Chinese Crested

The origins of the Chinese Crested dog are unclear, and much debated. It is thought that their ancestors came from Africa, and moved east to Asia, travelling with sailors as useful ships dogs, and eventually spreading to the Americas.

It is quite likely that these unusual and attractive little dogs appealed to wealthy, influential royals and nobility wherever they went, and would have been gifted and traded as many dog breeds have been.

One of the earliest portrayals of the Chinese Crested dog is in Robert Plot’s ‘Natural History of Staffordshire – 1686, with a description and illustration that is almost identical to the modern Chinese Crested.

Owners need to have a good sense of humour and some experience in training smaller breeds. This is a clever, intelligent dog with a desire to be busy doing something! Grooming varies according to coat and in fact the hairless variety will need more grooming in the form of bathing and skin-care, shaving areas that should be hairless, avoiding sunburn or scrapes and scratches. The Powderpuff variety will need brushing and occasional bathing. A fun little dog for the family with older children, or without children, they are a little too fragile for homes with very boisterous young ones. 

Thirty minutes exercise a day should be the minimum, although a fit, young Crested is capable of more. Be aware this is a dog who will feel the cold and won’t appreciate wet or windy weather much so you have to time your walks well – and invest in a dog coat for the winter. Several short walks round a variety of routes, plus some mental stimulation in the form of training and games will keep them happy and fulfilled.

This is a small dog who doesn’t take up much space, as long as you can provide a warm home and secure garden, with access to a variety of walks, this is a dog who can be happy anywhere their people are.

Toy dogs have a fast metabolism, meaning they burn energy at a high rate, although their small stomachs mean that they must eat little and often. Small-breed foods are specifically designed with appropriate levels of key nutrients and smaller kibble sizes to suit smaller mouths. This also encourages chewing and improves digestion.

The Powderpuff's long coat will need grooming once or twice a week. The Hairless variety needs its tail, socks and crest to be groomed; the skin will need to be moisturised if it becomes dry and will need protection from the sun to prevent burning. Be aware that the hairless gene is associated with poor dentition and it is not uncommon for teeth to be missing in the non-coated variety.

The Chinese Crested may be small, but they are not lacking in intelligence! They are easy to train using positive reinforcement and the Crestie is capable of learning anything a dog of that size can learn! A Chinese Crested will be kept happy with a variety of activities suited to their size, including games, puzzles and trick training, but there is no reason a Chinese Crested couldn’t compete in agility, obedience or many of the other dog sports.

The Chinese Crested is a small and quite delicate dog and whilst they can make an excellent family pet, they can be a little too delicate for boisterous family life. With this in mind, the Crested is probably better with slightly older children, and a family who are at home most of the time. As a companion breed, the Crestie does not do well alone for very long, and must be trained to cope with short periods of human absence. 

While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children, all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.