The Chinese crested is characterized by having no hair on the body. It is one of the dogs with the most original appearance in the world. There is also another variety, the powder puff, which does have its entire body covered in fur. Its character is cheerful, friendly and affectionate. At Petlifey, we explain the character and characteristics of the Chinese crested dog breed.
Character of the Chinese Crested breed
The character of the Chinese crested is cheerful, active and dynamic that is never surly or malicious, but rather affectionate, friendly and affectionate. It has a friendly appearance, with an always alert expression.
It shows an obedient and very sociable dog behaviour. Well socialized since it was a puppy, it is friendly with strangers and exhibits its playful and sensitive temperament.
- Energy: High. Active, agile and dynamic, you need to exercise frequently.
- Temperament: Alert, energetic and playful, it is also very affectionate, sensitive and affectionate. It learns easily and is obedient.
- Adaptability: High. You can live without problems in an urban environment. It’s a bit chilly.
- Sociability: High. Very affectionate with its family, it loves to play with children and is sociable with strangers. It does not present conflicts with its congeners or with other animal species.
- Health: Good. The hairless variety usually has skin conditions. It tends to get fat.
- Longevity: Medium. Live 10 to 12 years.
- Utility: Company. Before it hunted rodents, but today it is a companion dog.
Is it a good family dog?
It is an excellent companion dog and perfect for the family. It loves spending time with its family and participating in all activities.
The Chinese Crested Dog is certainly the most popular of all the hairless breeds that exist in the world, but, being a dog with such a particular physique, the truth is that it is not within the group of the most widespread breeds among the general public. However, little by little it is gaining followers thanks, above all, to its good temperament.
Despite its appearance, the Chinese Crested is not a fragile dog and it is a mistake to exercise an overprotective attitude over them since this, in most cases, the only thing that leads to is to promote a withdrawn and shy behaviour on the part of the animal, far removed from its natural character, which is cheerful and sociable.
Due to this joy and good disposition, the breed is quite comical, a circumstance that is accentuated when its owners wear it dressed in their winter clothes.
Can you live in an apartment or in the city?
It is a sociable breed that loves to live in an urban environment and live with its family, which does not mean that it does not have to go through an intense socialization process.
Due to its lack of fur, except in the powder puff variety, it is a cold dog and very little adapted to living outdoors. On the contrary, it likes to spend time indoors, well clothed and sharing the day to day. with its family.
Thus, when you go out in winter it may be necessary to use a special coat, and if you do so in summer you have to be careful with your skin and try not to expose it directly to the strongest sun, as it is a dog that tans and can even get sunburned.
How do you behave with children?
The Chinese Crested Dog is an excellent playmate for children. Alert, agile, active, playful, charming and affectionate, it is an ideal companion for the family in their leisure time.
However, with the smallest of the house, you must always be careful to teach them in advance what is the best way to treat the dog, how to pick it up, touch it, pet it, etc. , since it does not have a mantle to protect it and may be more exposed to wounds from scratches, abrasions or blows
Without a doubt, a curious animal that the whole family will be proud to show off to their friends.
How does it behave with other animals?
In principle, its relationship with other dogs and even with pets of different species is usually quite good and it is rare that it gives problems with neighbours, since it is very little barking.
From the moment the puppy arrives home, the first requirement of any owner is to expose it to as many different situations as possible in order to develop its social capacity and self-confidence.
Characteristics of the Chinese Crested
The physical characteristic that stands out most of the Chinese Crested Dog is the absence of hair on its body, although it does present a showy “crest” on the head, which is what gives the breed its name, and fine fringes on the tail and the lower part of the legs and feet.
Its general appearance is that of a small, harmonious, active and balanced dog. But there is a variety of this breed that does have hair.
This variety called powder puff (name by which the makeup tassel is known in English), has long and silky hair all over the body.
The specimens of the first type (without hair) have a lighter skeleton than those of the second (with hair), whose body and bones are heavier.
How is the Chinese Crested dog breed physically?
Body
It is an animal with a rectangular structure, the length of its body is greater than its height at the withers, which is about 30 cm in males and about 26 cm in females. Hairless specimens have lighter and less heavy bones than powder puff individuals.
