Xoloitzcuintle

The Xoloitzcuintle, or Mexican hairless dog, is an ancient breed that has lived in Mexico since pre-Hispanic times. Its name comes from Nahuatl, combining Xólotl, a god associated with the underworld, and itzcuintli, meaning dog.

The Mexica and other peoples believed these dogs guided the souls of the dead to Mictlán, the underworld. Xolos appear in the paintings of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, who kept them as pets, and one stars as Dante in the film Coco.