The Coated Dog: Why this misunderstood and forgotten variant is key to the survival of the Peruvian Hairless Dog?

France is the first country in history to officially recognise the Coated Peruvian Hairless Dog!

Prejudice or bad precedent? What’s certain is that, after centuries of existence, the Peruvian Hairless Dog variant with coat is still considered by many as a “chusco” dog (mutt), or a genetic failure resulting from the crossbreeding of dogs without hair and dogs with coat. However, thanks to the committed work of an important few, light is being shed on the fact that this idea is not only absolutely wrong, but also harmful to the Hairless breed itself. Thus, stigma and discrimination are finally giving way to acceptance as this variant is being welcome in certain foreign countries, not only as an official breed in its own right, but also as one of great popularity in foreign homes.

2 or 3 dogs per litter that, unfortunately, in all probability would be sacrificed by the breeder at birth.

The Coated Peruvian Hairless Dog  was considered the embarrassment of the Hairless family, the weird uncle that must be hidden down in the basement at all cost. Meaning that the chances of finding a family that would want a Coated Hairless Dog were close to nil. Nonetheless, the average percentage of the Hairless Dog population born with hair is around 25%—that is, a probability of 2 or 3 coated dogs  in a litter of 6 to 8. These were 2 or 3 dogs per litter that, unfortunately, in all probability would be sacrificed by the breeder at birth.

Ella’Chakana de Kalidor (ejemplar hembra: Perro sin Pelo del Perú – variedad con pelo) de Estelle Anthoni Koch – Francia – appp-adpp ©2018

At the beginning of the 2000s, while I was participating in a canine championship, I asked a breeder the question: “What do you do when you have a coated dog in the litter?”

She replied: “If you have a coated one you eliminate it or you shoot yourself!”

This event aroused my interest and I immediately wanted to deepen my knowledge of this variant of the millenary Hairless breed to understand the incoherence of nature that produces—as genetic “failures”—individuals born almost exceptionally without a feature that, from another point of view, is in itself a genetic “flaw”: the lack of hair. My intention then was to find ways to avoid the hard-won prestige the Hairless Dog breed was finally beginning to obtain from being spoiled due to the existence of some specimens that did not fit within the accepted canons. In other words, the intention was to avoid having our Hairless Dog placed in the “Uncertain Breeds” bin (where breeds prone to genetic “flaws” go) just because of some coated individuals that were being born. What I would find, however, was much more dramatic and completely changed my perspective of the Hairless Dog and its variant with Coat.

To understand the coated variant, I said to myself, I have to first understand why dogs without hair exist. Thus, I entered little by little into a world of history, geography and genetics that brought me face to face with the direct “culprit”: the “FOXI3” gene. In turn, this brought me the most indisputable evidence in the case in favor of the coated Hairless Dogs.

It is better to cross a dog that was born without hair with another that was born with coat under certain criteria. [See Annex I for the breed standard – FCI].

Ejemplares Perro sin Pelo del Perú – variedad sin pelo y con pelo de Estelle Anthoni Koch (criadero de Korrantoh, Francia) – appp-adpp ©2018.

Biologist Víctor F. Vásquez Sánchez explains that the FOXI3 “is a gene that is present in several mammals and [that], in the case of the Peruvian Hairless Dog, manifests itself as a disease that causes hair loss and changes in its dentures.” He also explains that there are two variants of the same gene: one dominant, H, responsible for the lack of hair, and one recessive, h, not mutated, i.e. responsible for the fur. The gene exists always in pairs and, when the dominant variant is present in one of the copies, Hh, it will always be physically evident in the dog: the dog will be born without hair. On the other hand, if it so happens that both copies of the gene are recessive, hh, the dog will be born coated. And that both these possibilities occur in the same litter, i.e. that some individuals are Hh and others hh, is absolutely natural and inevitable. Which leads us to our first finding: that the Coated Hairless Dog is natural and inevitable.

But Vásquez Sánchez continues explaining something that is especially important for the future of the Hairless breed: he tells us that when two copies of the dominant variant, HH, are found in a dog, the FOXI3 gene becomes lethal, causing the death of the embryo. Which is exactly what “you want to avoid to preserve the breed,” he tells us. This means that for the survival of the animal it is necessary to ensure that the HH combination does not occur and this is achieved, says Vásquez Sánchez, by avoiding “crossing the Hairless Dog in a consanguineous and indiscriminate way: you must always cross it with other specimens,” as well as crossing a dog without hair with one of the same breed with coat, thus effectively eliminating the possibility that the hairless variant, H, of the FOXI3 gene is duplicated, causing the death of the embryo. (Vásquez Sánchez, Víctor F., FOXI3 —Biologist, MSc in Plant Biotechnology and full doctoral studies in Cell Genetics and Biology at the Autonomous University of Madrid – ARQUEOBIOS.)

Thus, I obtained not only the reason behind the lack of hair in this millenary breed, but also evidence of the importance of its coated variant in ensuring the survival of the breed itself. It was now clear to me that any attempt to get rid of the variant with coat would only put the Peruvian Hairless Dog on a direct path toward extinction. [See Annex II for more information regarding this finding.]

Luckily, shortly after beginning my research, the world began to change its the negative regard of Coated Hairless Dogs, too.

Magenta Sweety Punk, a female dog of the coated variant, becomes a World Champion!

World Dog Show – Milano 2015: Magenta Sweety Punk (ejemplar hembra de raza Perro sin Pelo del Perú – variedad con pelo – 1er ejemplar con pelo en la historia Vencedor de un campeonato mundial de la FCI) y Anja Čondrič de Croacia – appp-adpp ©2018.

