Peruvian hairless dog breed, Peruvian Inca Orchid, PIO, Perro sin pelo del Peru.

The Peruvian hairless dog breed is known as the Peruvian Inca Orchid ("PIO") in English; "Perro sin pelo del Peru" in Spanish; "Mexican Hairless" in Mexico; "khala" in Bolivian Quechua meaning 'without clothing'; and "caa allepo" in Peruvian Quechua meaning "without vestment." Only recently did the American Khala Association adopt a standard for this hairless hound which is indigenous to Latin America from Mexico throughout Central and South America. Its body is furless, gray and wrinkled. A sharp red tongue hangs from its long and pointy snout. Atop its head stands a scant clump of hair, Mohawk-style. Humans probably brought this canine to the Americas 2,000 to 3,000 years ago during the migration from Asia across the Bering Strait. Ceramics from pre-Incan cultures show these dogs growling, giving birth, suckling, and copulating. The Inca and other pre-Columbian cultures highly valued this breed, which is now surging in popularity in the United States and Europe, but ironically declining in status in Peru. Photographed at Aguas Calientes village, "Machupicchu Town," at the foot of Machu Picchu, Peru, South America.

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Filename: 03PER-20-34-Andean-dog.jpg
Copyright: © Tom Dempsey / PhotoSeek.com
Image Size: 2000x2238 / 1.0MB; http://www.photoseek.com/; Animalia Peru South America animal weird Andes animal
Contained in galleries: PERU: Machu Picchu, Inca Trail trek

The Peruvian hairless dog breed is known as the Peruvian Inca Orchid ("PIO") in English; "Perro sin pelo del Peru" in Spanish; "Mexican Hairless" in Mexico; "khala" in Bolivian Quechua meaning 'without clothing'; and "caa allepo" in Peruvian Quechua meaning "without vestment." Only recently did the American Khala Association adopt a standard for this hairless hound which is indigenous to Latin America from Mexico throughout Central and South America. Its body is furless, gray and wrinkled. A sharp red tongue hangs from its long and pointy snout. Atop its head stands a scant clump of hair, Mohawk-style. Humans probably brought this canine to the Americas 2,000 to 3,000 years ago during the migration from Asia across the Bering Strait. Ceramics from pre-Incan cultures show these dogs growling, giving birth, suckling, and copulating. The Inca and other pre-Columbian cultures highly valued this breed, which is now surging in popularity in the United States and Europe, but ironically declining in status in Peru. Photographed at Aguas Calientes village, "Machupicchu Town," at the foot of Machu Picchu, Peru, South America.