Free!!! If you can guess his breed that is. Not always easy when the dog is hairless & his skin is crusty and falling off. After catching the most emaciated hairless street dog ever I was curious what breed would this distinctly alien looking creature materialise into after weeks of rehabilition. So intrigued was I that I decided to run a competition '¿Que raza es...?' (what breed is it) to see if the local Peruvians had any suggestions. With a whopping prize pool of 20 soles ($8), a dog lead & scarf it was bound to become the talk of the town.
Unbelievable! The prospect of winning 20 soles (a days wages) encouraged all types of people to visit the clinic. Every morning there would be 1/2 dozen motocarros & up to 20 people out the front staring at the caged ET like creature & debating whether he was a doberman with alopecia, a balding chihuahua, or could he in fact be a native of Peru...a peruvian hairless dog.
The Peruvian hairless dog is an ancient breed of dog & its origins are hotly debated. Some believe the breed was brought to Peru by the Chinese, or perhaps by other Asian groups immigrating to the Americas via the Bering Strait. Another theory has the breed originating from Africa. In other words know one knows where this breed came from! What is known is that the breed has inhabited Peru for centuries & they even pre date the Incas. They were a favourite of the Incan royalty, & during the Spanish conquest they very nearly became extinct.
Everythime I walked down the street with this skinny little hairless dog I would be stopped by people asking if he was a peruvian hairless and did I know that he had these amazing curative properties. Really! The locals believe that this breed can cure arthritis and asthma. It is believable actually as his skin is so hot and smooth to touch... wrapping his body around an arthritic joint would feel great. Cold feet? Dont buy expensive heated slippers...get a peruvian hairless to sleep on your feet. Only problem is that he is as speedy as a whippet and doesn't stay motionless for a second. Not sure if he has to be inhaled to cure asthma but being hair, dander, flea and odour free. Im certain he would be a great pet for an asthmatic kid.
Lots of street kids would hang out at the clinic and ask what breed he was. We filled out the entry form for the kids that couldn't write their names. One little street smart kid Oscar would come everyday and run after me pestering "what breed is he? I think hes a perro chino (local name for peruvian hailress) Am I right? Am i gonna win?" He was dead keen to win that fortune of 20 soles and he named the dog Toby and would take him for walks to improve his chances of winning.
After a month of good food and pampering at the ´Iquitos 5 star Dog Resort' (the vet clinic that is) I was finally convinced that Toby was a Peruvian hairless and not a 'fur challenged' border collie. It was time for the big draw. We got Oscar to select the winning ticket and can you believe it the winner was 'Oscar Luis Mendoza'. The little guy started jumping up and down, yelling "its me, its me, its me". And for a moment we thought it was. Then we checked the entry and said, "ok tell us your name, address and telephone number". Oscar tried his hardest to guess the right details but it was a clear case of stolen identity. Good try Oscar lad, you nearly won. I was impressed by the way he didnt even hesitate and he seized the oportunity to try to claim what was clearly his. We all laughed and joked that with his skills he might one day become president. We gave Oscar an 'Amazon Cares' t-shirt and he beamed from ear to ear. Now whenever I see him in the street he runs up and gives me a hug.