In 1996, after several written requests, the Club de Chihuahua et chiens exotiques (CCCE), chaired by Mr. Goran Brick, received a favorable ruling from the French Société Centrale Canine (SCC) to schedule on the agenda of the next meeting of the Zootechnical Commission the discussion on the use of the Hairless Dog variant with hair in the breeding plan. (Club Français du Chihuahua, du Coton de Tuléar et des Exotiques – afilié à la Société Centrale Canine – agrée par le Ministére de l’Agriculture.)

Finally, the variant with hair was approved by the SCC on July 9, 2008, which marked a second triumph of the Peruvian Hairless Dog breed—the first having been its admission as an official breed thirteen years before.

This was only the beginning. The French breeders would not be satisfied with a national acceptance because for this variant to be recognised worldwide it had to have the approval of Peru, its country of origin. Nonetheless, according to European breeders, this variant was not officially recognised in Peru; only the specimen without hair was recognised, thus not taking into account the aforementioned genetic requirements.

Estelle Anthoni Koch, French breeder of Peruvian Hairless Dogs, explains to us the difficulties French breeders (first to demand the recognition of the Coated Hairless Dog) have faced and are still facing: “We have struggled for the coated ones to be recognised because, at first, nobody wanted to register them in the national pedigree like any other dog. Finally, France managed to be the first country to accept the registration of coated dogs; although, at first, we were still not allowed to present them in exhibitions. So a new struggle began to that end. In spite of this, [the Coated Hairless Dog] is still not well-represented because we see them very little in exhibitions. Even in terms of reproduction we don’t frequently keep them because a Peruvian Hairless Dog is, by definition, naked—we therefore don’t want to have many coated ones. I actually think it’s because we’re afraid our kennel will fill up with them. I admit that essentially it’s the naked variant we like best!”

At the same time, we must not forget that other European countries—Germany and Sweden, among them—also ventured into the recognition of the Coated Hairless variant in their breeding programs.

In 2010, Choopetta de Luna Capreza obtained the title of French Champion, thus becoming the first Coated Peruvian Hairless Dog in history to obtain such an award. This recognition placed France as a leading country in the recovery and protection of this millenary Peruvian race and Choopetta herself as a precursor of the variant with coat in said country, and the world.

Finally, in 2013 this variant was recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, giving way to the opening up of the Peruvian Hairless Dog pedigree to its new variant with Coat. Five years of struggle by French and European breeders so that their coated dogs could enter the official breeding programs finally paid off. Now the dream came true! (https://elcomercio.pe/lima/conoce-variedad-perros-peruanos-pelo-252165).

World Dog Show – Milano 2015: Lidija von Richet (Croacia), Roberto Velez Pico (juez canino de Puerto Rico – FCI) y Anja Čondrič (Croacia) con Nuevo Callao Pazzda y Magenta Sweety Punk (ejemplares macho y hembra de raza Perro sin Pelo del Perú – variedad sin pelo y con pelo (canes de República Checa y Croacia) – appp-adpp ©2018.

Thus, in 2015, for the first time in the history of the cynological world, Magenta Sweety Punk, a female Hairless Dog of the variant with coat, became a World Champion (World Winner)! In the true and surprising fashion in which this Peruvian millenary dog has today become an official citizen of the world, Magenta hails from a Belgian kennel and is owned by a Croatian.

 

 

Lidija Klemencic (Croacia) y Vita (Gruffalina’s Partner in Crime with WW – Ejemplar hembra de raza Perro sin pelo del Perú con pelo). Photo by Maurico Alvarez – appp-adpp ©2018

This victory is yet another motivation for European and Peruvian breeders and, in general, all who is interested in upholding the value of the Peruvian Hairless Dog in all its variants. But we must not forget the road that led to it. From the outside it is easy to dismiss the trials and tribulations of the Coated Peruvian Hairless Dog as eccentricities of a very specific group of people or, at best, evidence of how the world works: rejecting, segregating, only gradually evolving towards tolerance and acceptance. But behind these figures and statistics there are individuals affected by them over the many years before this struggle came to fruition: like all the coated dogs that were eliminated because they were different, and the breeders that were forced to abandon their activities as they became targets of criticism and defamation from those sectors that are reluctant to change.

ANNEX I: SCIENTIFIC FACTS

Can de variedad con pelo de padres sin pelo con incisivos muy deteriorados por la edad (FCI: En la variedad con pelo la dentición debe ser completa con dientes de desarrollo y posición normal (no debe faltar más de una pieza dental en la variedad con pelo). Foto : Arql. Teresa Rosales Tham, Perú.

The Peruvian Hairless Dog, Chinese Crested Dog and Mexican breeds are characterised by their scarce or absent fur, as well as their missing or deformed permanent dentures (5, 10). The journal Nature talks about the structure of the mandibular and maxillary premolars and the permanent molars associated with the FOXI3 gene in a historical pedigree collection of skeletons of Hairless Dogs with and without hair. This unique sample dating from the beginning of the 20th century onward is derived from a breeding experiment by Ludwig Plate (German zoologist and disciple of Ernst Haeckel in Jena) originally conceived to study the inheritance of both hair and skin characteristics. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-05764-5.pdf)

Ludwig Plate wrote a work on Darwinism called “Thorough and Extensive Defence”. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Hermann_Plate)

FCI-STANDARD N° 310 – PERRO SIN PELO DEL PERU (PERUVIAN HAIRLESS DOG)

http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/310g05-en.pdf

ANNEX II: REMINDER OF THE FUNDAMENTAL FACTS (CCCE – France):

(Club Français du Chihuahua, du Coton de Tuléar et des Exotiques – afilié à la Société Centrale Canine – agree par le Ministére de l’Agriculture.)

The variant with hair is not the result of a genetic defect and excluding it from reproduction will not prevent the future and sustained birth of coated specimens.