The feet are shaped like “hare’s feet” , they are narrow and elongated, since the bones located between the joints, especially in the forefoot, have a characteristic elongation that contributes to giving them the appearance of an additional connecting piece.
The fingers have moderately long nails that can be of any color, and they do not deviate inwards or outwards.
Its tail is long, set high, and thicker at the base than at the tip, as it gradually narrows. At rest, the dog naturally wears it hanging almost straight, without bending or twisting it, but when it comes into action it raises it and carries it straight or to the side.
In the hairless variety, it has long and abundant fringes from the first third of its length and up to the end.
Head
It is flat, without too many wrinkles, with a slightly rounded and elongated skull. It has a ridge of hair that begins at the stop and reaches the lower part of the neck.
The eyes are set widely apart, are medium in size and have very dark pigmented irises. The edge of the eyelids is black.
Their ears are set low, the base of the ear is at the same height as the outer corner of the eye. In the hairless variety they are long and erect , and have a showy fringe of hair.
Hair
In hairless specimens (see why there are hairless dogs ), there are no large areas covered with hair on the body of the animal, but it does appear in the form of long and soft fringes on the head, like a crest, and in the final part of the tail, like a plume.
Likewise, “socks” are formed on the feet that cover the toes and do not go beyond the carpal or tarsal joint. In powder puff specimens, an undercoat of soft, long hair sometimes appears, giving the impression of a veil.
Chinese Crested breed standard
- Origin: China / UK Patronage.
- Varieties: Hairless and powder puff.
- Size and size: Small.
- Height at the withers: between 28 and 33 cm for males and between 23 and 30 cm for females.
- Weight: 5.5 kg maximum for both females and males.
- Use: Companion dog.
- Other names: Chinese Crested Dog / Chien chinois á crete / Chinesischer Schopfhund.
- General appearance: Small but harmonious and balanced, what is most striking about this dog is its absence of hair.
- Head: It is flat and without too many wrinkles.
- Skull: It is slightly rounded and elongated
- Naso-frontal depression (stop) : It is pronounced, but not excessively.
- Muzzle: Slender, with thin and firm lips, it is thicker at the base and tapers slightly towards the tip. It is approximately the same length as the skull.
- Nose: It is prominent and tapers like the muzzle. It can present any pigmentation.
- Jaws: Strong, they have a regular and perfect scissor bite.
- Eyes: Medium in size, set very far apart from each other and usually have such a dark colored iris that they appear black.
- Ears: Set low, they are long and erect, although powder puffs can wear them down.
- Neck: Clean, long and without dewlap, it slopes gracefully to its insertion on the shoulders, which are strong. When the animal moves, its neck is high and slightly arched.
- Body: Rather elongated, it is flexible and has a horizontal upper line.
- Back: It is straight, with a firm loin and a rounded and muscular rump. Chest: Rather deep, descending to the elbows and has a prominent sternum. The lower body line is moderately retracted.
- Tail: It is long and gradually tapers to the tip. Almost straight, it does not curl or bend and has long fringes in the final two thirds, at least in the hairless variety.
- Forelimbs: They are long, thin and well positioned under the body.
- Shoulders: The shoulder blades are well delineated, narrow and set back.
- Forearms and arms: They are slim and firm.
- Elbows: Appear close to the body
- Hind limbs: They are well separated from each other and form good angles that allow the animal to carry its back horizontally. Legs: They are long.
- Knees: Appear strong.
- Hocks: Low.
- Feet: These are called “hare’s” feet, narrow and long, and in the hairless variety they have “socks” with long, soft hair that rises from the toes upwards.
- Movement: The animal’s movement is long, fluid and elegant, with good range and a lot of momentum.
- Skin: It is delicately grainy, soft and warm to the touch, and in many cases it presents spots of different colors.
- Coat: In the hairless variety, it only appears on the feet, hands, head and tail, while the powder puff is all covered with long, silky hair.
- Color: They come in any color or combination of colors.
- FCI Classification: FCI No. 288. Group 9 – Companion Dogs. Section 4 – Hairless dogs.
Education and training of the Chinese Crested
Intelligent and highly adaptable, the Chinese Crested Dog is an easy-to-train breed that learns very quickly, making it a suitable choice for inexperienced owners.
