Appearance

 

At first glance, the "Hairless" and "Powderpuff" varieties of Chinese Crested Dogs appear to be two different breeds, but hairlessness is a dominant trait within a single breed. The Hairless has soft, humanlike skin, as well as tufts of fur on its paws ("socks") and tail ("plume") and long, flowing hair on its head ("crest"). This hair is referred to as “furnishings”. Both hairless and puffs are fine-boned, elegant, and graceful. Hairless and Powderpuff are born in the same litters with one another.

 

The Hairless Crested can vary in it’s amount of body hair. Hair on the muzzle, known as a beard, is not uncommon. A true Hairless often does not have much in the way of furnishings. Their hair generally covers less than a quarter of the body. A standard or moderate Hairless will have a bit more hair, perhaps running down the spine and more hair further up the legs requiring some grooming before they can be shown. The Hairy Hairless can have almost a full coat of hair and truly flashy furnishings. They often require a lot in the way of grooming.  The difference between a very hairy Hairless and a Powderpuff is that the Hairless has a single coat, often with some hairless parts on the body, while the Powderpuff has a thick double coat. The skin of the Hairless comes in a variety of colors, ranging from a pale flesh to black. Hairless cresteds often lack a full set of teeth, but this is not considered a fault.

 

The look of the Powderpuff varies according to how it is groomed. When its fur is completely grown out on its face, it strongly resembles a terrier; however, the Powderpuff is usually shaved around the snout as a standard cut, and they are sometimes mistaken for poodles. A puff’s hair is incredibly soft. Due to its coat type, being hair rather than fur, both Powderpuff and Hairless are considered good pets for allergy victims, as they do not produce the dander that cause allergy flareups.

 

Temperament

 

Chinese Cresteds tend to be affectionate, energetic, alert, and playful. They are an entertaining companion and are considered great family pets, with endearing personalities. They are great with children that treat them gently and respectfully. People should be taught not to be rough with this breed as it is friendly, but it does not have the protective hair that other breeds have and can get injured easily. Puppies should be well-socialized and exposed to loud noises when young to avoid potential timidity. If its owners do not baby them, these dogs grow up to be a very well-adjusted dogs. They have an ability to perform tricks and are generally good with other pets. They are not barkers. Chinese Crested Dogs like to climb and dig holes. Since they have no natural protective coat, the hairless should wear a sweater in cold weather (even the boys!)

 

Chinese Crested Dogs crave constant companionship. They are generally happy lap-dogs with candid personalities. In addition, Chinese Cresteds do not tend to be a "one-person" dog, spotting one particular member of the family as their "owner" seeing as how many of the Chinese cresteds are happy with anyone. Though most cresteds are like that, sometimes they will choose to be attached to a certain person. Often, this person is the one who gives the dog the most safe and secure feeling, and the dog would clearly show its affection towards him/her above others in the family. A common nickname for a Chinese Crested is “velcro dog,” as they love being plastered to any part of a person’s body they can reach. They are smart animals and learn quickly, but they can also be stubborn as they have a mind of their own.

 

They make great therapy dogs, particularly for the elderly, sick, or infirm. Since they love being with people anyway, they will happily lay on or beside you and offer their body heat to keep you toasty warm until you are ready for them to move. This is a very safe alternative to heating pads or other warmers, as you cannot get burned by them no matter how long they lay in one spot.

 

Exercise

 

Cresteds are good for apartment living as they are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard. These dogs do well with just regular sessions of play, although they do enjoy brisk walks. We find an average living room offers “mountains”, “caves”, and “trampolines” for them to have quite inventive play times.

 

Grooming

 

Chinese Crested are very clean, with little or no “doggie odor” and are not prone to fleas or ticks. While considered generally low maintenance, proper grooming of the Crested requires a little work for both varieties. The Puffs have a very soft and fine double-coat that requires full brushing every other day to avoid matting. Although a Puff's coat does not continuously grow like that of some other breeds, it can be quite long at full length and some owners choose to put their Puffs into a "pony cut." This lower-maintenance option keeps the body hair and facial hair short, leaving the crest, feathers, and tail plume at full length.

 

Maintenance of the Hairless variety's skin is similar to maintaining human skin and as such it can be susceptible to acne, dryness, and sunburn. The skin of the hairless is surprisingly tough. They should be bathed at least 1 – 2 times a week with baby shampoo or antibacterial soaps to avoid acne and other skin conditions (some dogs shower with their owners every day). Hypoallergenic moisturizing creams like Cetaphil or Aveeno Sensitive Skin can keep the skin from becoming too dry when applied every fews days and immediately after bathing. Sunburns can occur in regions that lend themselves to strong UV-rays, especially in lighter-skinned dogs. Many owners apply baby sunscreen to their pets before spending time in strong sun. Avoid Lanolin based products as this can cause negative reactions including inflamed skin and hair loss.

