Intelligent, alert, loyal and friendly dogs that make good pets. Also are very good climbers. Naturally protective of its owner and can be aloof with strangers. This breed is easy to house train but benefits from a strong owner becoming its "pack leader". Likes to stay close to its owner and therefore at low risk for running away.

The Xoloitzcuintli, or Xolo (pronounced “SHOH-lo”) for short, is a breed from Mexico which is thought to have been in the Americas for over 3000 years. The name comes from the Aztec god "Xolotl" and the Aztec name for dog, "Itzcuintli". This may be one of the reasons the dog was historically thought to have magical powers ranging from healing the sick to warding off evil spirits. Although alternatively known as the Mexican Hairless Dog, a short-coated haired variety exists. Previously being one of the first breeds registered by the American Kennel Club as the Mexican Hairless Dog, the breed lost popularity in the late 1950s and was unlisted by the AKC, though it has more recently gained popularity and was recognized by the AKC in 2011.