Chinese Crested Dog Breed Information and Pictures

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By Janice Jones   |Last Updated January 13, 2010

Some people not familiar with the Chinese Crested call it ugly and can hardly stand to look at this hairless breed. 

Those that know and love it have an entirely different opinion. They describe the breed as expressive, happy, energetic and very attached to their caregiver. 

Some even go so far as to
call them a “velcro” dog because they like to physically attach themselves to
their person and will hug with their paws.   

The Breed Traits At a Glance

Traits	Rating
Playfulness
Affection Level
Friendliness Towards Strangers
Good with Children
Good with Other Dogs
Good for First Time Owners
Exercise Needed
Ease of Training
Watch Dog Ability
Grooming Requirements
Shedding
Cold Tolerant
Heat Tolerant

*Grooming:  Grooming requirements will vary depending on whether you have a Powderpuff or Hairless.  

Explanations for At a Glance Ratings 

• Playfulness:  Most=5   Less=1
• Affection:  Most=5   Least=1
• Friendliness Towards Strangers:  Most=5  Least=1
• Good with Children:  Good=5   Not Good=1
• Good with Other Dogs:   Good=5   Not Good=1
• Good for First Time Owners:  Good=5  Not Good=1
• Amount of Exercise Required:  Much=5  Minimal=1
• Ease of Training:   Easy=5   Difficult=1
• Watch Dog Ability:   Excellent=5   Poor=1
• Grooming Needs:   Extensive=5  Minimal=1
• Shedding:   Heavy Shedding=5   Minimal Shedding=1
• Cold Tolerance:   Cold Well Tolerated=5    Poorly Tolerated=1
• Heat Tolerance:   Heat Well Tolerated=5   Poorly Tolerated=1

These dogs might be athletic and very agile, but when it
comes right down to it, this breed is fiercely loyal, bond easily to their
owners and will spend the entire day in bed with you if you are sick.

They
enjoy getting outdoors for daily exercise, but they are not a high energy
breed. They are very social, but not your outgoing gregarious type and once
they decide to own you, you’ll have a shadow by your side wherever you go. 

There are two varieties found in this breed: the Hairless,
with silky hair on the head (the crest), tail (plume), and feet (socks); and
the genetically recessive Powderpuff, who has a full coat.

Both variants can be
found in a single litter. They are slender and elegant, but beauty seems to be
in the eyes of the beholder. 

They tend
to win lots of “ugly dog contests.” Beyond their looks, they make very stable
companions and keep their owners laughing and entertained,   

History

Their name suggests that they originated in China, but it is
more likely that they came from Africa or Mexico.

As with other ancient breeds,
there is little in the way of written records, so historians can only
speculate. 

Some have theorized that the
Chinese Crested is the result of the cross breeding of the Mexican Hairless and
the Chihuahua which means they would have originated in Mexico. 

Others have speculated that the Chinese
Crested had evolved from African Hairless Dogs which were reduced in size by
the Chinese. 

Little is known of their ancient history, but it has been
suggested that they accompanied Chinese sailors in 1530 and used to hunt vermin
during the times of the plague. 

The
sailors would also trade them at different ports. The Chinese looked at these
dogs as having magical healing powers, but they also had a more mundane
purpose:  A Living Heating Pad. They
began to appear in European paintings by the 19th century. 

Originally these dogs were called the Chinese
Hairless, Chinese Edible Dog, the Chinese Ship Dog and the Chinese Royal
Hairless.

It’s unclear when the breed arrived in North America, but
the first breed club was founded in 1974 in the United States.

It was
recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1985 as part of its Miscellaneous
class, and was accepted for full registration in 1991. Thus, this ancient breed
is relatively new to America.

Personality/Temperament

Alert, happy and highly intelligent, the Crested adores his owners. They love to kiss and snuggle and make excellent lap dogs. 

They are considered to be friendly, but can be wary of strangers.  But to their favorite person, they will devote their entire existence.   

They need frequent socialization and training because they are naturally suspicious of strangers, even to the point of biting them.   

Expect kisses and lots of snuggle time in your lap from this happy, loving little guy once he comes to accept you as his pack.  The breed has been labeled “needy” due to his high social drive to bond to his people and his distrust of strangers, but each Crested is different and shows a range of personality traits.