If we accept the notion of the lethality of the FOXI3 gene (the “hairless” gene) when it is duplicated in the individual, we must also accept the result that all living specimens without hair have two different genes: one “hairless” and one “with hair”, being the “hairless” gene the dominant one and, therefore, the one that physically manifests itself in the individual. Thus, the mating of two naked specimens statistically produces 25% of coated dogs in the litter because each parent has a gene “with hair” to offer. The fundamental fact is that no eradication program can end this: necessarily and naturally there will be coated individuals.

Therefore, the variant with hair is not the result of a genetic defect and excluding it from reproduction will not prevent the future and sustained birth of coated specimens.

The elimination of the coated ones represents a loss of their genetic heritage. This sustained loss of genetic capital is catastrophic if we consider that this is an extremely rare breed.

Statistically, the mating of two Hairless Dog specimens results in:

  • 1/4 or 25% of viable specimens from two genes with hair”: these dogs are born with In France, in general, they were sacrificed, which represents a loss of their genetic heritage and, in addition, a contradiction to the position of the Commission of Animal Husbandry, which defends a genetic variability as great as possible in the breed. This sustained loss of genetic capital is catastrophic if we consider that this is an extremely rare breed.
  • 1/4 or 25% of nonviable specimens from two “hairless” genes: these dogs die in their embryonic state.
  • 2/4 or 50% of viable specimens from one “hairless” gene and one gene with hair”: these dogs are born without hair.

In reality, and due to the mortality of the specimens produced from two “hairless” genes, always at least 1/3 or 33% of the viable dogs are coated specimens.

In France, measures taken in favor of the inclusion of the variant with hair have been destined to help the breeding of the Peruvian Hairless Dog by:

  • An increase in the number of breeders,
  • Maintaining sufficient genetic variety, and
  • The reduction of prenatal and postnatal mortality due to a decrease in the breeding between two hairless subjects.

Finally, it should be noted that in most countries governed by the FCI this non-recognition prevented the variant with hair from being presented in exhibitions but did not exclude it in any way from the breeding plan. This practice evidently already represented a great advance in the breeding of the Hairless breed in Europe.

Thanks to:

Mr. Daniel Arnoult, current President of the Club CCCE (Club de Chihuahua et chiens exotiques).

Biol. Víctor Félix Vásquez Sánchez – Specialist in Bioarchaeology, Cell Biology and Genetics – Honorary Professor of the Department of Biology of the Autonomous University of Madrid. Director of ARQUEOBIOS.

France is the first country in history to officially recognise the Coated Peruvian Hairless Dog! Prejudice or bad precedent? What’s certain is that, after centuries of existence, the Peruvian Hairless Dog variant with coat is still considered by many as a “chusco” dog (mutt), or a genetic failure resulting from the crossbreeding of dogs without …

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“The Peruvian Hairless Dog”: “The Mother Earth Tour” – Túcume

Túcume:

Few places inspire belonging in me. This is one of them. It’s as if you walked for hours before finding a place that brings you tranquility and good vibes; you want to remain there, as in an oasis that offers solace.

Túcume – Lambayeque (appp-adpp ©2018/ Art design by Alessandro Pucci)

I traveled to the North of Peru for the first time in the 70s. I was very young back then. When you’re young you always feel like you’re off to discover the Egypt of the old travelers and chroniclers, the Egypt of Lord Carnarvon and the discovery of King Tut, so the experiences you live and the things you see mark you in a more permanent way. I’ve had the opportunity to come back to this region several times in my life without really being able to explain why.

Casually, in Túcume one day, I ask myself this very thing; I say: What attracts me so much to this place? Perhaps it’s that feeling of belonging. Or maybe it’s due to those indelible experiences I carry with me from my youth. Or it could be because, in a certain way, the North of Peru is a place very much like the Egypt of the 19th Century and early 20th: with its pre-Hispanic temples, its mummies, and its sandy dunes riddled with objects of the past.

Then, the moment of introspection ends and I return to reality: we’re in Peru, not Egypt… here there’s still so much to be done! And that young adventure-seeker of the 70s out to discover the world comes back to me, that feeling of potential and possibility, but matured, changed into that of a man with experience who can now transform wish into concrete actions and obtain results.

Thus we arrive at that which we’ve lovingly baptized “The Mother Earth Tour”.

“The Mother Earth Tour”:

To wonder the world today isn’t—as it was in the early 20th Century and before—only the desire of a young adventurer who roams until he has to return home because his last penny saved has run out and because he has duties—both self-imposed and imposed by society—he must fulfill. Today, we travel for work, economy and climate, too. The practice of moving almost effortlessly from one place to another has allowed us to turn traveling into something common and unimportant. Nonetheless, this doesn’t preclude the possibility of making something useful out of the values and cultural baggage we take with us.

In my capacity as a promoter of my country’s cultural values and, in particular, a promoter of the Peruvian Hairless Dog, I learned of the existence of the Peruvian Hairless Dog Cemetery of the Túcume on-site museum. I therefore decided to take advantage of this place to bring the ashes of two of my beloved dogs who died in 2012, Pau and Kiki, so that they may permanently rest there. In doing this, I joined the cause of the architect of this brilliant initiative that seeks to revalue this dog in Peruvian society.

Bernarda Delgado Elías (Directora del Museo de sitio de Túcume) y Celeste (mascota Perro sin Pelo del Perú).

I’m talking about the archaeologist Bernarda Delgado Elías, director of the aforementioned museum,  and a woman of great sensibility toward the national heritage, animals and, in particular, the Peruvian Hairless Dog.

