Mexican Hairless Dog, its appearance has a high recognition, the skin is wrinkled and pink, and it is also covered with freckles. Many people may not like its appearance at first sight. It is almost not covered with hair except for the visible blood vessels between the two ears, the sticky chin, and the mouse-like tail end with brownish hair.
It used to be Empress Dowager Cixi's warming bed dog. In the past, it was mainly kept as a warming bed dog and pet, but it was never popular.
Smart and lively, emotional, often compared to ancient African stray dogs and European terriers. Their physical structure often reminds people of classic sight hounds, but overall, their personality is actually very similar to foxhounds.
Lively and friendly, cheerful and quiet, extremely vigilant towards strangers, noble temperament, elegant posture, completely different from ordinary hounds or terriers, which can be clearly felt.
The origin of this dog is in 16th century Mexico, where it was raised as a court warming dog and pet, but few people truly accepted and loved it. In the past, the ancient Aztecs kept it extensively as a sacrificial offering.
Some say that there is another possibility, that they are actually native mammals - it seems that the Aztecs once used resin to remove the hair from guinea pigs, and then used the guinea pigs as food or "hot water bottles" in bed, ultimately creating this new hairless animal. It was bred in 1994, but there is no historical record to prove how it came to Mexico, so it remains a mystery that has yet to be answered.
Around 1950, the Mexican dog owners started breeding it in a planned manner to prevent the breed from becoming extinct. However, the effect was minimal and until now, the number of this breed of dog is still very scarce.
Mexican Hairless Dog can get along well with humans and treat people gently, but people often find it difficult to accept it because of its strange appearance. The keeper should not despise and should care for it.
Mexican Hairless Dog is actually very lively, friendly, quiet and calm. It is somewhat wary of strangers and is a pet dog that is very suitable for family breeding. It has a noble temperament and elegant posture, which is completely different from the general hunting dogs or terriers.
Mexican Hairless Dog loves leisurely walks rather than running, and it also loves playing with humans. Despite the lack of attention due to its appearance problems, it never feels inferior because of it.
1. Heart Disease
Dog heart disease is often related to obesity and old age. When dogs have heart disease, they mainly show symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath. It is difficult to detect heart disease in dogs, and by the time owners notice, the dog is usually seriously ill.
2. Infectious Diseases
Canine distemper and canine parvovirus are common malignant infectious diseases in dogs, with a high mortality rate. Dogs that have not been vaccinated in a timely manner are prone to these two infectious diseases. Once they are sick, they will show symptoms such as depression, loss of appetite, elevated body temperature, vomiting, and diarrhea.
3. Kidney Disease
When it comes to common diseases and symptoms in dogs, kidney disease can't be ignored. The terrifying thing about dog kidney disease is its unconscious process. By the time the owner discovers it, the damage to the dog's kidney cells often exceeds 75%. When dogs have problems, common symptoms are blood in urine, abnormal urine color, and changes in urination habits.
4. Parasites
Gastrointestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, and heartworms are common parasites in dogs. When dogs are infected with gastrointestinal parasites, the main symptoms are emaciation, depression, diarrhea, presence of worms in feces, and pale gums. Heartworms are parasites that live in the dog's heart, and dogs infected with heartworms will show symptoms such as poor vitality, coughing, anemia, asthma, and abdominal fluid.
5. Canine Pneumonia
Pneumonia is also a common disease in dogs, but it is a complication of other diseases. It often occurs in dogs with abnormalities in the upper respiratory system, bacterial infections, canine distemper infections, viral colds, impaired lung function, and heartworm infections. Coughing, nasal congestion, and elevated body temperature are the main symptoms of canine pneumonia.
It is best to start socializing training when it is young so that it can accept and adapt to human life. Owners should not neglect their responsibilities because of its appearance.
The dog does not have a great need for exercise and generally just going for a walk is enough. However, due to its lack of hair and its unique skin, it is important to pay attention to keeping it warm and clean, especially being aware of allergies to certain textiles.
Keep its skin moisturized all the time and avoid exposing it to direct sunlight. Without the protection of hair, sunlight can cause more harm to its skin.
1. Do not bathe frequently
Bathing dogs, of course, should not be too frequent. Bathing dogs depends on the dog's hygiene situation. In hot weather in summer, you can bathe them one or two more times. In winter, you can reduce it by one or two times, but overall, it should not exceed 5 times. Otherwise, it will damage its fur and skin!
2. Brush regularly
Dogs shed almost every day, especially in spring and autumn. Seasonal shedding is more severe. To promote good fur growth, regular brushing is important. Pet owners can use specialized pet brushes to help remove natural shedding fur and prevent tangling. Brushing once in the morning and once in the evening for about five minutes each time is enough.
3. Sunbathe
Sunbathing is beneficial for the dog's fur growth. Besides making the fur more shiny, sun exposure can also help to sterilize. While sunbathing, pet owners can let the dogs exercise a bit, which helps to improve the dog's physical fitness, promote blood circulation, and grow healthier fur.
4. Deworming
Poor fur condition is closely related to parasites. Parasites absorb a large amount of nutrients from the dog's body, which leads to nutrient depletion. Therefore, deworming is necessary. It is recommended to do internal and external deworming at the same time. Deworming medication can cause significant damage to the dog's digestive system, so it is suggested to feed probiotics together to alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort.
5. Pay attention to diet
In order to have shiny fur, dogs must have a good nutritional foundation, and attention should be paid to daily diet. On the one hand, feed the dog with nutritious and healthy dog food - choose one that is suitable for the dog's needs and provides adequate nutrition. On the other hand, you can give the dog a proper amount of lean meat, cooked egg yolk, and vegetable oil.