Escuincle is a term from a word in the Nahuatl language : itzcuintli . This term was used to refer to hairless dogs that are currently known as xoloitzcuintle .
Another important series of interesting data can be highlighted from this type of dog, such as the following:
-It is considered to be one of the oldest breeds of dogs that exist in the world since it is established that it is more than 7,000 years old.
-For the Aztecs it is a very special and important animal. And it is established that it is a gift from the god Xólotl. Specifically, he gave it to men to dedicate itself to guiding the souls of the deceased who traveled to the underworld.
-One of the curiosities that this type of dog has is that it is established that when the Spanish conquered Mexico they proceeded to begin to consume it. Hence, the existence of the aforementioned dog was in serious danger. It is believed that they found an exquisite flavor in the meat of that animal, as well as an important nutritional power.
-Among the most significant curiosities of this dog is also the fact that the Aztecs pressed the animal's skin on the area of the body part that hurt them. And it was believed that he had powers to heal. In particular, we can establish that it was considered to be a great alternative to deal with muscle pain, head discomfort and even to deal with insomnia and asthma problems.
-There are numerous painters who have resorted to showing in their works the pup dogs that concern us. However, among the best known are artists such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, among others.
The use of the concept has changed today. In Mexico , escuincle allows us to refer, in a colloquial and derogatory way, as indicated by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) in its dictionary, to a child . This is because infants also lack hair on their bodies (they do not have beards, mustaches, etc.).
There are those who maintain that, beyond the issue of hair, the current use of the notion can also be related to the commotion that dogs cause when playing. The idea of scuincle, in this case, would not be derogatory, but rather is associated with the tiredness or bad mood that children can cause when they scream and run, causing discomfort in some adults.
For example: “This little boy is driving me crazy, he won't stay still for a minute,” “Shut up the little boys, I want to sleep! “I'm tired of their shouting,” “Everyone is invited to my birthday party, including the family kids.”
Outside of Mexico , escuincle is not a frequently used term. Depending on the region , there are other words of equivalent meaning according to the context, such as pelado , pendejo or crío .
As a curiosity, it can be mentioned that xoloitzcuintle dogs are also called xolos . This last word ( xolo ) led to another term that is usually used in a derogatory way: cholo , used to refer to mestizo individuals or individuals with indigenous features.