I had the opportunity of visiting the place a couple of times and I immediately felt—as I’ve always felt about Túcume in general—that this cemetery is a place of tranquility and good vibes, of well-deserved rest for our adored Peruvian Hairless Dog. I said to myself that this was the ideal dwelling for my Pau and Kiki and, indeed, for all Peruvian Hairless Dogs that have touched the lives of their humans.

Encounter with Bernarda Delgado Elías (Director of the Túcume On-site Museum) at the Peruvian Hairless Dog Cemetery:

Bernarda Delgado Elías (Directora del Museo de sitio de Túcume) y Waro (mascota Perro sin Pelo del Perú – 1990).

 “It all started in 1997,” says Bernarda, “with Chisca Primera, Chilalo and Pucky. They were brought to me as puppies in a potato sack but I could only buy two of them. So I called my sister, who bought Pucky. That way I wouldn’t be sad to think of what would become of Pucky.”.

Holding back the tears, she explains it to me with that great emotion that reveals a true and deep sensibility for the subject. Speaking with her is like a return to the past: her love and veneration for Peruvian Dogs makes me relive the customs of our ancestors as something that is still transmitted through time from generation to generation.

I say to myself that it’s a very natural feeling in Bernarda’s case, for she is from Lambayeque, born and raised in the city of Monsefú, festive town of farmers and artisans known as the “city of flowers”. In her childhood she and her family were surrounded by beloved pets: she tells us about her parents’ first Hairless Dog, called Nat King Cole (after the famous jazz singer), and Waro, another Hairless pup, that she had when she was very young. Currently, one of her great companions is Celeste, a little Hairless Dog with blue eyes (an eye color quite unique for this dog breed). Beside Celeste, she also has Manchas and Ñamla (after the “bird of the sea” god of the legend of Lambayeque)—both, Hairless Dogs born to Celeste.

Her love for her dogs has also had her face rather sad times. But thanks to her strength of spirit she keeps on going, raising new dogs, actively contributing to the preservation of this breed in Lambayeque Bernarda says: “I adore them because they’re playful and energetic little dogs, and very affectionate.”

Cementerio de los Perros Peruanos sin Pelo de Túcume – Mausoleo de Chisca Primera (appp-adpp ©2018/ Art design by Alessandro Pucci)

Her bond with her pets is admirable. Not only because she adopts them with open hands and brings them to live with her, but also because she has provided them with a special place to rest after their deaths. “Chilalo died young,” she tells me, “and we buried him here. But there was no cemetery back then. Chisca Primera was a very good little dog. She had 4 litters of puppies. She was the one who inspired me to build this cemetery for Peruvian Hairless Dogs. They’ll be our guardian angels for the rest of our lives.”

Without a doubt, Túcume has a wealth of folklore that is a source of inspiration for artists. The appreciation for the deceased is reflected in the chapels and little roadside chapels designed by their own inhabitants. Bernarda, as a good Lambayecan, has designed the chapels for her dogs. She tells us: “Every dog that’s buried in this cemetery has been much loved.

Cementerio de los Perros Peruanos sin Pelo de Túcume – Mausoleo de Calac (Photo: Consuelo Salas Valladolid – Presidenta de la Asociación Mosaico Cultural / appp-adpp ©2018/ Art design by Alessandro Pucci)

Calac was born of Chisca Primera’s last litter. He was one of the bigger dogs and he looked the least like the rest. He was noble and detached. He adopted Samín, who was more territorial.”

Richie, who accompanied Bernarda for 15 years, had a very close bond with her. Bernarda consecrated a very special epitaph for him:

Cementerio de los Perros Peruanos sin Pelo de Túcume – Mausoleo de Richie (appp-adpp ©2018)

 

“My Richie, so loved, sweet, tender and so obedient…
15 years with me, and now you will certainly accompany me from wherever you are, my dear old dog. Rest in peace, my faithful and only friend…”

It’s clear that her relationship with her little dogs has been very close

She, and the rest of the Museum staff, collect some money among themselves in order to feed and vaccinate the dogs, as well care for them, because the Museum itself has no budget for that. This way alone can they keep them healthy and happy in life. Some staff members also help in the building of the mausoleums. Bernarda says: “They’re multi-skilled people; some of the models are even products of their own inspiration. The materials we use are adobe, canes and carob branches. Now, with the climate changes, we reinforce the bases with some cement and the roofs with tiles. The pain is special, and it undergoes maintenance. Because the cemetery is located in a rural environment I wanted it to have a strong presence.”

Cementerio de los Perros Peruanos sin Pelo de Túcume – Mausoleo de Chisca Segunda (appp-adpp ©2018)

And a strong presence is exactly what it has. The colors used for the mausoleums are typical of the region and we find them in the artifacts and objects used by the pre-Hispanic cultures that inhabited that place. They’re tones of ocher (red and yellow), turquoise, emerald, malachite, lapis lazuli, etc. In addition, each mausoleum is decorated with beautiful flowers that are white with different shades of pink, called “Chavelita” (Catharanthus roseus). Lastly, each one has a framed portrait of the little dog that is buried inside. Each little dog has his epitaph and his description, which highlight his virtues and talents. In this way, they’ll always be present in both Bernarda’s and the staff’s daily life.

Cementerio de los Perros Peruanos sin Pelo de Túcume (appp-adpp ©2018)

When she tells me about each mausoleum I feel as if I’m listening to the tale depicted in the funeral ceremonial pottery made by our Lambayecan ancestors (in a time without written language). It’s impressive to see how the art and the worship of our dogs is reinvented and reborn in such a natural way through the times.

“We would like to give room to all people who love this dog breed, so that their little dogs may have final resting place in this cemetery,” she tells me. “Túcume has over 221 hectares and room to grow, and the costs involved in building the mausoleums are very low.”

