A recent New York Times article, “It’s a Bone of Contention: Mexico and Brazil Are Arguing Over Dogs” caught my attention. This article highlights an ongoing “argument” between Brazil and Mexico over which country can rightfully claim the Caramelo dog as its own.

The Caramelo dog is the typical street dog of Latin America. A recent genetics study determined the dogs are neither exclusively Brazilian nor Mexican but a mash-up mutt descended from dogs brought by Portuguese colonial settlers and, later, by immigrants from Italy, Germany, Spain and Japan.

Since the New York Times article did not come to a conclusion regarding the nationality of this canine cultural treasure, I decided to ask experts on dogs to weigh in on the Caramelo. I spoke with two of my colleagues from the World Small Animal Association’s Oncology Committee, one from Brazil and the other from Mexico. Here is a condensed version of our conversation.

My Mexican colleague, Dr. Martin Soberano and my Brazilian colleague, Dr. Rodrigo Horta, a professor from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), agreed that the Caramelo originated in the urban areas of Latin America, not in one specific country. Yet each country has its own name for this caramel-colored dog. In Brazil, they are known as vira-lata caramelo and are celebrated in memes, movies and at Carnival. In Mexico, people often affectionately call these mixed-breed street dogs “Firulais.”

Dr. Soberano remarked, “There’s even a popular urban legend that the name comes from the English phrase ‘free of lice,’ supposedly used by United States border inspectors to describe healthy dogs crossing the border. Whether the story is true or not, Firulais has become an iconic nickname for Mexican Caramelo dogs.”

The current cultural rivalry evolved when Mexican authorities recognized the “Perro Caramelo” as a symbolic Mexican dog to promote adoption and appreciation of mixed-breed dogs. But Brazilians had already claimed the dog as their own and felt Mexico had usurped their beloved cultural symbol.

When I asked why Brazil had adopted the Caramelo as their symbol, Professor Horta gave this thoughtful response: “Because they represent resilience, adaptability, and the ‘mixed’ identity of Brazil itself, which is a country of rich miscegenation. In many ways, it reflects Brazil’s own social and genetic diversity, not ‘purebred,’ but strong, resourceful, and deeply recognizable.”

Dr. Soberano’s response from the Mexican viewpoint was equally insightful. “The recognition of the Perro Carmelo was more about giving visibility and dignity to mixed-breed dogs than about taking them from Brazil and claiming them as a new [Mexican] national breed. [These dogs] are resilient, intelligent, and very much a part of our everyday life.”

Since all three of us are veterinarians, the conversation naturally shifted to health and disease. Both Dr. Soberano and Professor Horta agreed that the Caramelo’s genetic diversity reduced the risk of inherited diseases common to purebred dogs. I concurred, and you can read more on the topic of hybrid vigor in a prior blog post.

However, despite their genetic diversity, Caramelo dogs are not disease-proof. Because many are urban strays, their genetic background cannot protect them against infectious diseases, parasites, poor nutrition and lack of veterinary care.

This conversation had much more agreement than I expected. Perhaps that’s because, as veterinarians, my colleagues were more interested in seeing these dogs get fur-ever homes and access to veterinary care than in pursuing a cultural rivalry with little scientific basis.

For those intrigued by this Latin American cultural icon, the Netflix Brazilian movie Caramelo, is a heartwarming way to learn more about the vira-lata caramelo, Firulais or the Perro Caramelo — whatever name you prefer for this beloved caramel-colored mutt.