The Chinese Crested… Everything You Need to Know at a Glance!

Despite the fact that this dog has a name that would seem better suited for that of a dragon, we can assure you that the Chinese Crested is in fact a real dog.  A dog that truly proves that beauty really is….

“In the of the beholder!”

After all…

It seems like just about every year, on of these fantastic little creatures is in the running for winning the very popular “Ugliest Dog in the World” competition and has even one the competition on several occasions!

But that’s alright…

Because we here at IndulgeYourPet happened to think they look fabulous and considering how good they are with kids, they are certainly one of our favorite small dog breeds around!

But will a Chinese Crested be right for you?

That’s the real question and one that we have no way of answering, so instead, we’re going to use this article to highlight some of the pros and cons of owning a Chinese Crested so that you’ll be better prepared to answer that question for yourself.

Chinese Crested Fast facts

Origin:  Debatable

Original purpose: Small game hunter, companionship

Hight: Approximately 1 foot

Weight: 5 to 15 pounds

Hypoallergenic:  Yes

Dog Breed Class:  Toy group

Where did this Unearthly Beauties come from?

Today, there is still quite a bit of debate surrounding the origins of the Chinese Crested dog.  You see, over the centuries, “hairless dog” mutations have arisen all over the world leaving many to speculate that the Chinese Crested may have originated from a variety of different locations including Mexico, with the Mexican Hairless dog as well as in Africa with hairless breeds found there.

And while it is true…

That these hairless dog mutations have existed, what seems to be the most agreed upon theory of the Chinese Crested dog breed is that these dogs were first imported to China from Africa where they were then “selectively breed” to become smaller by the Chinese many centuries ago.

In fact…

Evidence shows that the Chinese Crested breed existed as early as the 13^th century within China where it was often used on Chinese boats to catch mice and rats as well as act as mascots and companions for the sailors.

It wasn’t…

Until the early 1800’s that the Chinese Crested first began to make an appearance in Europe where it was often depicted in art and later photographs when the Chinese Crested finally stated to become known (and appreciated) worldwide.

Ironically…

Despite how clearly “unique” these little guys are, it wasn’t until the mid 1980’s that the Federation Cynologique acknowledged finally decided to acknowledge this little breed as being unique.  And while most fans of the Chinese Crested dog breed might think that was bad enough, the American Kennel Club didn’t get around to acknowledging this breed until 1991!

The good news is…

That right around the early 1990’s both organizations finally did get around to “officially” recognizing these little guys and define them as “fine boned, elegant and graceful” and agree with many of the fans of this breed who say that they have an equestrian sort of look and feel about them.

This is because…

Unlike many other “types” of dogs, these little guys do seem inherently graceful… and their run does somewhat resemble a trot… which is just another reason why we here at IndulgeYourPet love these little guys!

What will he look like?

Well, if you’ve never actually seen a Chinese Crested,  you’re in for a treat!  But you should know, there are actually two different “types” of Chinese Crested.

• The hairless Chinese Crested
• Or the Powderpuff.

The first has hair on his head, around his paws and at his tail. Whereas, the Powderpuff has hair everywhere, and looks somewhat like a very delicate cloud. This is because of a semi-dominant gene that can make your pup hairless. Weirdly, a litter by a hairless mother and father will give both hairless and Powderpuff varieties of the breed – but a litter from Powderpuff (or Puff) parents will not… In either genetic instance he will weigh no more than fifteen pounds, have tiny little paws and melt your heart.

The Crested is known for…

Its silky coat and silkier big ears, and even the hairless variety does have some kind of coat.

It should be noted that…

Regardless of “which” kind of Chinese Crested puppy you prefer, each of these lap dogs will require some maintenance to keep the coat in shape. The ones who are super-furry will need all the brushing you can dedicate to it (albeit they have hypo-allergenic fur) whereas the hairless will require its own dedicated skincare routine.

The hairless guys…

Will need sun cream in the summer and wrapped up tightly in the winter, so be prepared to spend as much time dressing and pruning the dog as you do your children… possibly more!

Chinese Created…

Will also vary in color but are generally pale, and tend to suffer from terrible teeth. In the hairless this is considered a trait, however, in the Powderpuff it is considered a fault, so take this into account if you are buying a dog to show at competitions.

Additionally…

Your Chinese Crested will need to be bathed often enough to keep them pure and untangled, or washed delicately and then moisturized. The good news is that most will enjoy being bathed so it’s not going to be a terrible struggle like it can be with other types of dog breeds.

And how will he act?

Your Chinese Crested will be loving and devoted to you. This is a lap dog whose last few generations have seen it bred to be smaller, lighter and to have a calmer temperament.

Most of these dogs…

LOVE to be groomed because they are so used to it – but let’s face it; a Powderpuff who doesn’t want to be groomed is going to be hard work. They are generally good-natured and love to play.

The Chinese Crested tend to be…

Jocular and happy characters, but be wary of keeping them with small children. They are dainty and frail, and kids can play hard. And while in most cases we often recommend that a dog may not be a good fit for a household full of children because we are concerned for the children’s health, in this case our concern is for the dog’s health.

Nobody wants their super-expensive puppy to be squashed by a careless foot or rough hands.

Is the Chinese Crested a healthy breed?

Due to the age of breed, and the fact that it has been purposely breed for very specific “physical” characteristics, it really shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that this breed does have some health concerns.

Concerns such as:

• Progressive Retinal Atrophy, which is a degenerative eye disease you will need to check for fairly regularly.
• Luxating Patella, or floating kneecap, which can require costly operations to right.
• And Legge-Calve-Perthes disease, which leads to thigh bone shrinkage but can be detected from a few months of age.

Just to name a few.  The good news is that none of these medical conditions tend to be life threatening (but they do have the potential to be quite expensive).

Additionally…

Due to his lack of hair and spindly frame the Chinese Crested suffer in cold conditions, so keep him warm in winter and don’t let him get sunburned in the summer. Also, poor dentition is also normal with this breed, so if you do decide to adopt a Chinese Crested puppy or better yet adopt a Chinese Crested rescue dog, be sure to invest in a “doggy” toothbrush as well.

Finally…

The last thing that we wanted to discuss is the possibility that you may want to purchase a pet insurance policy.  You see, it always amazes us here at IndulgeYourPet just how much time folks will spend researching a “type” of dog that they want to adopt without doing any research on possibly purchasing a pet insurance policy on that same animal!

Now will a pet insurance policy…

Be right for everyone?  No probably not, but until you know if a pet insurance policy will be right for you till you do a bit of research.  After all, as we just pointed out, the Chinese Crested breed isn’t the “healthiest” breed out there.

Which is why…

It may make sense for you to get a pet insurance policy.  But without know what that policy “will” and “won’t” cover and what it will COST, how can you possibly know if purchasing a pet insurance policy is a good “fit” for you?

“You can’t really!”

But we have some good news for you…

We here at IndulgeYourPet have taken the time to write our Best Pet Insurance Companies article so that you can get an idea if a pet insurance policy might be right for you, so instead of having to do all of your own research, you can just check out our article and decide for yourself!