Cementerio de los Perros Peruanos sin Pelo de Túcume (appp-adpp ©2018)

The affection and peace that radiate from the place have turned it, nowadays, into the inescapable touristic circuit of the Museum and, moreover, a reason of admiration for its visitors, which naturally makes Bernarda, her collaborators, and the inhabitants of Túcume very proud.

Mother Earth: “From you we are born and to you we return”:

Paucar y Killa (nombre de nacimiento: Inti Pelito y Llasha Pelito) – Mausoleo de Pau y Kiki – de Túcume – Cementerio de Perros Sin Pelo del Perú (appp-adpp ©2018/ Art design by Alessandro Pucci).

Fate brought together me and my great friends, Pau and Kiki, and in this way we ventured in this great adventure of touring Europe to raise awareness about their breed in dog shows After their death in 2012, I decided to keep their ashes with a sense of belonging, as an unbreakable bond that deserves much appreciation and care. But my dreams to continue raising awareness about their breed weren’t paralyzed: they’re still alive. Thus, my return to reality: We’re in Peru and there’s still so much to be done!

As a traveler in these modern times who seeks to discover pre-Hispanic Peru, I think nowadays one also travels in order to make something useful of our cultural values. Undoubtedly, Túcume is the ideal resting place for my adored Pau and Kiki, because together with the little dogs of this city they’ll contribute to the preservation of their breed and the perpetuation of the cultural values it symbolizes. Therefore, in many ways, I believe this specific adventure I started with my dear Pau and Kiki closes a circle today with them becoming permanent part of this great initiative to revalue the Peruvian Hairless Dog that is the Peruvian Hairless Dog Cemetery of Túcume. I feel I’ve been true to my dear friends, who would be proud to continue representing their great ancient breed in this way. And I feel that now I have one more thing that links me to this beautiful place; one more excuse to find my way back here soon.

Paucar y Killa (nombre de nacimiento: Inti Pelito y Llasha Pelito – criadora Elena Durand) – Mausoleo de Pau y Kiki – Cementerio de los Perros Peruanos sin Pelo de Túcume (appp-adpp ©2018/ Art design by Alessandro Pucci).

When Bernada is proud of the admiration of the visitors to the site, I can’t help feeling proud, too: of her initiative and the initiative of her collaborators, of the role that my dear Pau and Kiki will play in it from now on, and, above all, of the great progress that we are achieving, together, those of us throughout the world who love the Peruvian Hairless Dog, this ancient Peruvian breed, cultural heritage of our nation. The road we must travel is still very long, but with wonderful people like Bernarda Delgado Elías and her team of collaborators on our side, traveling it is very gratifying.

Túcume: Few places inspire belonging in me. This is one of them. It’s as if you walked for hours before finding a place that brings you tranquility and good vibes; you want to remain there, as in an oasis that offers solace. I traveled to the North of Peru for the first time in the …

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From Bucharest: A true canine ambassador!

I exit the Aviatorilor metro station and head toward the Arcul de Triumf—the Arch of Triumph in Romanian—a historic monument in the Embassy Quarter, also known fondly by the locals as “Little Paris”. A few blocks away is a street called Intrarea Peru, which means “Peru Entry”, and, in fact, I immediately feel as if I’m entering Peruvian territory, for right in front of me I see the flag and I know I’ve arrived in the right place. I’m meeting the Ambassador, Mrs. María Eugenia Echeverría, who’s acquired a specimen of Peruvian Hairless Dog in April of this year.

Upon entering the Embassy I see through the portico a beautiful Peruvian Hairless Dog that runs out wagging its tail to find out who’s arrived. She stops a few meters away from me, right beside the flagpole that raises the Peruvian flag over the entrance patio, as if taking her rightful place among the international symbols of our national identity. My welcome committee is made up of none other than Quilla, the Peruvian Hairless pup who’s arrived to live in the Embassy earlier this year. Quilla looks at me, gets closer to see me better, then gracefully runs off, and immediately stops and turns, wanting me to follow along in her game.

María Eugenia, Peruvian Ambassador to Romania and a few other surrounding countries, is not only passionate about Peruvian culture, she also has a great capacity for exalting the virtues of out cultural heritage. This she manages by means of the official mission she carries out in her post but also thanks to her talent in decorating her residence, a space that represents the Peruvian nation.

“Some of the furniture is property of the Peruvian government,” says María Eugenia, “some of it’s mine, as well as the paintings and decorations.” She moves her hands to show me the things she mentions as we sit in the porch of the residence on some furniture covered with textiles from Cuzco and with two ornamental earthen vessels characteristic of the Moche pre-Hispanic culture on the coffee table in front of us.

A few meters away, from a beautiful garden, Quilla observes the Ambassador as she tells me: “Despite the cold we’re having these days and the fact she has no fur, Quilla is very energetic. She doesn’t feel the cold because she’s running about all day.” Indeed, Quilla enjoys having a house with a garden that allows her to give free rein to her energy and, above all, to enjoy the affection of all the people who surround her and who daily visit the Peruvian seat.

María Eugenia loves animals in general. Beside Quilla, she has two dachshunds; one with short hair and one with hard hair. The one comes from Belgium and the other from a Peruvian family who’s passionate about this breed, with whom María Eugenia has made friendship.

“The exit process from Peru to Europe is longer for Peruvian Hairless Dogs than it is for other dogs,” says María Eugenia. “I wished to bring over with me a Hairless puppy from Peru but I found out too late that there were specific procedures for them. Through the cultural activities in which the Embassy participates we met breeders of Peruvian Hairless Dog in Europe. That’s how Quilla arrived home.”

