have never encountered a better, more caring instructor. She is very
conscientious and very willing to give you extra time if needed. She has a
great deal of patience. In our view she is outstanding, and we felt you should
be apprised of our feelings.
Sincerely yours, Jean
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RARE AND UNUSUAL
HAIRLESS DOG BREEDS
Hairless breeds such as the Xoloitzcuintle, Peruvian Hairless,
Peruvian Inca Orchid, and Khala are generically considered pila which simply
means "without hair”.
They are the oldest known dog breeds to live with people. Most
of them were used to hunt small game, thus they have a high prey drive. They
were raised as guard dogs, for medicinal purposes, and yes, even as food.
Many hairless dogs share
similar traits; they have a hairless and coated variety often born in the same
litter, the hairless are often missing teeth, they are naturally hardy and
healthy, and they tend to recognize and gravitate towards their own kind. Much
of the following information on breed traits and personality I have included in
the Xolo category since these are the most common of the hairless dogs found
today.
The
Xoloitzcuintle, or Xoloitzcuintli (show-lo-eets-qweent-lee), commonly
referred to as the Mexican Hairless, is an ancient breed whose ancestors ranged
from Mexico to South America.
Proof that they shared their lives with many early
civilizations of the pre-Columbian era can be found in pottery shards and
relics. Aztecs raised hairless dogs for food and for their medicinal purposes.
It was thought that the dogs could heal arthritis, asthma, and other ailments.
The meat was thought to have curative properties. We may think of this as
barbaric, but to these people it was no different than raising say, a herd of
sheep or goats. They depended on these dogs for their survival.
The Mayans and Toltecs worshipped them as gods. Legends tell us that the god
Xolotl sent a messenger, Itzcuintle, made of a sliver of his bone to guide
mankind in his life journey through the afterlife to be reborn. It is said that
the xolo was born flesh from deep within a volcano that left the hair singed
from his body so all would know the pain he endured to help mankind.
The dog was the only domestic
animal to be buried with their master when they passed on. It was thought that
to be without a dog when you die would forever block your passage to the
underworld. The stories say that the dog would stand before the gods at his
masters side and judge the man on how he treated his dog. This same theme can
be found in Egypt as Anubis, the dog-headed god of the dead.
Xolos share the genetic makeup
of many of the hairless breeds and therefore the personality traits among the
groups are the same. Differences in appearance abound due to inbreeding and the
lack of recognition between hairless breeds until very recently.
The
xolo can also be a cobby type, or pottery style; that is short and squat and
very muscular as seen in relics. They can also be deer type which is fine
boned, tall and thin. Deer type have more of the sight hound ancestry and
closely resemble whippets or greyhounds.
Body hair can also vary greatly in the xolo. The ears may be
pricked (upright), tipped (folded at tips), or rose (folded back against the
head). Some may have little to no body hair, while others may have a sparse
amount on the head, tail, and feet.
They are devoted and loving to those they know, reserved and shy with
strangers. Xolos, like all primitive breeds are pack animals used to living in
groups, and distrust outsiders. Outsiders may mean a stranger, solicitor, or
perhaps a neighbor or family member they have not met before.
They can be wonderful companions and bond strongly with their human families.
It is said that the xolo is a very stubborn dog. I don't view this as
stubbornness, they are merely extremely intelligent. Xolos can be very
dominant, remember they are pack animals and will take on the role as alpha if
allowed.
The Hairless Khala, Kahla, Perro K'ala, Chala, K'ala, or Caa
allepo, is native to Central and South America and is still used by
the native people of Argentina, Bolivia and Peru as a hunting dog.
The
coated variety of the breed resemble a Borzoi. They are considered to be the
largest of the Xolo breeds weighing in at around 45-55 pounds. The Khala come
in two varieties; the Khala Grande, and the Khala Medio, which is cobby style.
These dogs are highly prized by the tribe and their parentage can usually be
traced back through generations.
The
most notable difference in appearance in this breed is the high, domed forehead
and the large ears. Khalas have coarse hair covering their head, feet, and
tail. Like the xolo, Khalas are very wary of strangers and bond quickly to
their family. They are intelligent, gentle dogs and keenly sensitive to the
emotional state of their owners.
The Peruvian Inca Orchid, PIO, Moonflower Dog, or
Perro Flora, was raised by the Inca civilization of South America.
Thought to be magical creatures they were allowed to roam freely about only at
night. This was most likely due to the fact that the PIO has very light
pigmented skin which causes them to sunburn easily. Inca rulers guarded these
dogs fiercely and kept them as bed warmers and pets.
The
natives viewed them as gifts from the gods and thought them to have healing
capabilities. The Inca Orchid is distinguished by their primarily white or pink
skin that is spotted by color. They also have a trademark tuft of hair on the
top of their head (known is the "kissing spot").
The Peruvian Hairless, Inca Hairless, or Perro Sin
Pello Del Peru, is another breed of hairless dog, not to be confused
with the Inca Orchid although the lines have been mixed.
Peruvians are usually a solid dark color, normally brown to grey black. Hair
growth is minimal, but some (called the "fuzzy-face" variety) can get hair on
the head and tail. Like the xolo they resemble hairless sight hounds.
The
Peruvian is recognized in three sizes; toy, miniature, and standard. The
genetic registry for this breed has been extremely mixed over the years since
any breed of hairless dog in Peru was considered a Peruvian. In recent years
the formation of the Inca Hairless Club of America has helped to define this
breed and develop a standard to which breeders can strive for.
The Chinese Crested Dog got it's name
from the Emperors of China who collected these rare dogs to decorate their
palaces. Chinese merchants helped to spread this breed throughout the world by
taking them on their ships. It's thought that they were handy rat killers, and
not having hair they did not carry fleas!
The
Chinese Crested is much older than the merchant ships of China though. Small
hairless dogs roamed the African dessert for thousands of year before being
"discovered". Hair growth on the Chinese Crested varies greatly but is commonly
known by the full silky main of hair on the head- the crest, the tail- or
plume, and the feet- or socks. Days on the African deserts get to unbearable
temperatures, while nights become cold, even frigid! This hair pattern protects
the dogs extremities susceptible to frostbite, but prevents the dog from
overheating in the hot sun. They resemble tiny ponies in both appearance and
gait.
The coated variety, called the Powderpuff, can be born in the same litter as
the hairless and has a full fluffy coat. The only notable difference between
the two is in dentition. Hairless dogs have primitive, or tusk teeth that do
not have a full root system. Often the hairless are born with missing or
malformed teeth. This is not considered a fault and is normal for the hairless
variety of the breed.
Did You Know... ...that all dogs, from the
St. Bernard to the tiny Poodle, are direct descendants of wolves. They can all
breed together and produce fertile offspring. Technically they are of the same
species.