CHINESE CRESTED

Temperament: Affectionate, Alert, Lively
Height: 11-13 inches
Weight: 8-12 pounds
Life Expectancy: 13-18 years
Group: Toy Group 

MORE ABOUT THIS BREED

You won’t find a better dog breed than the Chinese Crested to be a couch potato’s companion. They can almost read your mind and will lie in bed for hours without moving a muscle.

Chinese Cresteds have almost no desire to go out and run around like regular dogs; although, they’re athletic enough to jump surprisingly tall fences and compete in agility. They’re not gregarious, but they are intensely social and bond quickly within their pack. They don’t accept strangers easily. Once a Crested falls in love with you, you’ll have a little stalker on your hands — they’ll be eternally, thoroughly devoted.

PERSONALITY

Cresteds are as fun as they look: playful, loving, and devoted to their humans. The hairless has its advantages: there is no doggy odor, and for obvious reasons shedding isn’t much of a problem. Both varieties are attentive housemates, totally in tune with their family.

FEEDING

Recommended daily amount: 1/4 to 1 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.

Note: How much your adult dog eats depends on his size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level.

HEALTH

Responsible breeders consistently screen their breeding stock for inherited eye problems that are known to occur in the Chinese Crested, including progressive retinal atrophy, glaucoma, and primary lens luxation. Epilepsy occurs in the breed occasionally. Patellar luxation (slipped stifles) affects Cresteds, as it does most small breeds. Legg-Calve-Perthes disease has no DNA test to screen parents, but it does sometimes show up on X-ray.

Recommended Health Tests from the National Breed Club:

• Ophthalmologist Evaluation
• Patella Evaluation
• Cardiac Exam
• PRA-RCD3 DNA Test
• PLL DNA Test

CARE

A Chinese Crested needs only minimal exercise — he is not a good jogging companion — but mental stimulation is important. There are many toys and puzzles designed for dogs on the market, and he can enjoy many of them.

Chinese Cresteds are generally easy to train but they have a stubborn streak, which means you need patience. Positive reinforcement is the only route, and correction needs to be handled sensitively, because the breed can be naturally timid.

Socialization is necessary, so if possible find a place that offers separate small-dog puppy classes, so your Crested can socialize with similarly sized dogs. He could be injured while playing with a larger puppy.

Crate training benefits every dog and is a kind way to ensure that your Crested doesn’t have accidents in the house or get into things he shouldn’t. A crate is also a place where he can retreat for a nap. Crate training at a young age will help your Crested accept confinement if he ever needs to be boarded or hospitalized.

GROOMING

The hair on the Chinese Crested is soft and silky. The hairless variety has soft, smooth skin, with hair on the ears and face, the top of the head and down the neck, the feet and the tail. The Powderpuff is born with hair. He has a short, silky undercoat topped with long, thin guard hairs.

Just because the Crested is hairless doesn’t mean there’s no grooming involved. Both the hairless and the Powderpuff have special grooming needs. Just as you wash your face and body daily, you must also clean the Crested with a mild cleanser and moisturize his skin with a gentle lotion or coat oil to keep it from drying out.

The hairless Crested can experience problems with his skin, from dry skin to sunburn to acne. Apply sunscreen to his skin before he goes outdoors. Use a dog-safe brand recommended by your veterinarian in case he tries to lick it off.

The silky Powderpuff coat should be brushed or combed daily. Give him a bath every few of weeks using a mild shampoo made for dogs.

The rest is basic care. Trim the nails as needed, usually every few weeks. Brush the teeth for good overall health and fresh breath.

SOME PICTURES ABOUT THIS BREED

Source: dogtime, vetstreet, akc.