Pet Topics

Although the Chinese Crested is known primarily as a hairless breed, there are in fact two variants of the breed. The Powderpuff variety has a medium length coat, but retains the breed’s natural intelligence and agility.

Contrary to the name, the breed did not originate in China, but in Africa, where they were called African hairless terriers. Chinese traders bartered for the little dogs and took them aboard their ships where they excelled as rat catchers. In this way the dogs were imported to the Orient where they became popular companion dogs.

These active and affectionate little dogs are perfectly suited to the role of companion. They are however, not always a good choice for young children as they will not tolerate rough treatment. They are also quite frail and may be hurt by a child who does not understand how to handle the dog.

These active little dogs have a naturally comedic nature. They do however tend to be shy, and quite timid, so socialization is very important. Cresteds that has not been properly socialized are inclined to become snappy and aggressive. In general, they do well with other dogs and non-canine pets, but once again socialization is important.

Training a Chinese Crested is easy if you go about it in the right way. They are intelligent dogs who learn quickly, but are also sensitive to harsh treatment and voice tone. Use positive methods and you’ll win through, try to coerce a Crested and you will get nowhere.

The Chinese Crested is unfortunately prone to all manner of health problems. Skin problems and allergies are common in the hairless kind, and these dogs will also need to be protected in hot and cold weather. Both variants are particularly susceptible to eye and dental problems and many other diseases such as, Addison’s Disease, Cherry Eye, Epilepsy, Dry Eyes, Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease, Progressive Retinal Atrophy and Patellar Luxation.

Grooming a Crested takes a fair bit of time. The Powderpuff requires daily brushing with a soft brush, while with the Hairless the priority is skin care. Nail care is also important but take special care to avoid the quick which runs particularly deep into the nail in this breed.

Because of their small size, Cresteds are well suited to apartment living. They are, however, very active dogs, and need daily walks. Unsurprisingly given their natural playfulness, Cresteds love to play, and enjoy a game of tag or hide-and-seek, whether it is played indoors or out. They also excel at canine shorts and do particularly well at agility.

Finding good puppy names, for a Chinese Crested can be a challenge. Your best bet is to use an online dog names database like Puppy Names HQ, which has literally thousands of excellent dog names, including a mega-list of male dog names.