These dogs don’t have the same tendency to show separation anxiety when being left alone as some small breed dogs do. 

According to Dr. Wendy Ryan, DVM, from Cloud9ChineseCresteds,

They are capable of climbing and digging if need be to escape their confinement.  But when you are near, they are fine, relatively quiet and content.  They do bark if they hear something and as such make good watch dogs, just not good guard dogs. 

These dogs do well in apartments, urban, suburban and rural locales.  They cannot tolerate the cold but do surprisingly well in hot temperatures. 

Most owners will protect the Crested from the cold with sweaters and coats as needed.  As far as heat is concerned, high temperatures don’t seem to bother them and they seem to love a good sunbath.

Another surprising fact about these guys is they rarely pant and
don’t drink water the way you would expect them to on a hot summer day. They do
well in apartments and any other type of dwelling.

The Chinese Crested is a
wonderful family dog who is playful, affectionate, and endearing.

These dogs should not be left alone in a fenced enclosure
because they might disappear on you. 

They are very agile, can scale six foot fences or even dig under them. Once
they manage to sample the grass on the other side of the fence, they’re
gone.  They are fast and stubborn making
it hard to recapture them. 

Chinese
Cresteds are popular in conformation, obedience and agility competitions due to
their athletic nature. 

Remember that temperament is affected by a number of
factors, including heredity, early experiences, training, and socialization.
This is true for all breeds, so the information on this breed found on this pge, can vary from one dog to the next.

Chinese Cresteds are generally easy to train but they have a
stubborn streak, which means you need patience. Positive reinforcement is the
only route, and correction needs to be handled sensitively, because the breed
can be naturally timid.

Grooming

Chinese Crested are relatively low shedders but not
necessarily hypoallergenic as one might expect. 

Since there are two versions of this breed, the hairless and the
Powderpuff, each requiring different grooming, we will address each
separately. 

The Hairless Chinese Crested is bald except for soft, flowing
hair on the head, feet, and tail.

Hair on the body should be shaved to protect
the skin. The Hairless should be bathed frequently with a high-quality shampoo,
at least every week or two.  

Because he
can be prone to minor skin problems, such as acne, check for any blackheads
while grooming. There is some debate as to whether this breed needs sunscreen
or moisturizers on their skin. 

Some say
it is necessary to prevent them from getting sunburned and others say it lead
to skin problems. If you do decide to use sunscreen, purchase the ones specifically designed for dogs.

Powderpuff coats come in all colors and in combinations of
mahogany, blue, lavender, or copper.

They can be solid or spotted. The skin
tones of the Hairless are pink and black. The Powderpuff requires much more work. 

They have a silky double coat with an soft
undercoat that will mat easily if not brushed and combed regularly. 

The best type of brush to use is a pin or
bristle brush and the use of a metal comb will help with removing mats.  The hair between the food pads also needs to
be removed.  Some people will shave the
face.

Both varieties will need to have regular dental care, nail
clips, and ear checks.  Brushing his teeth
two or three times a week can reduce the number of times he will need
professional cleaning under anesthesia. 

His nails should be trimmed once or twice a month if he does not wear
them down naturally.  His ears should be
checked for redness and bad odor, which would indicate an infection and usually
a trip to the vet. 

You can help prevent
infections by keeping them clean with a gentle ear cleaner and a cotton ball

Health Concerns

Cresteds are generally healthy, but like all breeds, they’re
prone to certain health conditions.

Not all Cresteds will get any or all of
these diseases, but it’s important to be aware of them if you’re considering
this breed.

Just in case you have read the descriptions on other small breed
dogs, you might see a pattern emerging. 
Most small breed dogs are prone to similar aliments. 

Keratoconjunctivitis
Sicca

Legg-Calve-Perthes
Disease

Progressive
Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

Dental
Issues

Please Pin for Future Reference

National Breed
Clubs

American Chinese Crested Club

Need More Information?

These books can be purchased from your neighborhood bookstore or through Amazon (usually much cheaper).  Do check them out if you are serious about owning a Chinese Crested Dog.