I've done my best to list common questions with their answers on this page. I'll update it over time! If there's a question you have not answered on this page, then feel free to reach out!

Solstice Xolo Questions

1. How much are your puppies?

I charge the same amount for all puppies, whether they are show quality or not, coated or hairless. The current price is $2000, but may change after our first litter depending on what it ends up costing to rear each puppy. 

2. At what age do you breed your dogs?

The absolute minimum before a dog is considered for breeding is that they are FULLY health tested (not just preliminary testing.) Per OFA standards, hips and elbows cannot be tested for dysplasia until 24 months of age, all other tests can be done between 12 and 18 months. For this reason our minimum age for breeding is 2 years. However I do prefer to wait longer than that. Many Xolos don't finish maturing until around 3-4 years old. For bitches, I want a maiden litter to occur between 2 and 5 years of age. For dogs, I will collect semen at 18-24 months old (best motility and sperm count) but may not actually breed him until 5-10 years of age to confirm the absence of disease which may not appear until later in life. 

3. How do you decide a dog is worth breeding?

Not every dog should be bred, and no dog NEEDS to be bred. This means that there is never a certainty, when keeping back a puppy, that it will mature into a dog I want to breed. The first two determining factors for me are structure and temperament. The dog must meet the breed standard, and be structurally sound and stable. For conformation I personally breed by the FCI standard, as it comes directly from the Mexican Kennel Club, the country of origin for Xoloitzcuintli. As far as color, I prefer the less restrictive AKC and UKC standards, which call for a better understanding of the behavior of genetics in coated vs hairless Xolos (feel free to check out my Xolo Info page for a break down of this.) Temperament is extremely important. A dog with a poor temperament will be castrated, period. In Xolos I tolerate adolescent reactivity, but it must diminish with age (and training.) I do not tolerate dog aggression or human aggression. As they're a primitive breed, I expect animal aggression in the form of prey drive towards small animals. I look for a stable, confident dog that can recover quickly from stress, is appropriately neutral towards unfamiliar people and friendly towards familiar people, and is able to settle well in a variety of environments. When a dog has met my requirements for temperament and meets the breed standard, then the next part is health testing. All health clearances must be passed. While an OFA hips clearance of Fair is considered passing, in the Xolo breed (which is not prone to hip dysplasia) I prefer a score of Good. DNA testing will help further determine viability of a breeding prospect. Then it is just a matter of proving the dog via titling and trialing.