Quilla (official name: Sechura Quilla Pazzda) was born on April 23 of this year in a world-renown kennel of the Czech Republic. The pup’s character and physical beauty confirm the professionalism and the responsible and committed work I’ve been able to witness from the kennels in that country. I’m, therefore, not surprised when María Eugenia tells me its breeders frequently ask for news and photos of the pup to find out how it’s doing, besides being always available to give her recommendations for good care and tenure.

S.E. María Eugenia Echeverría Herrera (Embajadora del Peru en Rumanía) y Quilla (Sechura Quilla Pazzda – ejemplar de raza Perro sin pelo del Perú – Criadores: Jiri Linhart y fam. Galko -Klub Chovatelů Naháčů).
Art design by Alessandro Pucci.
© 2018 APPP – ADPP

Quilla isn’t only a beloved pet; along with the people who work with María Eugenia, she’s an active promoter of Peruvian culture, a true canine ambassador! However, Quilla is probably the first Peruvian Hairless Dog to belong to a Peruvian Ambassador.

“Every Peruvian member of our Embassy loves his or her country and proudly values its culture in his or her own way,” says María Eugenia. “Quilla is part of the life of the Embassy and of its cultural promotion. From a simple companion in daily chores, to welcoming officials from other countries, Quilla has become a Peruvian representative who reveals much about our past and history.”

It’s clear María Eugenia loves to be surrounded by dogs and, now, as Ambassador, by her Peruvian Hairless pup in particular. “I believe having a [Peruvian Hairless Dog] is worth it,” she says. “Due to the peculiarities of its breed—stylized and hairless—they attract people’s attention. People ask you where they’re from. Which is always a good opportunity to speak to them about this ancient Peruvian breed that’s accompanied both Inca and pre-Inca cultures such as the Vicus, Chavín, and Moche, as attested by huacos (ancient ceremonial pottery), decorations and musical instruments. Tell them also how they were so appreciated that they had a role in religious ceremonies and how, due to the warmth of their bodies, they also had antirheumatic therapeutic uses. That way they’ll now know, when visiting Chan Chan or the Tombs of the Lord of Sipán, for instance, that those Hairless Dogs that welcome tourists are part of the cultural legacy of the pre-Hispanic civilization.”

On closing our conversation I ask her if she would recommend other people to have a Peruvian pet: “Of course, but as long as they’re willing to treat them with dedication and affection. They’re very affectionate dogs, and totally dedicated to making their owners happy, so it’s the least they deserve In addition, since they’re part of the national cultural heritage, it would be good if their owners were interested in learning about the history of these dogs.”

I say goodbye to the Ambassador and Quilla and I feel this is just the beginning of a beautiful story. Quilla is still quite young, and from her place as canine ambassador to Peru in Romania, now and in the future, wherever the diplomatic career of María Eugenia takes them, she’ll have the opportunity to touch the lives of so many people from many different places, and teach them of the existence of her ancient breed, allowing them to spend some moments with a very special dog, perhaps even inspiring them to have a Peruvian Hairless Dog in their lives, too.

Arcul de Triumf (el Arco de Triunfo) – Bucarest.
© 2018 APPP – ADPP

Heading back to Bucharest’s Arch of Triumph I think of the great triumph of these last years that’s been popularizing the Peruvian Hairless Dog in the world, and I think how valuable it would be for spreading internationally the Peruvian cultural identity that more official Peruvian representatives in the world followed the example set by our Ambassador in Romania and hired a Peruvian canine ambassador of the caliber of Quilla.

APPP – ADPP (Association pour la protection du patrimoine péruvien – Asociación de defensa del patrimonio peruano)

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Hairless Peruvian pup takes all her love to the Peruvian Embassy!

I exit the Aviatorilor metro station and head toward the Arcul de Triumf—the Arch of Triumph in Romanian—a historic monument in the Embassy Quarter, also known fondly by the locals as “Little Paris”. A few blocks away is a street called Intrarea Peru, which means “Peru Entry”, and, in fact, I immediately feel as if …

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Hairless Peruvian pup takes all her love to the Peruvian Embassy!

This past July 7, 2018, an exemplary representative of our national breed arrived at the Peruvian Embassy in Rumania. Her name is Quilla!

Quilla is beautiful and so loving! We’re all under her spell,” says her owner, Mrs. María Eugenia Echeverría, Peruvian Ambassador in Rumania, who expressed her great joy after receiving her new pet. No doubt Quilla will fill and important place in their household, as well as become an excellent ambassador of her breed in the future.

Her full name is Sechura Quilla Pazzda, but she’s known to her friends as simply Quilla. She was born in the Czech Republic the 23 of April, 2018. She hails from the “Pazzda”breeders and is the daughter of Bastien Cederikon (father) and Omia Orchidea Pazzda (mother), both born in Europe with Peruvian ancestors, and both champions of their breed.

Quilla has 4 other brothers, all born in the “S” litter, that is, all having names that begin with the letter S: Sayri Tupaq, Sinchi Roca, Samiria Ñusta, Sandía Luisa and, her, Sechura Quilla—all names alluding to their ancient Peruvian roots.

Jiri Linhart (“Pazzda” breeders) and his wife, Eva Linhartová (President of the Klub Chovatelů Naháčů – Peruvian Hairless Dog Club of the Czech Republic), in co-proprietorship with the Galko family, expressed their great joy when they found out one of their pups would become the pet of a Peruvian Embassy. This accomplishment is certainly the result of their hard work toward the protection of this canine breed.

Aneta Galko, who cared for the pup until she arrived at her new home, said: Quilla is very friendly and sociable with everyone. She’s playful and loves animals: cats, for instance. She’s one of the smartest of the 5 brothers and sisters. We believe she’ll be very good at learning new things. And we believe she’ll be happy in her new family!”

The pups have had an excellent mother, Omia, and they’re all in excellent health.

