Description

There are two very distinct coat types to the Chinese Crested Dog. The first one is the one that most people are familiar with which is the hairless variety. These small dogs have hair on the head, ears, tail and feet and the rest of the body appears to be skin, although a very fine downy hair actually exists. The second and less commonly recognized variety of the Chinese Crested in the Powder Puff. These dogs have a full, thick and long coat of fine, silky hair that is uniformly long all over the body. It is interesting to note that both the Powder Puff and the Hairless varieties of the Chinese Crested Dog will be found in the same litter and there is really no way to predict what variety will occur between a particular mating.

The head of the Chinese Crested Dog is very fox like in shape and overall appearance. It is a wedge shape when viewed either from straight above or to the side, with a noticeable stop and a finely tapering muzzle. The skull is slightly dome shaped or rounded between the ears. The eyes are almond shaped, very dark, alert and rather intense or focused looking. The ears are left natural and are not cropped and are spaced well to the sides of the head. In a soft triangular shape, they stick out to the sides of the head, not towards the top of the head as in most breeds. Often in the hairless variety there is rather poor tooth alignment and even some missing teeth, although in the Powder Puff all teeth should be present in the show dogs.

The neck of the Chinese Crested Dog is long and graceful and positioned high on the shoulders. It is usually somewhat arched, giving the dog a very refined and aloof appearance. The shoulders are very sloping and the body tends to be narrow. The ribcage and chest are proportional and there is a noticeable tuck up at the abdomen, especially obvious in the hairless Chinese Crested Dog. The tail is long and tapered, carried parallel to the ground when the dog is in motion and curving gently upwards when the dog is stopped. In the Powder Puff variety the tail is completely covered in hair and in the Hairless the tail should be covered at least 2/3rds in long, silky hair. The legs are well developed and straight with heavy hair covering on the feet in both varieties.

The Chinese Crested Dog should move gracefully and actively without excessive leg action. In the ring they should have a natural jauntiness or proud carriage and should be well behaved, neither aggressive or timid in temperament.

Coat Description

The coat of the Powder Puff is uniformly long and silky over the entire body. Hairless Chinese Crested Dog will have varying amounts of long silky hair on the head, ears, lower legs and tail but elsewhere on the body there will only be a very fine down which is almost unnoticeable.

History

Unlike the what the name would indicate, the Chinese Crested Dog is believed to have originated from the African hairless dog breed. It was then discovered by Chinese sailors and merchants traveling to African ports and used on their ships as ratters. When the breed was brought back to China they were bred smaller and with a greater emphasis on temperament, then redistributed in trading ventures as the "Chinese Hairless" or "Chinese Crested".

Another theory is that the Chinese Crested Dog actually developed with the Aztecs by breeding the Mexican Hairless with the Chihuahua. It is believed that the Aztecs actually used these dogs as companion dogs but also as bedwarmers in the cold months. These dogs may have also been used for human consumption at special events in the Aztec calendar. Regardless of the exact lineage the Chinese Crested Dog is certainly a unique and different type of dog that has attracted a specific type of dog lover throughout its history.

In the 1800\'s the breed became known in Europe and North America, specifically the United States. It did not become a recognized breed by the American Kennel Club until 1991 but is steadily increasing in popularity among rare dog breed fanciers.

Temperament

For a family that wants a loving, funny and very intelligent dog that is relatively easy to care for a Chinese Crested Dog may be just the answer. They are ideal pets for virtually all types of families and individuals provided they have fairly constant contact with humans. They are not a good breed of dog if you have a busy household where people are gone for long periods of time. Bred and developed as a companion dog the Chinese Crested Dog does need lots of time with the family and will resort to negative and problematic behaviors when left alone.

The Chinese Crested Dog is one breed of dog that does bond very strongly to its owners. They will often form a very close bond with one or two people in the family and often this bond is for the life of the dog. Even when these people leave the house the dog will continue to wait for them or to look for them. The Chinese Crested Dog is very difficult to rehome or adopt for this reason and most breeders are highly selective about choosing which families will best suit the breed.

As a very intelligent dog the Chinese Crested Dog requires little in the way of specialized training but will definitely benefit from a puppy obedience class. Some of the breed may be somewhat headstrong and stubborn as puppies, however this is usually more of a phase they go through rather than an actual type of temperament. The Chinese Crested Dog will learn to love climbing up on a lap or on a favorite spot on the couch and just being close.

The Chinese Crested Dog may be timid around new people, sudden noises and other changes in the environment. Taking them out in public, providing lots of socialization as well as allowing them to just play and act as dogs is important.

Thyroid Disease - Medium Risk

The Chinese Crested ranks #57 among all breeds for autoimmune thyroiditis prevalence. While this is not a high risk breed, there is still a good chance of disease transmission through breeding. Therefore, all dogs intended for breeding should be tested first. 

You can download the full report (on all breeds) by the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. Here

Other Health Problems

As with all dogs the Chinese Crested Dog has some health conditions that owners should be aware of. These health conditions can be screened typically when the dogs are very young and can also be largely prevented by testing the potential breeding pair. The most common health issues include:

• Patellar Luxation - dislocation of the kneecaps, common in all small breeds and some of the larger breeds.
• Legg Calve Perthes Disease - a degeneration of the femur causing joint immobility and pain
• Skin allergies - particularly to wool and lanolin products 
• Dental problems - often this breed is born with incomplete teeth both as puppies and adults. Teeth tend to fall out at an early age and also have extreme tartar build up.

In addition the hairless variety of Chinese Crested Dog are very prone to acne like break outs on the skin and also are very prone to sunburn. Applying sunscreen to the dog is essential in the summer months as is having them properly protected from the cold even when outside in the winter months.