Chinese Crested Dogs (Origin, Varieties, Characteristics & Facts)

No one knows for sure how this breed came to be, pictures of hairless are in many ancient scripts and some people think they were on the Ark. What is known is that they are a fascinating, and intriguing phenomenon.

Chinese Crested Dog Origin

I speculate that many centuries ago, a hairless pup was born in a litter. Why mother nature did this we will never know, but for curiosity, it was kept and when bred to another dog more were produced in the resulting litters. Intrigued breeders continued and the breed evolved into what it is today.

Some people hate them and think they are ugly. Others adore these animals and say they are beautiful. I am one of the latter.

There are other hairless breeds. Humans are hairless, with some are hairier than others and so it is with the Chinese Crested dog. Some hairless have more hair on other parts of their body than is desired for the Kennel Club Breed Standard.

Varieties of Chinese Crested Dog

The breed has two varieties, the hairless and those that are covered in hair (known as Powder Puffs). When they mature at 18-24 months Powder Puffs has a long flowing coat. Most people trim their faces for the show ring, apart from that they are only bathed and groomed for show.

They are structurally the same breed under the coat, but still, we find people and some judges that treat them differently and wish them to be separated in the show ring. They are born in the same litter as the hairless when the parents are two hairless or one of each. If two powder puffs are bred together only Powder puffs will be born in the resulting litter.

The hairless have large erect ears that sometimes have hair on them, this is called an ear fringe. The hair on the head is called the crest. The hair on the tail is referred to as a plume and on the feet like socks. Collectively they are referred to as the furnishings in the hairless variety. As mentioned some Hairless carry more hair on their bodies than is ideal, and usually if more furnishings are present this is the case.

The preparation to prepare these for the show ring requires the excess hair to be removed. Most do it by shaving using men’s or ladies shaving equipment. Others use chemical hair removal products. I do not recommend this method as I do not like putting strong chemicals on my skin, so why on a dog who has no say in the matter?

Chinese Crested Dog Characteristics

The Chinese Crested Dog is a small (most of the time), active (all of the time – unless asleep), affectionate animal. They will adapt to the lifestyle in a family home. They love human company and may fret if left alone for long periods.

Chinese Crested Dogs are a people dog. Lapdogs with a sense of humor, for example, when they chew your slippers and you are still wearing them! Some can be a bit yappy. Chinese Crested Dog make excellent alarm bells when strangers visit. A little stand-offish if they do not know you, but once bribed with affection or food they will investigate, and then you are hooked. These delightful dogs will soon become your friend.

Warning they do tend to make you into a collector. You get one then another, then perhaps a litter, and as they are such little characters, you keep more than you intended. Well, that is what happened to me and many of my fellow crested lovers.