Natives Network

Pre-European Xolos, we’re considered sacred dogs by the Mexica, Toltecs, Maya. The deity Xolotl made Xoloitzcuintli from a silver of bone of life from which all man kind was made.
Xolotl gave this gift to man with the instruction to guard it with his life and in exchange it would guide man through the dangers of Mictlan, the underworld, towards the evening star in the Heavens.
Some people in Mexico, continue to believe this breed has healing qualities.
The Mexica also raised the breed for their meat in the 16th century.
Spanish account tell of large numbers of dogs being served at banquets. Mexican Merchants Feast could have 80 to 100 turkeys, and 20 to 40 dog served as food when these two Meats were served in the same dish, the dog meat was at the bottom of the dish either because it was held in high regard or because it was increasingly considered a step above cannibalism.
•Today we see the Xolo featured in Disney/Pixar film “Coco”
•found in Colima, Maya, Toltec, Zapotec, and Mexica tombs, dating the breed to over 3500 years ago
•Westminster Dog show featured these dogs in 2012
•These dogs were often sacrificed and then buried with their owners to act as guides to the Soul on the journey to the underworld

In many versions of the 20-day cycle of the sun calendar the tenth date bears the name dog (ITZCUINTLI) in nahuatl
(TZÍ) in the K’iche Maya language
(OC) in Yucatec Maya
among the Mixteca, the 10th day was taken by the coyote (us)

The Chinantecs and Mixes of Oaxaca believed that a black dog will help the newly dead to cross a body of water, either a river or a sea to the Land of the Dead. The Huitzilan believe that a dog carries the dead across the water to reach the underworld home of the devil.
A Jakaltek tale from the Guatemala Highland relate how the first dog witnessed the creation of the world and ran everywhere telling everyone the secrets of creation, Hunab’kun, the creator God, was Furious and swapped the dogs head for its tail and its tail for its head now whenever a dog wants to talk and give away its Secrets it cannot speak instead it may howl, wags it’s tail.