 

Unless the dog is a "True" Hairless (one with virtually no hair growth on non-extremities), trimming and/or shaving must be performed to remove stubble growth. Many owners use a clipper for the face and ears and to remove any longer growth that was allowed to occur, and then use a variety of methods to achieve complete hair removal of non-extremeties. Commonly used methods include a man's razor and hypoallergenic shaving cream, waxing, and electric razors. Some people have had success with hair removal cream, although one should be sure to apply an amount to a small test area to be sure no adverse reaction occurs.

 

The Chinese Crested is further distinguished by its "hare foot," (having more elongated toes) as opposed to the "cat foot" common to most other dogs. Because of this the quicks of Cresteds run deeper into their nails, so care must be taken not to trim the nails too short to avoid pain and bleeding.

 

Health

 

Due to the relative rarity of the Chinese Crested Dog, and generally speaking, this breed has not been ill-bred enough to develop many congenital diseases found in more popular Toy Breeds. There are, however, some lines prone to the conditions below.

 

Cresteds have what is called a "primitive mouth." This means that most of their teeth are pointy like their canines. Hairless varieties of the Cresteds can be prone to poor dentition when they come from a line that was bred Hairless to Hairless for multiple generations. Poor dentition may include missing or crowded teeth and teeth prone to decay when not properly cared for. Some breeders advise new owners not to give their puppies hard toys to chew on lest the pups lose their teeth! This problem is mostly avoided in lines that do not feature multiple pairings of Hairless to Hairless parents. Most dogs of the Puff variety have few, if any, dental defects.

 

Eyes can be a major concern within the breed, having at least two forms of progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) which can eventually lead to blindness. Breeders concerned about the health of the breed genetically test and annually certify their stock. Many register their stock's certifications with the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF).

As with all other Toy Breeds, the Cresteds can be prone to patellar luxation. This inheritable condition is caused by shallow knee joints (stifles) and results in kneecaps that pop out of place. Its onset is often at a young age, and can cause temporary to permanent lameness based on the severity. Breeders concerned about the health of the breed have their stock certified free of patellar luxation and registered with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).

 

Some Crested dogs are prone to allergies, especially if care is not taken with breeding. Dietary allergies seem to be most common in Cresteds fed a diet that is heavily composed of wheat, corn, or soy products. Many premium name-brand foods are based on these products, and it may come as a relief to know that a web search can generate a list of cheaper and higher quality foods.

 

Many allergic reactions of the skin of Hairless Cresteds are caused by topical products containing lanolin (wool fat) and other sheep wool products. Some other allergies peculiar to Cresteds include Aloe vera gel and strong fragrances contained in skin care products.

 

The lifespan of a Chinese Crested Dog can be quite impressive. Many well-cared-for and healthily-bred Cresteds live to see 15 years or more.

 

History

 

Though possibly associated with China since the 13th century, some believe the Hairless mutation originated in Africa, and others believe it may be a cross of the Chihuahua and Mexican Hairless Dog, which it resembles. It is sometimes said that this breed (among others, such as the Rhodesian Ridgeback) belongs to a different species from most dogs, namely Canis africanus; but it is not firmly established either that such a species exists or that the Chinese Crested originated in Africa. It is also possible that this dog originated from two breeds of dogs, one coming from Africa, one from China. It is now believed that the dog has no correlation or genetic relation to the Mexican Hairless dog. It is more closely related to the Basenji. Recent DNA has established that the dog is of African origin and shares genes with the Basenji. The Peruvian or Mexican hairless has no connection to the Chinese crested.

 

The Chinese, who seemed to favor dogs of smaller size, selectively bred the African hairless to a smaller size and continued an active trade. Explorers, as early as the 1500s, found these dogs in ports throughout Central and South America as well as African and Asian cities. Although there is an anecdotal history of hairless dogs in many seaports (apart from the hairlessness, it is unclear how closely these dogs resemble the modern Chinese Crested), European visitors in the 1700s remarked in particular on hairless dogs in Chinese port cities, as well as dogs owned by Chinese sailors plying the African trade route. Paintings of the breed (and later, photographs) reached Europe in the 1800s.

 

Early Chinese Cresteds may have been valued as ratters (ratcatchers), both on ships and in agricultural communities, though such traits are rarely evident in the breed today. The breed has also been called the Chinese Edible Dog, the Chinese Hairless Dog, the Chinese Ship Dog, the Chinese Royal Dog. Chinese healers often used them as living heating pads.

Chinese Cresteds joined the breeds depicted in European art and architecture in the 19th century. The breed is also represented in photos of English competitions from the era, but no breeding program was evidenced. The Crested acquired an active and enthusiastic following in the United States in the early 1900's. Breeders kept an extensive stud book and registry beginning in the 1930's. The Chinese Crested was officially recognised by the FCI in 1987,in the UK Kennel Club in 1981 and by the American Kennel Club in 1991. The USA parent club is the American Chinese Crested Club.