Chinese Crested

The Chinese Crested dog breed originated from China. It is part of the UKC, Companion Dog Group, and the AKC, Toy Group. This dog breed is believed to have come from African hairless dogs that were brought to Asia by traders. These dogs were then bred again, and after many generations were of a much smaller size. The Chinese were experts at breeding mini sized dog breeds.

Brief History

The Chinese Crested travelled aboard the Chinese trading vessels. This breed was used to catch rats on ships. They were also traded between sailors at ports in South Africa, Turkey, and Egypt. They were even found in South America.

During the 1880’s, Ida Garrett and Deborah Woods, a dog breeder promoted the Chinese Crested Dog in the U.S. In 1979 the Chinese Crested Club was formed. In 1991, The Chinese Crested Dog Breed was registered in the AKC Stud Book. This dog is also nicknamed “The Dr. Seuss Dog.”

Physical Description

The Chinese Crested dog breed is a fine-boned, small, toy dog breed. There are different varieties born in the same litter. The Hairless with hair on the head, tail, and feet, and the Powderpuff, with the entire body covered with hair. With almond-shaped brown eyes, and uncropped, large and erect ears, the Chinese Crested has a wedge-shaped head.

When in movement the tail is carried upward gaily, when not in motion, the tail is down. In the Hairless Chinese Crested, two-thirds of the tail is covered with pluming. With the Powderpuff variety, the entire tail is covered with hair. The hair texture is soft and silky. This can flow to any length. Where there is no hair, the Chinese Crested has smooth skin. The Hairless variety can have hair on ears and face. This is a happy and alert dog breed.

Temperament

The Chinese Crested dog breed is an active toy breed, that is happy and alert. This is a playful and inquisitive dog breed that adores everyone. That said, this dog breed, like all others needs to have socialization and positive dog training starting from puppyhood.

When dogs are socialized, they do well with children, other dogs and people. This dog breed becomes attached to his dog parent and is almost clingy, hence the name “Velcro” dogs. They are also very lovable, and will hug their immediate family and friends by holding their paws around the neck.

This dog breed climbs, and is very playful. It is a superb breed to have at home. They are not super active, and are great for first time dog parents.

Special Needs

They do well with apartment living, but must be exercised a few times a day. This dog breed thrives on being the center of attention, and adores dog vacays and travel! Sunblock and extra care must be taken to protect this dog breed from extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. Skin care must be a priority with the Chinese Crested Dog Breed! This dog breed should only fly in cabin class, and never go in cargo. Although a playful dog breed, it is still extremely fragile and does not do well with loud noises, extreme temperatures, and being isolated for long periods of time.

Possible Health Concerns

The Chinese Crested is a very healthy and active dog breed that may be susceptible to the following health problems:

• Epilepsy is an inherited disease that causes seizures. The Chinese Crested will generally require treatment with anticonvulsants from their veterinarians.
• Patella Luxation: This is where the groove in the knee joint is not deep enough to hold the patella in place, resulting in the patella slipping out on either side. This painful condition can be corrected with surgery.
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is another common hereditary eye disease in this dog breed. This is an expensive health issue, and early detection is critical to the well-being and vision of your dog. PRA can lead to blindness.
• Legg-Perthes Disease. This is the deterioration of the top of the femur, and is common in young miniature and small dog breeds. Symptoms are hindlimb lameness, thigh muscle deterioration, hip joint pain when moving. Treatment involves surgical removal of part of the affected femoral head.

Exercise

The Chinese Crested dog breed needs regular daily walks and off-leash trips to the dog park and beach. Although this breed is small, exercise is crucial for good health and mental stimulation. That said, the Chinese Crested enjoys going everywhere. Trips to the mall, bookstore and for ice-cream are always welcome! This breed enjoys hanging out at home, and is very easy to look after. Canine sunblock and extra care must be taken to protect this dog breed from extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. Skin care must be a priority with the Chinese Crested Dog Breed!

Nutrition

Feed your Chinese Crested the best high-quality dog food that you can afford. Many toy/smaller dog breeds do well on home cooked meals. A high-quality, balanced diet should be discussed with your veterinarian prior to feeding home-cooked meals, so as to ensure that your Chinese Crested is getting everything he needs.

Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Feed a diet from a well-known, reputable company. Contact them with any questions of concern.
• The labels on any diet should meet the levels established by the AAFCO Control Officials and/ or feeding trials.
• All dog food diets should have the following statement “Animal Feeding tests using the AAFCO procedures substantiate that “Brand X” provides completed and balanced nutrition for growth (or maintenance.)
• Feed puppy’s, puppy food and be sure to feed a small breed like the Chinese Crested puppy, a small/toy breed puppy diet.
• Feeding a large dog diet can cause small dogs like the Chinese Crested to grow too quickly, and can lead to serious growth abnormalities and “growing pains.”
• There is no “best diet”-dogs are individuals. A diet that works for one dog may not be the best for another. Age, energy level and individual medical concerns play a large role for each Chinese Crested dog.
• The recommended guidelines on bags often contain more calories than some dogs need. Check with your veterinarian for the best nutritional advice.
• Feed a complete and balanced food for the appropriate life stage of your dog.

Dog parents need to understand that the life stage that a dog food is marketed for, may not be the same life stage for which the food actually meets the minimum requirements. Consult with your veterinarian if you need advice about which dog food to feed your Chinese Crested.

Grooming

Although this dog breed has very little to no hair, all the attention needs to be focused on the skin. Protection and care of the Chinese Crested skin is of the uttermost importance to prevent skin allergies, sunburn, skin cancer, and skin irritations with hot spots.

Your veterinarian will need to prescribe acne lotions, skin lotions, and a canine sunscreen to maintain healthy skin. The Chinese Crested is prone to dental problems. That said, daily dental brushing with the use of chew toys, and dental treats help prevent plaque. Weekly bathing is recommended with a gentle, organic canine shampoo for sensitive skins. Weekly ear checks and cleanings are necessary, as is the monthly pawdicure for this fun breed.

Adopting a Chinese Crested

This very small dog breed does well with attentive dog parents. The Chinese Crested enjoys travel, and being around people. Potential pet parents to this dog breed should be active, and enjoy taking the Chinese Crested with them for outings. These inquisitive and friendly dogs are so easygoing. By providing positive puppy training classes and early socialization skills, you can teach your Chinese Crested to get along with dogs, other people, and other animals.

As with any dog adoption, make sure that you have the time and resources to take good care of your Chinese Crested. This is such a wonderful breed to adopt, but will need plenty of one-on-one time.

Chinese Crested Breeders in the USA

Breeders in the Canada