Treeing Walker Coonhound vs Mexican Hairless - Breed Comparison

Who 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.

The Treeing Walker Coonhound originated in the United States and comes from English and American Foxhounds.

The fact that the dog has the word ‘Treeing’ in its names means that it is a hound dog that runs after its prey, sending it running up a tree to escape until the hunter reaches the tree and can shoot the prey.

The dog was originally classified as an English Coonhound.

The 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.

The Treeing Walker Coonhound looks very similar to a Beagle, just with much longer legs.

He stands at between 51 and 69cm in height both male and female and it weighs between 23 and 32kg.

The coat is short and glossy being either bi- or tri-colored – white, tan and black. The body and legs are strong and muscular. He has fairly long, floppy ears. The eyes are brown, intelligent and alert while having quite a gentle expression.

The muzzle is long and narrow. He has large, floppy pendant ears. The eyes are large, brown and have a soft and gentle expression. The tail is set high and is long.

Temperament:

This breed may be an excellent sport dog but he loves spending time quietly with his human family too, making a great family pet.

He is gentle and makes a great playmate for disciplined children. He is intelligent and it will do both owner and dog the world of good to have him trained and socialized.

They’re stubborn dogs, so it simply makes him well behaved, balanced and a pleasure to have around. He will learn commands easily and readily. If you want a good family pet, the Treeing Walker Coonhound is even-tempered and non-aggressive.

The 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.

These dogs are loving, loyal confident, social and intelligent, making good companion dogs.

Whether they're outdoors being full of energy and on a hunt, they always give of their best. When they're at home with their human family, they put work behind them and become gentle, mellow pets, loving to just take it easy with their human family.

The 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.

The Treeing Walker Coonhound is looked upon as a healthy dog breed that can be 10 – 13 years of age. Even so, there are diseases that can plague him, and hip dysplasia and ear infections are two that you need to be aware of.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is when the ball and socket joint isn't formed properly so that there is a grinding action of the joint instead of it sliding smoothly. This common skeletal disease is found in young and old dogs, and it seems more prevalent in larger dog breeds.

Your dog will have pain in the hip joints and even loss of muscle mass in the thigh area. You’ll notice that he becomes less active. Your dog will need to get to the vet so that the vet can suggest treatment for pain and to make him more comfortable.

Ear Infection:

As a floppy-eared dog, the Treeing Walker Coonhound will scratch at his ears and shake his head if he has an ear infection. With an ear infection inflammation affects the ear canal and can result in deafness. With his floppy ears moisture within the ear can attract bacteria and yeast.

Your pet will need to get to the vet because an ear infection is a painful condition.

You’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.

● A healthy diet with vitamins and minerals as well as essential fatty acids is imperative. To get this in a commercially manufactured dog food, you will need to buy the best, high-quality ones. Some of the inferior brands have all kinds of bad stuff in them such as colorants preservatives and fillers.

Try and give him some homemade food such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables. Dogs want simplicity in their foods. They can't stomach highly spiced, salted and exotic foods. Plain, wholesome foods keep him healthy and happy.

● It is recommended that you have your dog spayed or neutered. Not only will you prevent an unwanted litter, having them spayed or neutered prevents serious diseases later on. Also, have

your Treeing Walker Coonhound immunized to prevent some of the deadly canine diseases there are.

●These dogs are active, sporty dogs known for their stamina. To keep them lean, athletic and fit, they will require lots of exercise. They love a walk but will require more than a regular walk. Hikes are more what they have in mind. They never tire of hectic ball games, hide and seek and swimming. Because they are active, alert and intelligent dogs, they will need mental stimulation too.

● Your Treeing Walker Coonhound isn't a high maintenance dog because their short coat is easy to keep groomed just by giving him a good brush once or twice a week.

Make the grooming session a time to check him over for ticks and fleas and any unusual lumps on his body. It's a time to look at his eyes to make sure they're clear and bright without any discharge. Check inside his ears for redness and infection.

Trim his nails too. Remember he can't tell you about his teeth, so try and look inside his mouth to see that all is well. A good sign of bad teeth is bad breath. There are professional groomers who are willing to do all these grooming chores for you.