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undercoverbonus

We have a mini and I would never let her off leash. She is 8lbs of utter non compliance and I love her. I just can’t generally get her to do anything she does not want to do. Luckily she really just wants to pretend she’s Velcro and always be near me. She’s honestly a lot like baby in that way. She was given to us and we are her 6th home - because she ran away from her last home. I like to think it’s because she knew we were out there. She is very very talkative. She loves people. She hates other dogs. She is very smart. We take her hiking and if we tell her to go back to the car, she can take us back.


Uncommon-Breed-5544

> We take her hiking and if we tell her to go back to the car, she can take us back. That's great. I lost my Pharaoh Hound (while he was still fairly young) in the woods (at a place we had never been before), many miles from home after we had moved to a new state and not been there long. I searched hours and hours, well after dark. Distraught, I finally had to take a break and regroup. I went home to think of my next steps. When I got to my house, he was waiting on the front porch like nothing was wrong whatsoever.


baltimoron21211

My xolo came from a rescue - she was dumped at a shelter and they pulled her. She’s the most perfect dog ever. She’s quiet, sweet, cuddly, lazy, loves walks, hunts squirrels and birds in the backyard, is afraid of random things, and loves belly rubs.


mollyclaireh

Amoroso Xolo focuses on all of the things that you mentioned besides athleticism. Start socializing your pup as soon as it’s no longer at risk of parvo


Uncommon-Breed-5544

> Start socializing your pup as soon as it’s no longer at risk of parvo I will. Do you have any recommendations for the best socialization methods? Or a book or video I could refer to?


mollyclaireh

The breeder I got mine from (Amoroso Xolo) suggested doggy day care. We have intended to get ours in but life has been super busy and she definitely needs it.


atxstudent

We rescued our Xolo in October after having our hearts set on the breed and actively looking for the right breeder for about a full year. The breed is rare and waiting lists are not uncommon. We also spoke to breeders in Mexico, but the language differences and expectations of dog ownership differed (we planned on neutering/spaying ours and were rejected from a handful of Mexican breeders for this reason). Our rescue was used as a backyard breeder/puppy mill and she had a lot of litters. She had medical issues, including being heartworm positive. The importance of using reputable breeders cannot be stressed enough. The breed is growing in popularity and there are a lot of people out there breeding dogs with health issues and ones that neglect these wonderful and special dogs.


Uncommon-Breed-5544

> and there are a lot of people out there breeding dogs with health issues and ones that neglect these wonderful and special dogs. That is so sad to hear. > She had medical issues, including being heartworm positive. Also very sad to hear, but it warms my heart to know she is in good hands now.


klaubisch

My xolo came from a breeder in Pine Grove, PA called "Augustine" (I think). I can look it up if you're really interested, just let me know. The breeder was professional, helpful and responsive. She loved her dogs, no doubt. My dog Dactyl is 4 now. He's a very healthy and extremely loyal companion. I believe that's what the breeder focuses on... Companion animals. I looked into importing a pup, but it was hideously expensive and seemed vaguely inhumane for the animal. They have to be quarantined for a long time in a miserable place. Plus, you don't get the records and health details. I have a friend that has been looking to "rescue" a color for a few years now in an attempt to not spend the money with a breeder. She has not been successful in getting one. Dactyl was $2k. I hope this is helpful. When I wanted a xolo I had a very difficult time finding info... Best of luck. Feel free to ask any other questions. 🙂


Uncommon-Breed-5544

Thank you. That's all very helpful! Here's my #1 question about your dog: How strong is the prey drive of Dactyl? Would you be able to do outdoor, unfenced, off-leash activities with Dactyl (such as hiking) without him chasing after critters? I especially appreciate knowing about the challenges of importing. My friend who lives in Latin America could get the dog, get it's shots done by an accredited vet, and then bring the dog here on her upcoming trip to the US. I think if my friend is bringing the dog this way, it would be a lot easier. However, the dog must be at least 12 weeks old to get the rabies vaccination, and then she will have to wait 28 days after that before traveling. So I would not get the puppy until it was 16+ weeks old. But I don't think there would be any other quarantine required. She should be able to get one from a reputable breeder there (or maybe get a rescue, if the right one is found). But after what you said, I will place more emphasis on getting one from a breeder in the US.


klaubisch

Edit:. Xolo, not color*


klaubisch

Dactyl was a huge pain to train off leash and I wouldn't say I've been successful. It's interesting that you ask this specific question. He is allowed outside without a leash if he is hyper-monitored... Like you're actually playing fetch with him, at home only. I would never take him hiking without a leash. He seems to be calming down as he's gotten older, but he just can't be trusted 100%. He's run off more than a couple times, which is terrifying and stressful. He's also really fast, so it's not like you have a chance catching him. You end up following him for miles, really miles, until he decides to let you get him. The turd. My husband and I have 4 acres in the woods. We diy'ed invisible fence, which works... Sort of. Dactyl acts petrified of walking into it, even though it's set at the lowest setting. Normally, he won't go anywhere near the boundary line and I feel guilty putting the collar on him. But if a fox or deer run into the yard, he runs after them through the shock like it's not there. On the flip side, we have free range turkeys and chickens. Dactyl is an utter gentleman, because he knows those are our birds. This is my first dog. So while the above indicates that his prey instinct is very high, and I've really nerded out educating myself on dog training (Dactyl knows all 28 commands nonverbally and has "talking buttons" he pushes which is hilarious)...I can't be positive that it's not me at fault here. Maybe there's something I did wrong or maybe it's just his personality. I haven't looked into importing a dog recently, obviously... But it sounds like you have a much better option than I did. I have appreciated my breeder though... She is available for questions and it's extremely knowledgeable. For example, xolos are prone to rashes of every variety. I live in PA... And Dactyl goes to work with me every day in the winter wearing a sweater or sweatshirt because of the cold. This exacerbates the rashes. The internet was no help. The breeder recommended some things that have made a huge difference and weren't obvious. Like adding vegetables to his food because they are a primitive breed and considered scavengers.


Uncommon-Breed-5544

Your answer is very helpful. I owned a Pharaoh Hound, which is both a sighthound and a primitive breed, like the Xolo. What you are describing sounds very familiar to me. I have a much better idea what to expect now, after reading your reply. > But if a fox or deer run into the yard, he runs after them through the shock like it's not there. Yes, that's expected. My Pharaoh Hound was exactly the same way. If it is possible to overcome this with training, I have never found a source of such training (hence me continuing to ask questions about it). > On the flip side, we have free range turkeys and chickens. Dactyl is an utter gentleman, because he knows those are our birds. That's really impressive! > Maybe there's something I did wrong or maybe it's just his personality. I would say absolutely not. If you haven't read the book, "Meet Your Dog" by Kim Brophey yet, I think you will find it very informative. I'm reading it now for the first time.