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Peruvian Inca Orchid
Puppies for Sale
Peruvian Inca Orchid
(PIO) (Moonflower Dog) (Perro Flora) (Perro
sin pelo del Perú)
(Peruvian Hairless Dog)
(Al'co
Calato) (Inca Hairless Dog)
Moone, the Peruvian Inca at 5 months old
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Pronunciation |
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Description |
The Peruvian Inca Orchid has
dark round eyes that tend to squint in the sunlight due to over sensitivity. The
lips are wrinkled and the think, leathery ears sometimes have wisps of hair.
Hair grows on the top of the head. Some are born coated with hair in the same
litter as the hairless PIO. The skin is soft and pliable. It can be
heavily mottled in any color, in any combination with a pink background, or it
can be solid colored. |
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Temperament |
For the right owner the
Peruvian Inca Orchid is an exotic treat. Their skin requires special care (see
grooming). Quick witted, calm and intelligent. They are usually good with
children and get along with other dogs. The PIO are nighttime dogs, sometimes
called Moonflowers, as do not like the light of the day nor the rays of the sun. |
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Height, Weight |
Height: 20-26 inches (50-65
cm.)
Weight: 26-50 pounds (12-23 kg.) |
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Health Problems |
Prone to skin and teeth
problems. |
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Living Conditions |
The PIO will do ok in an
apartment. A fenced in yard is recommended as the PIO is a sighthound and may
take off chasing a small animal at anytime. This breed should live indoors and
be protected from the elements. They should have a sweater in the winter and
kept at a comfortable temperature in the summer. Keep in mind they do not have
hair to protect them from the weather and are basically naked. |
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Exercise |
This breed
needs to be taken on a daily walk.
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Life Expectancy |
About 11-12 years |
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Grooming |
The fact that this breed
does not have hair does not mean that its skin requires no care. The skin must
be protected as much as possible from the sun. A good sunscreen should be used
if the dog is going to be out in the sun. People who show these dogs scrub them
regularly to remove dead skin and to keep the skin soft by using special
exfoliating creams intended for use by humans. If you do not plan to show your
PIO and the dog is in a normal environment, it is
best to not soften the skin as it makes the skin tear more easily. It is most
important to keep the skin supple and smooth and to prevent
it from becoming dry. Using a lotion or cream or, sometimes, rubbing it with oil
is recommended. Bathe these dogs regularly with a gentle soap. The fragile skin
is susceptible to sunburn, drying irritation and tears from other dogs, cats and
objects. This is a very clean breed with no doggie odor and no fleas. The
hairless PIO is ideal for allergy sufferers because there is no hair to shed.
The coated variety has hair all over the body and does shed, but not much coat
care is required. Regular brushing is required. |
| Origin |
The Peruvian
Inca Orchid originated from Peru. Spanish explorers
coma upon this breed in the homes of the Inca nobility when they first entered
Peru in the early 1500's. ALL the PIO in the US go back to fewer than a dozen
dogs imported a long time ago, so it's a VERY tight gene pool... hence the
cookie-cutter look (which is considerably different from the current dogs being
imported from Peru.) There have been a few Perro sin Pelo del Peru brought to
the US in the last 5 years or so. In Peru the Peruvian Inca Orchid is known as
the "Calato", a Quechua word that means "Naked". The full name would be "Al'co
Calato" (naked dog), but no one seems to use that name. The Spanish carried the
dogs to China as gifts, and they may be the origin of the
Chinese Crested breed. |
| Group |
Sighthound |
| Recognition |
FCI, UKC, NKC, CKC, APRI, ACR |
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FCI = Fédération
Cynologique Internationale
UKC = United Kennel
Club
NKC = National
Kennel Club
CKC = Continental
Kennel Club
APRI = American Pet Registry
Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry |
Photo taken by Vanna Curtin
a professional rare breed handler and photographer
Photo taken by Vanna Curtin
a professional rare breed handler and photographer
Photo taken by Vanna Curtin
a professional rare breed handler and photographer
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| Coated and hairless dogs are born in the same
litter, but there is no telling about coat texture or length. |
Peruvian Inca Orchid Pictures Page
1
Hairless Breeds
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