The color of skin can be chocolate-brown, elephant-grey, copper, or mottled. They can be totally one color or one color with tongue pink spots. Albinism is not allowed. The eye color is linked to the skin color. It is always brown, but dogs with light colors can have clearer eyes than darker-skinned dogs. The Spanish conquest of Peru brought much larger breeds. Many people avoided Peruvian Hairless strays in cities, believing that they lacked fur because of illness. The breed survived in rural areas where the people believed that they held a mystical value, and because of their reputation to treat arthritis.