Bologna, Italy — The Xoloitzcuintle, Mexico’s iconic hairless dog breed, made a strong impression at the World Dog Show 2026, held June 3-7 at the BolognaFiere exhibition center. The event, organized by the Italian Kennel Club under the patronage of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), is the world’s most prestigious canine competition.
Thousands of dogs from over 300 breeds competed in three circuits: the main World Dog Show for the World Champion title, the ENCI Winner 2026 for Italian championship titles, and specialized club shows. The event also featured the FCI Dog Dancing World Championship, the FCI World Challenge of Top Dogs, agility and obedience trials, and a Junior Handler competition.
The Mexican delegation, led by the Mexican Kennel Club (FCM), showcased the Xoloitzcuintle in all three sizes — standard, medium, and miniature — and both coated and hairless varieties. On June 6, breeders and handlers celebrated what they called “the great Xolo party at the world show,” waving Mexican flags as the dogs paraded in the FCI Group V category.
The breed’s success builds on previous achievements. At the 2024 World Dog Show in Helsinki, the Mexican-born Xoloitzcuintle “Calaco” (Master Rock Calaco) won first place in Group V and earned Reserve Best in Show, an unprecedented feat for the breed. In Bologna, descendants of Mexican bloodlines continued to excel, earning top marks from international judges.
At the closing ceremony on June 7, the FCI flag was passed to the next host countries: Austria for 2027 and Mexico City for 2028. The FCI-FCM World Dog Show Mexico 2028 will take place November 2-5 at the Centro Citibanamex, coinciding with Day of the Dead celebrations. The Xoloitzcuintle, revered in pre-Hispanic tradition as a spiritual guide for souls in the underworld, will serve as the event’s central figure and ambassador.
