Newsletter

As its name states, the most unique aspect of the Peruvian Hairless dog is its hairlessness, with the exception of a peculiar mohawk and tail brush that some individuals have. Some mistakenly think of the breed as an Incan dog, because they were kept as pets during the Inca Empire. The breed, however, pre-dates the Incas significantly. It has inhabited the coast of Peru, its natural habitat, for more than 3,000 years. They did not naturally inhabit the Andes because the mountain climate was too cold for them. The dogs were used for hunting and were kept as pets by several pre-Inca cultures, such as the Chimú, Moche, Chancay, and Vicus. The dogs were frequently represented in these cultures’ ceramics as well as in other types of indigenous artwork. They were even sometimes mummified along with their owners, and then buried together in the tomb. It was believed that in the afterlife the dog would act as a guide for the spirit, and would accompany the dead in the afterlife.

Many pre-Hispanic cultures made miniatures as objects of worship,
luck, or offerings. This particular miniature,
found in the department of Lambayeque is
of a Peruvian Hairless dog.


Close-up of an elderly Peruvian Hairless Dog,
whose hair has turned from yellow to white with age.

The breed nearly became extinct during the Spanish conquest, as the Spanish brought with them big war dogs to facilitate their takeover of the Inca Empire. The Peruvian Hairless was no match for the more powerful war dogs.  The conquistadors even would entertain themselves by setting of one of their war dogs against a small pack of the Peruvian dogs in a fight. The war dogs were easily able to take on and kill four or five Peruvian dogs at the same time. For centuries after the Spanish conquest, the dog’s popularity as a pet severely declined. Very few survived, roaming the coasts and feeding on crabs, lizards, mollusks, and other small desert and coastline creatures.

Lola Whitmer, Peru For Less' Online Developmente Manager with a
Peruvian Hairless dog in Morrope- a small town along Peru's northern coast.
This particular dog meets the breed ideals of being completely hairless.


A Peruvian Hairless Dog at the Rainbow Huaca ruins in Trujillo, Peru.

Fortunately in 1989 the Huaca Pucllana archeological site and project in Lima started an initiative to save the dogs and adopted some to live inside the archaeological site. As a result of the initiative, the government decided to take action to save the breed and ordered all archeological sites along the coast to house at least a pair of Peruvian Hairless Dogs. Their numbers have since grown steadily, and the breed is now safe from extinction. Breeders now sell them as luxury dogs or breed them for export. Although some people might be put off by their hairlessness, their unique look has helped them gain popularity once again. A big selling point is that they are much cleaner than other dogs, as they do not shed, thus provoking no allergies and having no fleas. In Peru the Hairless breed is also used frequently by people with circulatory problems, as this particular breed has a very high body temperature (due to not having hair to keep it warm) and can warm you up quickly when snuggling up next to you on the couch or at the foot of the bed.

Source: Wikipedia.org, Msnbc.com

This pre-Incan Huaco (ceramic), found in the department of
Lambayeque- along the northern coast of peru,
depicts a man carrying a Peruvian Hairless dog around his shoulders


A Peruvian Hairless Dog at the Chan Chan ruins in Trujillo, Peru.

PAST NEWSLETTERS:

• Newsletter December 2007
• Newsletter November 2007
• Newsletter October 2007
• Newsletter September 2007
• Newsletter August 2007
• Newsletter July 2007
• Newsletter June 2007
• Newsletter May 2007
• Newsletter April 2007
• Newsletter March 2007
• Newsletter February 2007
• Newslette January 2007