The Association de protection du patrimoine péruvien and the Asociación de defensa del patrimonio peruano want to wish Quilla and those who brought about this magnificent happening great joy and all future successes!

We will have more information on Quilla very soon!

 


Peruánský naháč přináší lásku do peruánského velvyslanectví!

7. července 2018, exemplární zástupce našeho národního plemene dorazil na peruánské velvyslanectví v Rumunsku. Jmenuje se Quilla! 

“Quilla je krásná a tak milá! Jsme jí všichni okouzleni, “ říká její nová majitelka paní María Eugenia Echeverría, peruánská velvyslankyně Peru v Rumunsku, která vyjádřila velkou radost po přijetí svého nového mazlíčka. Quilla bude bezpochyby naplňovat významné místo v její domácnosti, stejně jako se stane v budoucnu vynikajícím velvyslancem svého plemene.

Její plné jméno je Sechura Quilla Pazzda, zkráceně Quilla. Narodila se v České republice 23. dubna 2018 v chovatelské stanici “Pazzda” a je dcerou Bastien Cederikon (otec) a Omia Orchidea Pazzda (matka). Oba se narodili v České republice, v jejich rodokmenech jsou i předci z Peru a také jsou šampioni svého plemene.

Quilla má další čtyři sourozence, všechny narozené ve vrhu “S”, což znamená, že všichni mají jména začínající písmenem S: Sayri Tupaq, Sinchi Roca, Samiria Ñusta, Sandía Luisa a sama Sechura Quilla – všechna jména zmiňují jejich staré peruánské kořeny.

Jiří Linhart (chovatelská stanice “Pazzda”) a jeho manželka Eva Linhartová (předsedkyně Klubu chovatelů naháčů) se spolumajiteli, rodinou Galkových, vyjádřili velkou radost, když zjistili, že jedno z jejich štěňat se stane mazlíčkem peruánského velvyslanectví.

Tento úspěch je výsledkem jejich tvrdé práce na rozvoji tohoto plemene psů.

Aneta Galková, která se starala o štěně než dorazilo do svého nového domova, řekla: “Quilla je velmi přátelská a společenská s každým. Je hravá a miluje zvířata: například kočky. Je jednou z nejchytřejších z těchto pěti štěňat. Určitě se bude velmi dobře učit nové věci. A věříme, že v nové rodině bude šťastná! “

Štěňata mají skvělou matku Omiu, a všechna jsou ve výborném zdravotním stavu.

Association de protection du patrimoine péruvien a Asociación de defensa del patrimonio peruano přejí Quille a těm, kteří se podíleli na této velkolepé události mnoho radosti a do budoucna jen úspěchy!

Více informací o Quille již brzy!

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Embajada del Perú en Rumania

http://chiennuperou.com/es/2016/03/el-perro-sin-pelo-del-peru-peruansky-nahac-en-el-klubu-chovatelu-nahacu-praga-republica-checa/

 

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Gloria Cáceres Vargas Interview: “The Quechua Language and the Peruvian Hairless Dog”

Learn more about Gloria Cáceres Vargas and her commitment to the Peruvian Hairless Dog …

By Pedro-Santiago Allemant – Association pour la protection du patrimoine péruvien (Association for the Protection of Peruvian Heritage, or APPP).

 

When did you discover your vocation for writing and translating in the Quechua language?

When I was a student at the Federico Villarreal University, around 1967, my Latin American Literature professor asked me to translate into Spanish a text in Quechua. That was my first attempt at translation. I had an oral command of both languages but it was then I found out I could write texts in Quechua.

What relationship does the Quechua language have with Peruvian fauna?

It’s a close relationship because the fauna, the flora, and other cultural elements such as language, music, etc., are part of our culture and reality. In addition, language is the most important element because it transmits a people’s worldview. Flora and fauna have always been present in ours lives and have been documented in many stories and in the huacos (ceremonial pottery) of our ancestral cultures.

Have you had dogs at some point in your childhood or youth?

I remember that I had doggies as a child; one, especially, called Kajera. She was not only a dog that accompanied us, in our games she was everything: sometimes she was a cow, others, a donkey, a bird, etc. Besides playing with us, she was an assistant to my father: she was the one in charge of caring for and herding the cows. I’ve always had doggies because they’re very tender and give you affection, no strings attached—or perhaps just in turn for your attention.

Luna Pelota (representative of the breed Perro sin Pelo del Perú) – photo by Patricia Cáceres Murga (owner of Luna Pelota).

What do you think about the Peruvian Hairless Dog?

In my childhood and youth I had no contact with Hairless Dogs. I had dogs of different breeds and also chusquitos (mutts) that didn’t require much care, until one day my niece appeared with a little chocolate-colored Hairless Dog, all ears and eyes. She called her Luna Pelota (Ball Moon). She was tiny. When I petted her I felt that her skin was soft and its feel instilled a certain tenderness: it was like caressing a baby. From that moment on, I felt she was just another member of the family who took over all our affection.

Why did you decide to support the filmmakers of the “El Perro sin Pelo del Perú” (The Peruvian Hairless Dog) documentary by translating it into Quechua?

When I met Pedro-Santiago at the UNESCO head office in Paris in 2015 and found out he was working on a project about the Peruvian Hairless Dog, I was very excited. To know that there are people like him, who invest themselves into recovering and reestablishing the living elements of our culture, in this case the Perumanta Q’ala Allqu (Peruvian Hairless Dog), without any monetary interest, aroused my admiration and the desire in me to support them, in this case in the only way I can: by translating into Quechua the documentary and other material he’s so kind as to intrust me with. Both Pedro-Santiago and François invest their time, their passion, and their money into making a documentary that reestablishes ​​the presence of this titan of history—not only Peruvian history, but American history—a doggy that has withstood time despite harsh local weather conditions.

