The Xoloitzcuintli is an ancient Aztec breed native to Mexico, once considered as guides for the dead on their journey to the underworld

https://lemmy.world/post/2580390

The Xoloitzcuintli is an ancient Aztec breed native to Mexico, once considered as guides for the dead on their journey to the underworld - Lemmy.world

“To the ancient Aztec and Maya, man’s best friend was also a hairless, ugly-cute healer, occasional food source, and, most importantly, guide to the Underworld.

Sometimes known as the Mexican Hairless dog, the xoloitzcuintli (pronounced “show-low-itz-QUEENT-ly”) gets its name from two words in the language of the Aztecs: Xolotl, the god of lightning and death, and itzcuintli, or dog. According to Aztec belief, the Dog of Xolotl was created by the god to guard the living and guide the souls of the dead through the dangers of Mictlán, the Underworld.”

Is the literal translation of Axolotl a god of some kind? Love it.
I want to hear the sound of gently slapping on on the side

gently slaps side

“This baby can hold so many trips to the underworld!”

That thing has resting dont-fuck-with-me face
Resting fight-me-bitch face
Looks like the Egyptian god anubis
I want to have two, named Fuck Around and Find Out. That is one serious face.
It's really important for people to know that you are an epic redditor
Yeah those are some really cringey dog names. Foofoocuddlypoops sounds more intimidating than the dog equivalent of an affliction shirt.
Yeah, indigenous people are so cringe /s
Naming your dogs “fuck around” and “find out” is an indigenous thing? That’s interesting.
I think it’s worth pointing out that this is a reconstructed breed and not the lineage used by the Mexica. Those dogs died out with European contact. youtu.be/osMu6i2txFA
What Happened to the Pre-Contact Dogs?

YouTube
Did the original breed look anything like the current one? I was just about to say it’s uncanny how the ancient Aztecs and Egyptians had a similar looking death-related thing (this dog and Anubis).

It’s surprisingly hard to Google, but I found this: collection.imamuseum.org/artwork/34509/

Anubis has the head of a jackyl, which looks significantly different IRL: www.britannica.com/animal/African-golden-wolf

vessel in form of a dog

Colima culture

Indianapolis Museum of Art Online Collection
Xolos and Calupohs have some of the most intimidating façades in dogs. Absolute sweethearts with the face of something you’d hear about in cryptid stories.

If you break into my house, I’ll guide you to the afterlife…

What a damn gorgeous pup

I love Xolos. I feel like they strike the perfect balance of cute and intimidating for walking alone at night. They sometimes win the World’s Ugliest Dog contest but, like this year, are often beat by the Chinese crested dog

wsj.com/…/a-dog-named-scooter-has-won-an-award-fo…

World's Ugliest Dogs: This Year's Champion and Winners Past

Scooter, a Chinese Crested from Tucson, Ariz., won the 2023 World's Ugliest Dog Contest. Here's a look at past winners.

Wall Street Journal
Dam that dog is raising MY self esteem

When I was living in peru, there was a peruvian version of the hairless dog that lived with me. I loved that nutjob. So crazy and funny, but a true sweetheart.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_Hairless_Dog

Peruvian Hairless Dog - Wikipedia

It looks pissed at its haircut
Looks like a guide for the living to the afterlife
Messenger to God, same day shipping
This is why they were featured heavily in Coco
Beat me to it. The character designers took several field trips to Mexico to really get an idea of this dog breed
Oh wow, what a handsome dog! Something to look forward to after death! I'd follow that dog anywhere~

Our lil part breed, we live in AZ so he wears shirts for sun protection cause he is mostly bald.

Isn’t that a pit bull?
Are you just a couple of rocks?
Well, that’s another of his parts.
Well, that’s another of his parts.
Such an interesting combination
He is an odd ball. Really glad the people who bred him didn’t do the ear and tail clipping thing, those big saucers make so much of his personality! We were his foster home after his owner had an accident and couldn’t give him up, our kitties like him a lot too.
Look at the neck on that bad boy

Frida Kahlo had several Xolos throughout her life

Also known as a Xolo dog.

Conveniently, a Xolo dog named Dante was Miguel’s alebrije in the movie Coco.

Artist Diego Rivera was known to be fond of Xolo dogs, and there are pictures of him with his dog and Frida Kahlo, whose likeness also had a cameo in Coco.

Also worth noting, if you don’t know spanish, it’s pronounced sholo not zolo.
I looked it up and only some of them have the wild hairdo. Does anyone know why that is? Check out the mohawk on this puppy!
Adorable little punk rocker lol
Because they’re fuckin rock n roll?

The breed occurs naturally in two varieties, hairless and coated. Hairless Xolos are the dominant expression of the heterozygous Hh hairless trait.[18] Coated Xolos (hh) are the recessive expression, and breeding hairless to coated or hairless to hairless may produce pups of either or both varieties. Breeding coated to coated will only produce coated pups because they are recessive to the hairless trait and do not carry the dominant H gene.

Cool! Thanks for sharing.
I kinda want one but I've read they often have skin problems. I've already adopted 2 mutts too, so I've got my hands full anyhow.
This badass-looking fellow immediately made me think of Anubis/jackal hieroglyphics. Now I’m wondering if there is a connection.
No connection. This breed is native to Mesoamerica and was completely unknown across the Atlantic. And you don’t need to invoke these fellas when you are already THE God Of Jackals - which are carrion eaters, and I believe Xolos are not.
Hey, thanks for the info! I didn’t have the mental energy to hit up Wikipedia and fall down that rabbit hole to find it myself last night.
Those eyes can see beyond this plane of existence.
This dude looks like he could send you to the underworld.