The Chinese Crested is a fine small dog with two varieties, hairless and the Powerpuff – with hair, both can come from the same litter. The hairless types must be kept hairless; if their hair grows out, it actually becomes an irritant.
They are elegant dogs, but not everybody’s choice for cuteness. They are sensitive, playful and needy dogs. They want to be with you or someone at all times. They make for great flat or apartment dogs.
They are great family dogs but will usually bond with one person slightly more. They are quiet dogs but will be gentle and sweet with older children; they have their limits, so you might want to avoid this breed if you have younger children. This breed is very likely to suffer from separation anxiety. Do not get this dog if you will leave them for long periods.
They are great in hot climates and even barely drink, according to their owners; however, they have zero tolerance for cold weather.
They are couch potatoes; if you fancy a lie-in, these guys won’t mind and will happily sleep with you for hours. They even make good pets for less active invalid or elderly people who really don’t have high exercise needs. However, they will still always enjoy a short walk.
They are tiny, but they are escape artists, and you will be amazed at the fences they can climb. They are also surprisingly fast in avoiding capture. They can even do well in agility classes.
They are ok watchdogs will usually alert you to suspicious activities but aren’t known to be excessive barkers. They are a bit un-trusting of strangers, so make sure you socialise with them early to avoid this.
They are reasonably intelligent and easy to train; they can be willful, so you will need to identify their reward motivation early for the best results. Non-neutered males seem inclined to marking, so either try to get a bitch or get them neutered as soon as possible. Some owners also complain they are difficult to house train.
They shed very little all year round; they require regular bathing as the hairless variety has sensitive skin and can be prone to acne.
Chinese Crested Dog Stats
The Chinese Crested Dog has been known in China since the 13th Century where they were developed during the Hang Dynasty into the two types seen today. These are the fine, elegant ‘deer’ type and the heavier boned ‘cobby’ type. The hairless vary in degree of coat from no body hair to those having a fine down similar to that found on a human arm,
- Size – 23cm –33cm
- Weight –3.5kg –6kg
- They live for 10-12 years