Peruvian Inca Orchid - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
This is a very old dog breed and we can find similar dogs to Peruvian Inca Orchid depicted in pre-Incan art and pottery. So even though they are named Inca, it is very likely, that they were kept as pets in pre-Inca cultures in the region of today northern Peru. We can not be sure about the breeds date of origin or exact ancestry, but their history might be dating back to the 7th or 8th century and maybe it is even older.

2) Three sizes
When the Peru was conquered by Spanish conquistadores, they were interbred with many foreign dogs. Originally, this was pretty small companion dog, but because of the interbreeding three distinct sizes were developed. The height can vary from 25-65 cm which is 10-26 inches and weight can range from 4-25 kg, which is 9-55 pounds.

3) National dog
The Peruvian Inca Orchid was accepted as a separate breed by Kennel Club of Peru in 1985. This breed is a cultural heritage of Peru so it is no wonder that they were accepted as its national dog breed in 2001. Peruvian Kennel Club also requested to change a breeds name to Peruvian Hairless dog.

4) Coat
Most of the time, Peruvian Inca Orchids are completely hairless, or they can have short hair on top of its head, on its feet, and on the tip of its tail. But some of them, so called powderpuff dogs, are completely coated. The coated variety will be black, white, grey, brown or tan. The

5) Temperament
This is an indoor companion dog, that is very affectionate, intelligent and friendly towards its family, but often times alert and wary of strangers. They tend to create strong bond with its owners and dont like to be left alone. They are also quick learners, but just like many other intelligent breeds, they get bored quite easily.

6) Hunters
This is not only a great companion dog. The Peruvian Inca Orchid is also a great hunter and they hunt similarly to greyhounds or whippets by coursing and using their sight. They are also very fast and they enjoy hunting smaller animals, which is why, if you have other smaller household pets, you should never leave them alone together.

7) Sunburn
Just like all the hairless dogs, even the Peruvian Inca Orchid need proper skin care, which includes regular moisturizing and sunscreen when outside in the sunlight. Another typical problem of the hairless type is missing teeth. Some only retain a few teeth, where others may only lose a few teeth. On the other hand, most powderpuff coated dogs have all the teeth and of course, they do not have the skin problems.

8) Rarity
If you never seen a Peruvian Inca Orchid on your own eyes, dont be surprised, this is extremely rare dog breed. There are no official data about the breeds numbers, but it is estimated that it is only few thousands in the whole world. You have much better chance to see other hairless dogs, for example the Xoloitzcuintli.

9) Bed warmer
Sometimes, the Peruvian Inca Orchid is used as bed warmer. Thanks to the lack of hair, they can generate a lot of warmth and sometimes they are used to warm up bed or even to snuggle with their owners and warm up.

10) Other names
The Peruvian Inca Orchid is also known under some other names, like Peruvian Hairless dog, perro flora, which means flower dog, Inca hairless dog, Calato or Viringo.