18/03/2024
Thank you to Solstice Xolos for this incredible post about this breed.
A reply I made to someone's post asking about Xolos, just to have it in one place:
Xoloitzcuintli
I like to start with the bad and get that out of the way.
My jokes about the bad:
1. You'll have a lot of conversations surrounding how to say the name. A lot.
2. A lot of people will ask you how much your dog cost, it feels weird.
3. It's impossible to have just one.
Now more serious:
This is an independent primitive breed. Which means that they have a strong sense of survival, and typically a high prey drive, and low biddability. The result can be a dog that is challenging for the average pet owner, particularly during adolescence. I do say that they mature remarkably into just phenomenal adult dogs, that I personally think are fantastic family companions, but you have to be able to work them through their adolescence in order to get to that point. Otherwise, you end up with a dog that absolutely controls your life and is not fun to live with. And frankly that goes for any of the more challenging breeds. On average, they are not praise motivated, and they're certainly not eager to please. They are not a modern breed bred specifically for compliance and ease of training. And that's all important to take into account when you're considering bringing in a Xolo to your family.
During adolescence, like all dogs, Xolos go through a series of fear periods. In many breeds this presents as one or two weeks of fearful behavior and minor reactivity to new stimulus (or things they've always seen but have only just noticed.) In protective breeds, such as GSDs and Doberman, we see instead Suspicion Periods, which are much more intense as they decide what is and is not a threat to be dealt with. I find Xolos easier than adolescent guardian breeds, but far harder than companion and sporting breeds. Primitive dog fear periods are often longer lasting and more explosive than modern breeds. In mine I've typically seen each last around a month or so before settling down. During this period loud reactive barking to new stimulus, ESPECIALLY strangers and unfamiliar dogs, is extremely common. In fact my Xolos have all been very environmentally confident, but people and other dogs have been the hard one. Which makes sense for the breed, they're a village watch dogs (not guard dog, mind you, they're non-combative alarm bells.) Xolos are also stranger aloof, which as adults typically looks like indifference, but in puppies presents as fear and reactivity. Understanding the Look at That game and Engage/Disengage game has made getting through this much easier with mine.
When it comes to training this breed is challenging, but I love working with them. (That said I love working with all primitive breeds so I may just be weird.) They are typically very, very food motivated, which can make things easier to some extent. However, they are above all FUN motivated, and the moment things become repetitive, boring, or anything other than FUN for them, they check out. They are not a dog you can get frustrated with, as they will simply shut you out. Early training sessions have to be fast paced (never "keep at it until we get it right,") interesting, and short. Rely on play to finish each session and they'll start to look forward to it more and give you their undivided attention better and better. Puppies I find do great with obedience training, whereas the adolescents have done best with just focusing on getting them out and about a lot for calm, laid back exposure sessions. Then as they start to mature, I focus more on cementing obedience. My experiences are not universal, of course, and I've only raised three and helped with several others at this point. But, based on my discussions with longer-time owners and breeders, I stand by my experience.
Now on to the good, and there is so much good. Xolos are absolutely remarkable, addictive, fun, and joyful dogs. They have what I can only describe as an excellent sense of humor. They love fun, they're jokesters, goofy, and made of springs. Making their people laugh seems to be a top priority, second only to amusing themselves. When out and about you see a very serious, stoic dog who is keenly observing the world around them, assessing their environment for threats. Once they've concluded all is well, the clownish antics break out. They love to hop on their hind legs, twist and twirl in the air, give you the goofiest googly eyed looks (I've seen the same expressions on Ibizan Hounds and Dobermans.) Despite the AKC website calling them "quiet," mine are not. They aren't really nuisance barkers, though certainly will loudly sound off about potential threats (such as the package delivery truck), but they're talkative in their own way. My oldest likes to say "wuff!" and playbow when she wants to do something (anything, really!) My boy does a lot of contented groans and sighs and such. My youngest is my most vocal and sounds like an army of tiny bears when she plays with all the odd roaring she does. In the show ring or the park, though, you are presented with what looks to be a regal, quiet, very proud dog. Don't let this deceive you, there's an absolute goofball under that facade.
Despite their strong sense of survival, all of mine will at least try anything I ask of them. They crave connection with their people, they want you involved in their fun, and their joy is infectious. They are absolutely a Jack of all trades, master of none. Mine dabble in agility, rally, and scentwork. They enjoy it, but it is strictly a game to them, one that they might change the rules to at any given moment. A Xolo is unlikely to ever out-compete modern breeds in these performance venues (other than Fast CAT, which Xolos often love and clock highly in), but they're eager to dip their toes into a little bit of everything. Whatever you're doing, they want to do too (for better or for worse.) So if you say "hey let's go run this agility course together!" They tend to be game. But if you say "hey, let's run this same course a third time!" They tend to get bored and make up their own, new course. It's always a balancing act, they keep me on my toes, when it comes to sports and training.
When it comes to just living with them, I find the breed remarkably easy and pleasant to share a home with. Twenty minutes of play twice a day, either one longer training session or two short sessions, and they're content to settle and plunge, entertaining themselves or cuddling with me on the sofa. They bring me a sense of contentment and peace when I can sit on the couch while my Xolos surround me, no on top of me, but just against or near me, and they're napping or gnawing on bones while I watch TV or read. Then when I've the energy to get up and go for a hike, they're all game. Even for a very long hike over uneven terrain, the endurance of Xolos is phenomenal, but not to be confused with hyperactivity. Even my youngest is excellent at settling and relaxing.
Xolos are very easy to fall in love with, and while they're not perfect for everyone (no breed is), they fill your life with joy and laughter...so long as you can survive the adolescence, and are able to put the work in.
