Xoloitzcuintle is a rare primitive breed, with numbers at only 30 in Australia after a Western Australian breeder from the Wazzat Xoloitzcuintle Kennel imported the first two in 2009.

A three-month-old hairless Xoloitzcuintle named Eva will be attending the show at the Parkes Showground on Sunday of the two-day event.

The breed is the national treasure of Mexico and the native dog.

“People always like to see the breed,” a representative from Wazzat Xoloitzcuintle said

“They are from Aztec times and were used back then for religious sacrifice, bed warmer, companion and even as a food source.

“The breed almost became extinct and was down to 70 dogs in the 1950s, but through dedicated breeders the breed numbers are now thought to be about 10 to 15,000 worldwide.”

The breed comes in two varieties – hairless and coated, with hairless the more common and well known – and comes in three sizes – miniature, intermediate and standard.

Sixteen-year-old Tiarne Tattersall from Cessnock will be showing Eva at her first show in Parkes in the baby puppy bitch class.

It will be Eva’s second show, after she attends a dog show in Hillsborough on Friday.

Tiarne – who is showing Eva for Wazzat Xoloitzcuintle – has only had Eva for a week, but says she’s ready to perform.

“She’s really well trained already, I’ve done a few practices with her,” Tiarne said.

“Now I’m just bathing her and making sure her skin is nice and soft.”

Tiarne has grown up around showing dogs and last year started competing again after a brief stint when she was nine.

“I’ve always enjoyed doing it,” she said. The show will include three all breeds championships over Saturday and Sunday.