It is obedient, not very confrontational and it learns right away its place within the herd, so that it adapts to different situations without major problems.
However, as with other small companion breeds, if it is protected excessively and treated like a person instead of a dog, it can fall into the small dog syndrome and become a disobedient animal. sullen, possessive or selfish.
Chinese Crested Health and Diseases
In general, this is a healthy breed whose average longevity is around 12 years, although there are also frequent cases of dogs that live much longer.
As is evident, in the hairless variety, the weakest and most vulnerable part of its body is its skin, which is permanently exposed to the sun, cold, blows, bites, scratches … so it is very frequent that they occur often cases of irritations and burns.
Therefore, a very important preventive measure that should be observed with this dog is to always keep its skin properly hydrated and administer the appropriate sun protection creams.
In this hairless variety, the problem of early tooth loss is also common, unlike powder puffs, which usually have complete teeth.
There are many specimens of this breed that have skin allergies to certain textile materials, but this can only be known once the symptoms have appeared, so it is not possible to adopt any preventive protocol.
But, in general, in order to keep the correct health of this dog under control, the important thing is to establish a good relationship with a trusted veterinarian and go regularly to them to complete the internal and external vaccination and deworming programs.
In the same way, consult them with any questions or problems that arise regarding the care of the pet, and ask them to keep a strict control of the growth and general condition of the animal. This will review the main health indicators, which are the mouth, eyes, ears, hair and, in this breed in particular, the skin.
Chinese Crested diet
Regarding its diet, one of its biggest health problems is obesity, since this dog gains weight very easily.
Therefore, special care must be taken not to overfeed it, in addition to subjecting it to the regular doses of exercise it needs.
Obesity is the main trigger of cardiovascular and joint diseases in adult dogs, so it is necessary to make sure that the diet that is administered provides all the nutrients, vitamins and fats that this animal needs for its good health, but without an excessive intake of calories that make you fat
Chinese Crested Care and Grooming
The Chinese Crested Dog is a very clean dog that is easy to maintain. The main care that should be provided is related to maintaining your skin, which is somewhat delicate, so it must always be well hydrated and protected from the sun’s rays.
As is evident with the naked eye, the external aesthetic appearance of the two varieties of this breed is very different from each other, and, therefore, the care and aesthetic arrangement to which both forms of the Chinese Crested Dog are subjected are also very different.
They do share, of course, the peculiarity that they hardly experience shedding, so that both pets are more suitable than other breeds for people with allergy problems to dog hair.
Hairless Chinese Crested Dog Grooming
The main aesthetic cares that should be applied to hairless specimens are those referring to the proper maintenance of their skin. It must always be very well hydrated and protected against external aggressions, especially in the harsh sun and cold.
Bathroom
As the skin of this dog is oily, it is necessary to bathe it frequently and then administer a good moisturizing oil to protect the skin and keep it in perfect condition.
For the bath, a shampoo with the appropriate pH for this breed should be used, so that it does not over-dry or alter the essential characteristics of its skin and hair.
The fur of the ears, head, feet and hands, and the tail, after having been worked with a milder shampoo during the bath, can be reinforced with the application of a good conditioning product.
After bathing, the animal’s body must be thoroughly rinsed and then dried with a soft towel; if desired, hairy regions can be dried with the help of an electric dryer.
Brushed
Once bathed and well dried, all areas covered with hair should be thoroughly brushed so that they are soft and free of tangles or knots.
Arrangement
In areas devoid of hair, very sparse and fine hair can grow, which is usually depilated on animals that attend dog shows; to do this, it is enough to use any suitable technique.
Finally, the hair-filled areas are given some shape with the scissors and the excess fringes are removed.
Chinese crested dog grooming powder puff
The powder puff, of course, needs a more frequent brushing, but, in return, does not require any extra hydration of the skin.
Brushed
To comb the hair of this variety of the breed, you can use a natural bristle brush and a good metal comb.
Bathroom
When bathing it, it is convenient to use an enriched shampoo with enough quality to get the maximum shine out of the hair and give it that characteristic silky appearance.
Arrangement
As in the hairless variety, excess or uneven fringes are evened out using scissors to sculpt.