Turnspit Dog vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison

Turnspit Dog is originated from United Kingdom but Mexican Hairless is originated from Mexico. Turnspit Dog may grow 28 cm / 11 inches shorter than Mexican Hairless. Turnspit Dog may weigh 8 kg / 17 pounds lesser than Mexican Hairless. Turnspit Dog may live 5 years less than Mexican Hairless. Both Turnspit Dog and Mexican Hairless has almost same litter size. Both Turnspit Dog and Mexican Hairless requires Low maintenance.

History

It is amazing that this small dog’s popularity comes from him being used in the kitchens to roast meat. The British enjoyed eating their meat which they roasted on a fire.

These dogs were essentially regarded as a tool – a means to an end, and when kitchens were modernized, they were no longer needed, and they became extinct.

Referred to as the kitchen dog or cooking dog, the first mention of these little dogs was made in 1576. By 1850 the dogs had become scarce and by 1900 it seemed as though there were none left.

mexican hairless - historyWho can believe that the origin of these dogs which hail from Mexico, goes back more than 3,500 years?

Known as the Xoloitzcuintli dog or Xolo for short, they comes in different sizes – toy-, miniature and standard which means there are different sizes. Both coated- and hairless dogs can be found in the same litter.

There was a time when the dog nearly became extinct buts its numbers have recovered. This is no doubt because there was a time when the natives ate the dog’s flesh.

Description

The Turnspit was a small long-bodied dog, standing at between 20 to 30cm in height and probably weighed anything between 9 and 14kg in height.

The legs were somewhat crooked or bandy and Edward Jesse, who wrote ‘Anecdote of Dogs’ in 1846 described them as ugly dogs with a miserable look to them. That was probably due to him having to fit into the hamster-like wheel contraption that turned the meat being roasted in the kitchens.

They were low-bodied dogs, similar to a Dachshund or a Corgi with short, stocky legs, short floppy ears, and a short coat. The long tail curled over its back. It is believed that the coats were white, reddish-brown, gray or black.

Temperament:

The dog was certainly feisty, energetic and hard-working with not much being written about his temperament. He was a working dog, but given the chance, he would no doubt have been loving and loyal, longing for the chance just to be part of a human family and to be loved.

mexican hairless puppy - descriptionThe Mexican Hairless is truly an ancient dog breed of the Americans. He stands at 35 – 58cm if he is the standard variety whereas the miniature will stand at up to 35cm. Weight can vary too, but with the standard variety, you're talking about 16 to 22kg.

It has faced times of nearly being extinct but it’s numbers have recovered, and the dog is often sought after for those who suffer with dog-hair allergies. You could say that this dog’s most notable characteristic is its lack of hair and the soft skin.

Some of them have small tufts of hair on the hair, mostly around the top of the head. The skin can be various shades of gray to bronze and a yellowish color too. His body is slightly longer than its height and he is slim and well muscled. The tail is long and thin and is sometimes carried high. You can expect 2 – 5 puppies from these dogs.

Temperament:

Anyone acquiring a Xolo will discover that this is an intelligent dog breed and that just like with other dogs, you’ll be able to have him trained and socialized easily. Then he is obedient and a pleasure to have around.

He is active too and will require games with balls and ropes as well as a daily walk. The Xoloitzcuintli is noted for its calm demeanor. The puppies are a lot noisier than the adults and very energetic and this continues till they are about 2 years of age when they are considered to be adult.

Well raised Xolos form strong bonds with their human family, becoming loyal and devoted.

Characteristics

The Turnspit dog had a tough life, but would no doubt have made a wonderful little pet had he just been allowed to be a companion dog.

When he was no longer needed, he was discarded.

Make sure that when you buy a dog, you don't just put him in your backyard and forget about him. Give him the love and care he deserves.

mexican hairless dog - characteristicsThe Xolo is one of those dogs who don’t get ill easily. He is also intelligent and fairly easy to train. Add to that the fact that he is also a low maintenance dog as he doesn’t have a coat that needs brushing and grooming.

Give your Xolo lots of attention because in exchange for the good care you give him, you’re going to get a loyal, devoted pet who loves to be with you constantly.

Health Problems

The health and lifespan of a dog is influenced by quite a few things such as food, care, love, exercise and the type of breed it is. Generally smaller dogs live longer than big dogs, and mixed breed dogs live longer than pure breeds.

The Turnspit dog, if he had received the proper care, could have lived to between 10 and 15 years of age.

Some of the health issues facing small dogs like these would include -

Hypoglycemia:

Stress can bring on a sudden drop in blood sugar. The Turnspit had reason to be stressed, working hard in horrible conditions. Dogs become weak and lethargic and can scarcely maintain an even gait. A sudden drop in blood sugar can cause a small dog to go into a fatal coma.

Pancreatitis:

This ailment seems to occur more often with smaller dogs. The pancreas becomes inflamed and your dog has vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and dehydration. Pancreatitis can come about because of trauma, metabolic disorders or infection.

mexican hairless puppies - health problemsThe Xoloitzcuintli is a hardy dog in terms of health and can live to a ripe old age in dog years – some have been known to reach 18, 19 and 20 years of age. Without a coat, this dog is susceptible to sunburn so care must be taken when outdoors.

Hairless dogs tend to battle with skin problems such as pimples. Skin allergies can cause itching and scratching and these can lead to bacterial infections. It is interesting to note that the genes that bring about hairlessness also produce troublesome teeth, so that dental disease is quite rife with these dogs.

Caring The Pet

A dog is man's best friend, but the Turnspit was essentially just a working dog and most likely didn’t receive the proper care he deserved.

Small dogs like these would have had basic needs. Their owners would have had to pay attention to the dog's health, because he needed to work.

