A Peruvian first dog? Peru offers national hairless puppy to Obama family

The Peruvian Hairless Dog, a curious-looking, bald, toothless and pre-Incan breed, might be the next addition to U.S. President-elect Barack Obama’s family at the White House.

At his first postelection news conference on Friday, Obama said choosing a pet dog for his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, was a “major issue.”

“It has to be hypoallergenic,” said Obama, as daughter Malia is allergic to animal hair.

The dark-skinned, hairless, fleeless, odorless, large-eared, 4-month-old pedigree puppy, offered by The Friends of the Peruvian Hairless Dog Association Monday, could fit the hypoallergenic job description.

“We sent the U.S. Embassy in Peru a letter, asking for an interview with the ambassador to present (the dog) to Obama’s daughters,” said Claudia Gálvez, director of the Friends of the Peruvian Hairless Dog Association.

“Since one of Obama’s daughthers has allergy problems,” Galvez added, “it occurred to us to give her this puppy. This is the only breed of dog that she can have.”

Nicknamed “Ears,” the pup – if sent to the U.S. – would be called Machu Picchu, after Peru’s reknowned Inca citadel and top tourist attraction.

Here Machu Picchu, here boy!

Presidential pets have long been a focus of intense interest in the U.S. According to dogsinthenews.com, every president since Calvin Coolidge has had at least one dog in the White House.

The origins of this very ancient breed are hotly debated. The Peruvian Hairless Dog may have been brought to Peru by groups migrating from Asia to the Americas via the Bering Strait. Others believe he comes from Africa. Nevertheless, representations of the dog on pottery proves that the breed has inhabited Peru for many centuries and existed long before the Incas.

These dogs were sacrificed in certain religious ceremonies, and favorite animals sometimes were killed and buried with their owners. Today, the Peruvian hairless dog has its own special day, celebrated June 12.

Hairless dogs of both Peru and Mexico were valued for their supposed medicinal purposes as it was – and still is – believed that by holding and hugging the dog you can relieve arthritis, rheumatism and other aches and pains. Although their temperatures are within the same range as other breeds, 101-102°, the lack of hair makes them feel warmer to the touch.