XOLOTL, The Soul Companion (2014)

In Aztec mythology, the dog god Xolotl is the Sunset god. He accompanies and guards the Sun into the land of Death every night. The world was said to have been destroyed four times before our present age. After the last destruction wiped out all life, Xolotl and his twin the Fifth Sun Quetzalcoatl ventured into the underworld to retrieve the bones of humanity. From these bones, they restored mankind.

The earthly dog was created from these same bones, and presented to mankind as a gift from the gods. The men were instructed to protect and care for their dogs. In return, when the time comes, their dogs would guide their souls in the afterlife. The deceased soul and its dog companion would wander side by side beneath the earth for four years before finally reaching their ultimate destination, Mictlan.

The Xoloitzcuintli, or Mexican Hairless dog, received his name from the Aztec god Xolotl. The national dog of Mexico, it is one of the oldest and rarest dog breeds in the world, having accompanied mankind for at least 3,000 years.

 To learn more about the Xoloitzcuintli, visit the Xolo Club of America's website.

The Xolotl series won 1st place in the "Animal Kingdom" Life Framer competition (2015).