EVALUATING THE XOLOITZCUINTLI ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB APPROVED STANDARD FOR THE BREED By Kay Lawson T he Xoloitzcuintli is a study in balanced mod- eration. It’s very impor- tant to remember where these dogs come from. Th ey were not molded
pronounced stop. Some cushioning on the muzzle allows for a true wedge when seen from the front. Eyes should be almond shaped and obliquely set – reflecting again the primitive dog. Th e ears should be large, elegant and expressive – Xolo ears often move independent of each other, since as both predator and prey in the wild they need to maintain constant awareness of their surroundings. In young dogs the ears may not be fully up, however by one year our standard requires that they can be held erect. When the ears are carried fully erect, they make the wrinkling on the forehead pronounced which adds to the intelligent inquisitive look typical of the Xoloitz- cuintli. Excessively wide or narrow heads are a fault. Th e bite should be scissors, with correct alignment even in dogs missing teeth. Lack of underjaw detracts from the strong primitive functionality necessary in this breed. A bulky head with excessive muscling is not correct – these dogs are primitive and do not hearken back to the Molossian dogs of the ancients. Th e nose and eyes should be colored to match the dog, dark preferred. Loose skin around the muzzle, dewlap or anything suggesting, it is not correct. Th e correct Xolo exhibits a strong, slightly arched neck, smoothly muscled and well-set into laid back shoulders blending into the body without any hint of a 90 degree angle. Th e back should be level and firm; the topline should be level with a slight arch – only over the loin. Th e length of body – since the Xolo is to be longer than tall – should be primarily in the ribcage, never in the loin. Th e correct proportion of length to height is 10 to 9 – visually rectangular, but not overwhelm- ingly so. Viewed from the front, they should exhibit a sturdy frame with enough fill in front to prevent any hint of “cathe- dral” chest. Th e bones should be oval for strength. Th e shoulders should be long, sloping and covered with smooth muscle. Th ey should lay flat to the body and be
by the hand of Man to work, or fetch or comfort – although they excel at all of those. Created by Nature’s force, they still retain the cunning and intelligence of what most certainly was the wild canid of the area. All three sizes are noteworthy hunters, anticipatory thinkers, and give heart and soul to whatever desire drives them. In today’s world, that is what makes them devoted guardians, unrivaled per- formers, and extraordinarily good fam- ily pets for those who invest the time and e ff ort it takes to breed true type and raise quality puppies. Th e indigenous people who discovered them living in the jungles did not take these dogs and change them. Th ey accepted the dogs as they were and considered them part of the deities they worshipped. Instead of taking one special trait and breeding dogs to capitalize on that (as with many other breeds), the Indi- ans allowed the breed to become “every dog” – hunter, retriever, herder, laborer, guardian and companion. From the tip of their nose to the end of their tail, the Xolo should be a moderate balanced dog the way Nature intended it to be. Xolos must be able to move e ff ortlessly, not overmus- cled and heavy nor overlight and weedy. Th ey must have stamina and determina- tion. Th eir essence should still reflect the primitive dogs that they are. Th eir bodies should flow from one soft curve to another, without any hard angles or edges, without undue rise or fall. Front angles should be balanced and equal to rear angles. Th e width of the dog in the front should be the same as the width of the dog in the back. Th e head on a Xolo should match the size of the dog’s body. It should be a wedge shape; the muzzle should appear to be slightly longer than the skull without a
Correct Standard Head profile
Adolescent female Standard
Beautiful Toy/shows colorvariation and correct conformation
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