Refers to hairless dogs in Mexico, whether modern dogs or as seen in more ancient depictions. The xoloitzcuintli (xolo) is a breed of Mexican dog having pink or gray skin and very little hair except for a topknot and fuzz on its long tail; dogs with short coats also appear in many litters. The history of the breed is under discussion by experts. Domesticated dogs entered North America from Siberia over 9,000 years ago; some pre-European-contact dogs had an appearance similar to the modern xolo and were considered sacred by the Mexica, Toltecs, Maya, and other groups. However, in modern xolos, little to none of the older, indigenous dogs' DNA remains; modern xolos were probably descended from hairless Chinese or African dogs that were introduced by Spanish traders to Mexico in the late 16th century. In Mexico the breed is referred to as the "Chinese dog"; however, DNA analysis did not find a close genetic relationship between the xolo and the Chinese Crested Dog, which has a similar appearance.
