The Chinese Crested was brought to Asia from Africa with traders. This breed was popular among sailors, as they were used to hunt and kill rats aboard ships.
The Chinese Crested dog is a small breed dog, with tall erect ears and round eyes.
The breed can be seen with grey and pink skin, or it can have long hair of any color.
The Chinese Crested can be hairless over the body except for the top of the head, tail, and on the feet. There is a long haired breed that can have long silky hair all over the body.
Personality and Temperament
The Chinese Crested loves to play and generally gets along well with everyone.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
The hairless variety of the Chinese Crested needs special attention. If it is cold the breed needs to wear clothes, and when it is hot, their skin needs to be protected from sunburn.
IDEAL LIVING CONDITIONS
The Chinese Crested would do best in an apartment. As it is a small dog, its exercise requirements can be easily met by vigorous indoor games.
The Chinese Crested needs daily skin care. Coat care for the Powderpuff involves brushing every day or on alternate days. In Puffs, the muzzle requires shaving once every two weeks. Stray hair on the Hairless type should be removed. The Hairless requires regular skin care like applying sunblock, moisturizer, or bathing to prevent blackheads.
The following conditions are commonly seen in Chinese Cresteds:
- Dental disease
History and Background
It is not easy to trace the roots of the Chinese Crested. The hairless variety may have originated by genetic mutation throughout the world, but it is in Central and South America that the breed has been best preserved.
In some histories, the breed seems to have arisen in Africa and then taken to China in the 13th century. Chinese seamen probably kept the dogs on board ships in order to sell them to local merchants. In this way, it is thought, they were distributed to South Africa, Turkey, Egypt, and even to South and Central Americas. They may have been even more widespread than that, since the breed was documented in Europe in the 1800s through paintings and photographs that are strikingly similar to the Chinese Crested type.
In the latter part of the same century, Ida Garrett, an American, popularized several strains of hairless dogs. Along with the support of some devoted breeders, the breed slowly started drawing admirers in Europe and America.
It took the breed a century to achieve registration with the American Kennel Club. Shortly thereafter, the Chinese Crested gained popularity among dog-showing enthusiasts. With the breed’s newfound exposure, it has since become more popular as a pet as well.