We look at ways in which a small dog like the Turnspit should have been cared for -

Diet:

One wonders if the Turnspit was allowed to eat any of the roast meat he worked so hard on to get ready. Every dog should have a regular meal.

Most adult dogs should be fed 2 meals of kibble a day. If the Turnspit wasn’t extinct he would have required a high quality ‘small dog breed’ commercial dog food. Home-made food would also be a requirement – some boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables. Dogs want and appreciate simple, wholesome foods that won’t upset their digestive systems.

Along with good food, dogs need cool, fresh water constantly available to stay healthy.

Provide your dog with a warm dry, quiet, comfortable place to sleep.

Make sure he gets to the veterinarian if he is sick, but also for his vaccines to prevent him from getting some of the worst dog diseases there are.

Spay or neuter your dog if you don’t intend to breed your dog,

Groom your small dog regularly. The Turnspit had a shortish coat and would have required a brush twice a week. Other grooming procedures for a small dog like the Turnspit would have been keeping his nails trimmed and checking the inside of his ears and his mouth for ear infections and dental disease.

Exercise for a small dog is important – walks and ball games.

mexican hairless dogs - caringYou’ve got to remember with this dog breed that he doesn’t have a coat so he can burn easily when out in the sun. If you know you’ll be in the sun for long, you’ll have to apply special sunscreen.

You can wipe down your Xolo or bath him from time to time, though not to often so as to strip the natural oils from the dog’s body. The nails will need to be trimmed regularly, as long nails can be a danger as they can hook on things and cause pain and bleeding.

Provide your hairless pet with a nice, soft bed to lie on.

Take him to the vet when he appears to be ill and see that you get his vaccinations done to prevent deadly illnesses such as rabies and parvo.

Check his eyes and ears for infections.

Brush his teeth to remove plaque. Never use human toothpaste. Take a look at the different canine toothpastes available.

Never leave your pet in a hot car with no windows open.

Provide your Xoloitzcuintli dog with high quality dog food so as to enhance health and longevity. Keep food simple for your pet to avoid digestive problems. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and cooked potato, carrots and spinach can be chopped up and added to his dry kibble from time to time. Also a little bit of raw meat added in occasionally can also be excellent. Avoid feeding your pet foods such as onions, avocados, nuts, chocolate, coffee and raisins.

Make sure this dog has access to cool, fresh water night and day.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Non sporting dog
Origin:
United Kingdom
Mexico
Height Male:
20 - 30 cm
7 - 12 inches
35 - 58 cm
13 - 23 inches
Height Female:
20 - 30 cm
7 - 12 inches
35 - 58 cm
13 - 23 inches
Weight Male:
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
16 - 22 kg
35 - 49 pounds
Weight Female:
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
16 - 22 kg
35 - 49 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 15 Years
12 - 20 Years
Litter Size:
1 - 4
2 - 5
Size:
Small dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Vernepator cur, kitchen dog
Xolo, Mexico Xolo
Colors Available:
White, gray or black., reddish-brown
bronze or tan, Shades of Grey
Coat:
Shortish
Hairless
Shedding:
Minimal
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Low maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
Yes
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Turnspit Dog vs Indian Spitz - Breed Comparison
  2. Turnspit Dog vs Irish Jack Russell - Breed Comparison
  3. Turnspit Dog vs Lancashire Heeler - Breed Comparison
  4. Turnspit Dog vs Miniature Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  5. Turnspit Dog vs Danish Swedish Farmdog - Breed Comparison
  6. Turnspit Dog vs Telomian - Breed Comparison
  7. Turnspit Dog vs Pomeranian - Breed Comparison
  8. Turnspit Dog vs Maltese - Breed Comparison
  9. Turnspit Dog vs Pug - Breed Comparison
  10. Turnspit Dog vs Boston Terrier - Breed Comparison
  11. Turnspit Dog vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  12. Turnspit Dog vs Maltipoo - Breed Comparison
  13. Turnspit Dog vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  14. Turnspit Dog vs Bichon Frise - Breed Comparison
  15. Turnspit Dog vs Dachshund - Breed Comparison
  16. Turnspit Dog vs Jack Russell Terrier - Breed Comparison
  17. Turnspit Dog vs Cockapoo - Breed Comparison
  18. Turnspit Dog vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  19. Turnspit Dog vs Cavapoo - Breed Comparison
  20. Turnspit Dog vs Corgi - Breed Comparison
  21. Turnspit Dog vs Miniature Schnauzer - Breed Comparison
  22. Turnspit Dog vs Cavachon - Breed Comparison
  23. Turnspit Dog vs Mal-Shi - Breed Comparison
  24. Turnspit Dog vs American Eskimo Dog - Breed Comparison
  25. Turnspit Dog vs Papillon - Breed Comparison
  26. Mexican Hairless vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Mexican Hairless vs Chow Chow - Breed Comparison
  28. Mexican Hairless vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  29. Mexican Hairless vs Dalmatian - Breed Comparison
  30. Mexican Hairless vs Chinese Shar Pei - Breed Comparison
  31. Mexican Hairless vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  32. Mexican Hairless vs Australian Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  33. Tibetan Terrier vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  34. Standard Poodle vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  35. Norwegian Lundehund vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  36. Pembroke Welsh Corgi vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  37. Pomsky vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  38. Sakhalin Husky vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  39. Other vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  40. Olde English Bulldogge vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  41. Old English Bulldog vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  42. Schnauzer vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  43. Puggle vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  44. Schnoodle vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  45. Pharaoh Hound vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  46. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  47. Redbone Coonhound vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  48. Norwegian Elkhound vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  49. Portuguese Water Dog vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison
  50. Puli vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds