The Peruvian Hairless Dog (Perro Sin Pelo de Perú, Perro Peruano, Inca Hairless Dog, Viringo Dog) or Peruvian Inca Orchid (although this is considered a separate breed by the AKC since it was created from a few dogs brought from Peru) is an ancient breed of Sighthound originating from, as its name suggests, Peru. Although it is considered an Incan Dog, the breed was in existence long before the Inca Empire. The evidence for that can be found in the pottery from the Moche, Chimú, Chancay, and Vicús, pre-Inca cultures from the coastal regions of Peru, in the form of ceramic hairless dog figurines as well as ceramic vessels with depictions of hairless dogs from around 750 A.D. However, scientists believe that the Peruvian Hairless Dog breed is much older (at least 3.000 years old), but they are still unsure how these dogs ended up in Peru in the first place. There are actually three theories about that. According to the first theory, Inca Hairless Dogs are descendants of Mexican Hairless Dogs, which were imported to Peru by Ecuadorian sea-traders. The second one says that they descended from dogs which had arrived in America through the Bering Strait crossing with the migrating tribes from East Asia. The third theory suggests that Viringo Dogs actually descended from African Pariah dogs (Mediterranean hounds in particular), which were brought to South America either by Asians, North Africans or Polynesians. Continue Reading →