- Breed name: Peruvian hairless dog
- Original breed name: Perro sin pelo del Peru
- FCI classification: Group 5 – Spitz and primitive type of dogs
- Origin: Peru
- Size: Small, medium and large dog
- Average life expectancy: 12-13 years
The Peruvian hairless dog, or Peruvian Inca as it is also called, is one of the few hairless breeds that exist. He has unusual appearance, slender and elegant body. He is considered a faithful race, very attached to his family. He is one of the more expensive breeds of dogs, the price of a puppy of this breed is around 2000 euro.
ORIGIN
According to some records, it is assumed that the dog originated from the African area, and that it was brought to the territory of America by numerous nomads. However, according to some other records, there are theories that these dogs originated from dogs that existed as early as 300 BC. There is evidence on the pottery of different civilisations before the Incas where there are drawings of dogs that are very similar with this breed. Nowadays, they are very popular in the United States and Peru as pets, and are considered a treasure of the country. The price of a puppy of this breed is quite high and ranges around 2000 euro.
APPEARANCE
The Peruvian hairless dog is elegant and slender. His appearance speaks of the great strength and speed of this breed. His eyes are slightly almond-coloured, not too prominent. The skin of this breed is smooth and elastic all over the body. They are completely hairless, with a small amount of hair on the head allowed. Their skin is black with various shades. There are three sizes of this breed: small 25-40 cm, medium 41-50 cm, large 51-65 cm. When it comes to weight: small 4-8 kg, medium 8-12 kg, large 12-30 kg.
CHARACTER
Lively, cautious and balanced character. He is very attached to his family and the people he lives with and distrustful of strangers. He barks very rarely. He learns quickly, is not difficult to train and reacts well to positive training techniques such as praise and food.
HEALTH AND CARE
He can live in an apartment, but he needs to be provided with a sufficient amount of physical activity. Due to the lack of fur, he is very sensitive to both heat and cold. During the winter months, be sure to give him a sweater or an additional layer of clothing, and during the summer, be sure to protect him well with sunscreen to save his sensitive skin from UV rays and burns. He is hypoallergenic, there are almost never problems with ticks and fleas when it comes to this breed.
As a breed, it is generally healthy without genetic diseases. However, the gene that is to blame for the lack of hair in this breed also affects the quality of the teeth, so problems in this field are possible.