In your opinion, what is the relationship between the Quechua language and the Peruvian Hairless Dog?

Both the Quechua language and the Peruvian Hairless Dog are cultural elements that have endured the harshness of time and historical evolution. One example is that Quechua has the word allqu (dog), which refers to the existence of the dog. Now, since Quechua is a linguistic family, in all its varieties there is a word for this animal, albeit with slight variations: / alqu / ~ / alkho /, which means that the dog has always been present in the life of Peruvian man throughout history.

According to the film, we can observe that the Peruvian Hairless Dog is acquiring some international fame and is the focus for accredited scientists and foreign professionals who, obviously, don’t speak Quechua; so how does it feel to be taking their testimonies and arguments into the Quechua language, the native language of the place of origin of this millenary dog breed?

For me, translating into Quechua the opinion of accredited Peruvian and foreign scientists and professionals is, in every sense, a rewarding and enriching experience. Moreover, I’m proud to contribute to their findings being known in the Quechua language, not only because it universalizes the Peruvian Hairless Dog, but also because we make Quechua a language to translate into and from, i.e. a language of modern communication. Historically, dog has always lived with man, accompanying him, so both need specialists in this breed and social scientists, respectively, to contribute to what we know about each in order to better appreciate each, because they’re both alive to this day, and that is something of which to be proud.

Gloria Cáceres Vargas (professor, writer, translator of the Quechua language and translator of the film “El Perro sin Pelo del Perú”) and Túpac (representative of the breed Perro sin Pelo del Perú of the Site Museum of Pachacamac). Photo by APPP ©appp 2018

During your participation in the conference that took place at the Pachacamac Museum you were able to meet Túpac (one of the canine protagonists of the film); what did you feel when you saw him in person after having seen him in the film portrayed as a mythical, native Peruvian dog?

Generally, all doggies awaken in me great tenderness. I think all these little animals need to do to become more human is to learn to talk! So, when I saw Túpac, one of the protagonists of the documentary, I approached him, I took his paws in my hands and whispered to him my affection in Quechua, and he stood still. There was a moment of communion. I felt he was mine. He, so unassuming in spite of being one of the key characters, went over into Santiago’s arms and remained with him during the remainder of the conference after the documentary’s projection.

Luna Pelota (representative of the breed Perro sin Pelo del Perú) – photo by Patricia Cáceres Murga (owner of Luna Pelota).

Can you tell us more about “Luna Pelota”?

Luna Pelota arrived in our lives when she was 5 months old. She adapted to our family with a certain reticence at first but then she made Patty her own (Patty’s her “mother”), as a matter of fact she made the entire family her own. When she meets someone new she’s distrusting at first but then she approaches the stranger and lets herself be loved. She’ll soon be five years old.

How’s your relationship with her?

My relationship with her is very close. She’s another member of the family. Luna Pelota lives with other doggies of other breeds but has a preferential place, which she herself has imposed on everyone! She’s a veritable queen. As well she should be, being the daughter of a canine competition champion. She’s very spoiled but, at the same time, smart.

What future would you wish for her?

For Luna Pelota we wish the best. That she remains happy, that she enjoys good health, so that she always remains by our side. Had we trained her, I’m sure she’d been a champion like her mother because she’s really pretty, smart, and elegant.

In regards to other dogs of this breed, especially those that are abandoned and unappreciated, we call on the Peruvian government to protect them effectively. Despite the existence of a law that declares them as Living Heritage, they’re not given the corresponding treatment. The government should promote vaccination campaigns, as well as sterilization campaigns because, when in heat, stray Hairless females often crossbreed, with a rather undesirable result. I congratulate families that have a Hairless dog at home, and entrust them with looking out for the other doggies that are out there with no food or medical attention.

Gloria Cáceres Vargas was born in Ayacucho-Peru, May 2, 1947. She’s a writer, translator and professor of Peruvian Literature and Languages. She’s contributed to both Quechuan and Peruvian Spanish Literature with poems and stories.

Among her literary oeuvre in both Spanish and Southern Quechua there are the books of poems: Riqsinakusun/ Conozcámonos (Let’s Know Each Other), Munakuwaptiykiqa/ Si tú me quisieras (If You Loved Me), Wiñay suyasqayki / Te esperaré siempre (I’ll Wait for You Forever), and Yuyaypa k’anchaqnin / Fulgor de mis recuerdos (The Glare of My Memories).

She’s translated literary texts from Spanish to Quechua, among them texts by José María Arguedas: Warma kunay (Child’s love) (1935), Yawar willay (Blood warning) (1945), and Hijo solo (Son alone) (1957), translated and published in 2011.

She’s been invited to participate in presentations at the Porras Barrenechea Institute (Lima, 2015), the UNESCO head office (Paris, 2015), the Huamanga National University (Ayacucho, 2017), the Peruvian Consulate in Florence (Florence, 2017), the Sapienza University (Rome, 2017), among others.

In addition, she’s contributed to awareness campaigns for the protection of the Peruvian Hairless Dog by translating into the Quechua language the documentary film “El Perro sin Pelo del Perú” (The Peruvian Hairless Dog), as well as translating and live-interpreting videos and lectures for the Association pour la protection du patrimoine péruvien (Association for the Protection of Peruvian Heritage, or APPP).

Her contribution to the dissemination and preservation of tangible and intangible Peruvian cultural heritage has been highly recognized by various world institutions.

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INTERVIEW: Full message of the Ambassador of Peru to UNESCO, Manuel Rodríguez Cuadros

 

The Peruvian Hairless Dog is part of the history, life and culture of Peru,” Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros – Ambassador of the Permanent Representation of Peru before the UNESCO

Photos by Mauricio Alvarez

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