Frequently Asked Questions

A hairless dog always attracts attention, where ever we travel with the dogs, positive attention and negative attention, but foremost the attention is positive. A hairless dog is so exotic, that not everybody realizes it immediately. A lot have noticed it once they pet the dog. A peruvian hairless dog has a "normal" dog structure, so it doesn't attract any attention by having an odd shape. During the years we have heard all kinds of questions and comments about the breed, and here we have collected the most common questions with answers.

How does a hairless dog survive in the Finnish weather? Does it need clothes?

Yes, a hairless dog will need clothes in the winter. The ability to withstand cold is different from one dog to another, some even like it a little colder (like our Minttu). During the coldest days of winter, we put on a coat, a hat and "shoes" on the dogs when we go out. The dogs are used to this, and dressing them is not a hassle. The clothes need to be soft on the inside so they will not irritate the skin.

Peruvian hairless dog is a primitive dog and the breed standard mentions a reservation to strangers. How is this in reality?

Having reservations and being shy are often mixed together. A peruvian will at first be reserved towards stranges, but after it assesses the situation and gets to know the stranges, it will easily come to be petted and hugged. There are some shy peruvians as well, as in any other breed, but even a shy dog should never be aggressive towards people. A shy dog just avoids people.

How rare is this breed in Finland? What about the rest of the world?

There are a total of over 300 registered peruvians, when counting all the sizes together. The total number is impossible to count. This is not an extremely rare breed, there are many peruvians in Europe, for example in France, Germany, Hollad, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden.

Hairlessnes goes with missing teeth. How does this affect the lives of the dogs?

In our experience: it doesn't. The dogs eat bones and dry kibble without any problems. The dogs have molars, even if it would be missing a lot of other teeth.

Are there coated peruvians as well, just as in chinese crested dogs?

Yes, the gene that causes hairlessnes is the same as with the chinese crested dogs. Usually each litter has its share of coated puppies.

Has the dog been shaved as it has just a small tuft of hair on the head? Or is it natural?

Our dogs are not shaved. Peruvians should not be shaved and they should be let have their natural amount of hair. Sometimes peruvians have, especially on the head, oddly shaped tufts of hair, like our Taru's funky hairdo.

Where can I get more information about this breed?

In Finland, an association called Perun- ja Meksikonkarvattomat provides information etc for people interested in the breed. Most countries that have peruvian hairless dogs have an association, so if you're outside of Finland, check our links page and see if your country is there. You can also contact us with any futher questions, we'll help as much as we can.