The Chiribaya Dog (Spanish: perro Chiribaya) or Peruvian Shepherd Dog (perro pastor Peruano) was a pre-Columbian breed of dog from the southwest of Peru, identified by the 42 mummies discovered by anthropologist Sonia Guillén Oneglio in the Ilo District, Moquegua Region, on the southern coast of Peru. It has been established that it was a llama herding dog. The dogs were not only an important part of the social structure of the ancient Peruvians, but they received special treatment after death as well. The dog variety has been referred to in various Spanish-language documentaries under different terms, such as el perro pastor Chribaya ('the Chiribaya shepherd dog') and pastor Peruano ('Peruvian shepherd'), though the ancient Peruvians did not keep sheep. Its original name is unknown (it has been referred to more ambiguously by the term perro Peruano or perro del Perú ('Peruvian dog', 'dog of Peru'), but this has also been applied to an extant but ancient hairless variety, referred to in more detail as perro sin pelo del Perú, 'hairless dog of Peru', or the Peruvian Inca Orchid, a favorite in South American dog shows).
Also known as
This breed is also called Chiribaya Shepherd, Chiribaya Shepherd [Dog] as well as Peruvian Shepherd [Dog].
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