Discover all the Mexican dog breeds on our site! Did you know that actually only two of all the native dogs of Mexico have been officially recognized? The rest have either already become extinct or are not registered as an official breed, and in this article we will talk about all of them so that you can learn about the 4 existing breeds of Mexican dogs and those already extinct. Keep reading!
How many breeds of Mexican dogs are there?
Currently, only two of all Mexican dog breeds have been officially recognized:
- The chihuahueño, in 1959 by the FCI.
- The xoloitzcuintle, in 1961 by the FCI despite being one of the oldest breeds.
Also, as a result of crossing bull-type dogs there is the so-called chamuco dog or Mexican pitbull, a breednot recognized by any organization. In this way, if we ask ourselves how many breeds of Mexican dogs exist, the most accurate answer is two. However, it should be noted that throughout the history of this wonderful country there have been other dog breeds that are now extinct. Therefore, next we will talk about recognized, unrecognized and extinct Mexican dogs.
1. Chihuahua, the most popular Mexican dog in the world
The chihuahua or chihuahueño is one of the most popular dog breeds in the world due to its small size and adorable appearance, and one of the smallest dogs. Although its exact origin is unknown, archaeological remains found confirm that it is a breed of dog native to Mexico. Most theories defend that descends from an extinct Mexican dog, called techichi or tlalchichi, which lived during the time of the Toltecs and was represented in numerous decorations of the architecture of the moment with an appearance very similar to that of the Chihuahua. Likewise, it is suspected that its name comes from the Mexican state of Chihuahua, where it is suspected that it could have lived in the wild. However, there are also theories that support that the nomenclature was the other way around and, therefore, it was the state that acquired the name because of the breed.
This dog is characterized by not weighing more than 3 kg and having a strong character, because the Chihuahua is a brave dog and daring despite its size. There are two accepted varieties, the short-haired and the long-haired, both small, with rounded, bulging eyes and erect ears.
two. Xoloitzcuintle, an ancient Mexican dog
Although the breed was not officially recognized by the FCI until 1961, archaeological finds have been found that place it in the Aztec civilization, being the only living pre-Hispanic Mexican dog. For the Aztecs it was the representation of the god Xolotl, so it was a sacred animal for them. This is due to the popular belief that xoloitzcuintles dogs were the official guides of the deceased, since they affirmed that their creator, the god of death and the underworld, engendered them for this purpose.
During the colonization of America the breed was on the verge of extinction However, throughout the 19th century some breeders opted for preserve it and managed to increase the number of copies. Currently, it is the most representative Mexican dog breed. It is characterized by the absence of hair and a friendly and extremely loyal character. Regarding the size, it exists in three varieties: standard, medium and small.
3. Calupoh, the Mexican Wolfdog
According to the Mexican Canophile Federation[1], the Mexican wolf emerged naturallyas a result of the cross between the gray wolf and pre-Hispanic dogs. However, it was not until 1999 that the first specimen was identified.
The calupoh is large in size, with a physical appearance more similar to that of a wolf than to that of a dog, and characterized by its black mantlethat gives it elegance, strength and mystery. Over the years, it is possible to observe that some specimens experience discoloration, presenting a rather silvery coat. Likewise, there are white Mexican wolfdogs, smoked black or black with white areas.
Only the FCM has recognized the breed, so that, for this reason and because it is a hybrid between a wolf and a dog, we cannot say that it is a Mexican dog breed, but it is an animal native to Mexico.
Extinct Mexican Dogs
According to data provided by the Autonomous University of Mexico[2], and other studies, the following are theprehispanic Mexican dog breeds found and already extinct :
Common dog or itzcuintli
It is not a breed as such, since during pre-Hispanic times, the ancient Mexicans used this term to refer to mestizo or unidentified dogs. In general, they were dogs of about 40 cm in height that inhabited the entire territory of Mexico.
Tlalchichi
Also known as a techichi, this was a small short-legged dog, from which the Chihuahua is suspected to have descended. The remains found do not exceed 23 cm in height and it is suspected that it could have been used as a companion dog or a hunter of small animals, as explained in the study carried out by Raúl Veladez Azúa, Alicia Blanco Padilla, Fernando Viniegra Rodríguez, Katiuska Olmos Jiménez and Bernardo Rodríguez Galicia, in which the archaeological remains of dogs found in western Mexico were taken as the object of study[3]
Mayan or short-nosed dog
Found in the Maya area, it was about 40 cm tall and was characterized by having a short snout, hence its name " short-nosed dog".
