Xoloitzcuintli — Dogs

The story behind the answer

This is a Xoloitzcuintli: smooth, hairless skin (often dark slate), a clean wedge-shaped head, and large, upright ears without the “crest,” “socks,” or plume tail seen in Chinese Cresteds. It’s more substantial and less terrier-like than the American Hairless Terrier (which often has piebald coloring), and stockier than the more sighthound-shaped Peruvian Inca Orchid.

Known as Mexico’s ancient “Xolo” (pronounced SHOW-low), this breed dates back over 3,000 years and was revered by the Aztecs as a spiritual guardian. They come in three sizes and a coated variety, but the iconic hairless type often has missing teeth due to the hairless gene. Memory tip: Xolo = “solar”—that bare skin loves the sun, so sunscreen and gentle skincare are key.