Xoloitzcuintli

Hello! My name is a little long, but you can call me Xolo for short. My full name is Xoloitzcuintli, which is a very old name from the Nahuatl language. The Aztec people gave it to my ancestors, and it means 'dog of the god Xolotl.' I have a special look because my skin is warm and soft, and I don't have much hair. Sometimes, I have a little bit of hair on my head that looks like a mohawk! We Xolos come in three sizes. Some of us are small like toys, some are medium-sized, and some are bigger, called standard size.

My story started a very, very long time ago, more than 3,000 years ago in a country called Mexico. My ancestors lived with the ancient Aztec people, and we were very important to them. We weren't just pets; we had a magical job to do! The Aztecs believed we were sacred guides. They thought we could protect the souls of our people and lead them safely to the afterlife. We were also wonderful companions. Since we don't have a lot of fur, our bodies are very warm. My family would cuddle with me to stay warm on cool nights. It was like I was their living, breathing hot water bottle!

After the Aztec empire ended in the 1500s, life became very hard for us. For many hundreds of years, people forgot about our special history, and we almost disappeared completely. It was a very worrying time. But then, in the 1950s, people started to remember how special we are. In 1954, a team of kind people traveled deep into Mexico to find the last of my ancestors and help save our breed. Around that same time, two famous artists named Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera showed their love for us. They put us in their beautiful paintings, which helped the whole world see that we were still here and still very special.

Today, I have a very big honor. I am the national dog of Mexico! I am so proud to remind people of the amazing history of my home. My life is still full of adventure. I love being a companion to my family. My favorite things to do are playing in the warm sun, going for long walks, and cuddling on the couch. I am a living piece of history and a loyal friend. It is my job to be a proud guardian of a story that has been told for thousands of years, and I am so happy to share it with you.