Dog
Group:
Toy 
Chinese Crested Champions
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Breed Description:
The Chinese Crested breed of dog is an elegant, fine-boned toy breed. There are two distinct varieties, which are born in the same litter: (1) the Hairless, with hair only on the head, tail and feet; and (2) the Powderpuff, with hair all over its body. While the Chinese Crested is fine-boned, he is not so refined as to appear breakable. His expression is alert and intense. He has almond-shaped eyes, set wide apart: dark if he is dark and light if he is light. The eye rims should match the dog's coloring. His ears are uncropped, large and erect, placed so that the base of the ear is level with the outside corner of the eye. His skull is arched gently over the occiput from ear to ear. The head is wedge-shaped viewed from above and the side. Like the eyes, the nose of the Chinese Crested is dark in dark dogs and may be lighter in light dogs. His lips are clean and tight, and either a scissors or level bite is accepted. Missing teeth in the Powderpuff are a fault, but the Hairless variety is not penalized for absence of full dentition. The neck of the Chinese Crested breed of dog is lean, clean and slightly arched. The topline is level to a slightly sloping croup. The ribs are well developed. The depth of the chest tapers to a moderate tuck-up at the flanks. The Chinese Crested's tail is long and slender and tapers to a curve. When the dog is in motion, the tail is carried gaily and may be slightly forward over the back. At rest, the tail is down with a slight curve upward at the end resembling a sickle. In the Hairless variety, the back two-thirds of the tail is covered by long, flowing feathering referred to as a plume. The Powderpuff variety's tail is completely covered with hair. The Chinese Crested breed of dog has clean narrow shoulders and long, slender legs. A distinctive feature of the Chinese Crested breed is his hare feet, which are narrow with elongated toes and can grasp and hold onto toys, food -- and people! The dewclaws on all four legs may be removed. The Hairless variety has hair on his head (called a crest), his tail (called a plume) and his feet from the toes to the front pasterns and rear hock joints (called socks). All of the hair is soft and silky, flowing to any length. Areas that have hair usually taper off slightly. Wherever the body is hairless, the skin is soft and smooth. Head Crest begins at the stop and tapers off between the base of the skull and the back of the neck. Hair on the ears and face is permitted on the Hairless and may be trimmed for neatness in both varieties. The Powderpuff variety is completely covered with a double soft and silky coat. The coat is straight, moderately dense and long. The Chinese Crested breed of dog may be any color or combination of colors.
Temperament:
The Chinese Crested breed of dog is alert and playful and does well in families with children who are older and/or gentle. He may initially be timid with strangers, but -- assuming proper socialization -- warms up readily. He is affectionate and lively.
Height:
11 to 13 inches
Weight:
No more than 12 pounds.
Health Problems:
In light of his hairlessness, it is not surprising that the Hairless variety of the Chinese Crested breed of dog suffers from sunburn, allergies and skin irritations to a greater degree than coated dogs. Interestingly, it also is prone to dental problems to a greater degree than its Powderpuff siblings. Both Chinese Crested varieties are susceptible to Perthes disease and patellar luxation.
Living Conditions:
The Chinese Crested breed of dog is well suited to apartment living, so long as he gets sufficient exercise.
Exercise:
The Chinese Crested breed of dog can meet a portion of its exercise needs simply following his people around the house. Like most dogs, however, he will also enjoy a brisk daily walk outdoors. He is prone to obesity, so his exercise and his food intake should be monitored closely.
Life Expectancy:
10 to 12 years
Grooming:
Both varieties of the Chinese Crested breed of dog are clean, relatively odor-free, and naturally resistant to fleas and ticks. The Hairless variety requires regular bathing and applications of oil or lotion to his skin. They shed little to no hair, and are on the AKC's list of breeds that are well suited to owners with allergies. The Powderpuff variety needs regular brushing to keep its long silky topcoat and dense undercoat from becoming matted.
Origin:
The Chinese Crested breed of dog can probably trace its roots back to African Hairless Terriers, who may have been picked up by Chinese traders to serve as ratters on their ships. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
