Mazel Tov Chinese Cresteds

ABOUT THE BREED

The Chinese Crested Dog is a small dog, (8-12 lbs) known for its unusual appearance and entertaining personality. It is a member of the toy dog group. Two types can be born in the same litter: the Hairless and the Powderpuff.

Appearance

At first glance, the "Hairless" and "Powderpuff" varieties of Chinese Crested Dogs appear to be two different breeds, but hairlessness is a dominant trait within a single breed. The Hairless has soft, humanlike skin, as well as tufts of fur on its paws ("socks") and tail ("plume") and long, flowing hair on its head ("crest").

The Hairless variety can vary in amount of body hair. Fur on the muzzle, known as a beard, is not uncommon. A true Hairless often does not have as much furnishings (hair on the head, tail, and paws). The difference between a very hairy Hairless and a Powderpuff is that the Hairless has single coat, often with hairless parts on the body, while the Powderpuff has a thick double coat. The skin of the Hairless comes in a variety of colors, ranging from a pale flesh to black. Hairless cresteds often lack a full set of teeth, but this is not considered a fault.

The look of the Powderpuff varies according to how it is groomed. When its fur is completely grown out on its face, it strongly resembles a terrier; however, the Powderpuff is usually shaved around the snout as a standard cut. Its fur is incredibly soft. Due to its coat type, both Powderpuff and Hairless are considered good pets for allergy sufferers.

Temperament

Chinese Cresteds tend to be affectionate, energetic and playful. They are considered great family pets, with endearing personalities. Children must be taught not to be rough with this breed as it is friendly, but can get injured easily. They are generally happy lap-dogs with merry personalities.They are great apartment dogs as they require little more than a brisk walk around the block to fulfill their exercise needs, although they are quite willing to participate in longer hikes if their owner is so disposed.

Puppies should be well-socialized and exposed to loud noises when young to avoid potential timidity. If owners do not baby them, these dogs can grow up to be very well-adjusted. They enjoy performing tricks and generally do well in both obedience and agility. They also tend to get along well with other pets. They are not barkers. They tend to become very attached to their owners and sometimes have difficulty adjusting to a new one. Chinese Crested Dogs crave constant attention and generally want to be with their owners at all times. These “velcro” dogs will not do well in a kennel environment.

Grooming

Grooming of the Crested is work for both varieties. The Puffs have a very soft and fine double-coat that requires frequent brushing to avoid matting. Although a Puff's coat does not continuously grow like that of some other breeds, it can be quite long at full length and some owners choose to put their Puffs into a "pony cut." This lower-maintenance option keeps the body hair and facial hair short, leaving the crest, feathers, and tail plume at full length.

Maintenance of the Hairless variety's skin is similar to maintaining human skin - and as such it can be susceptible to acne, dryness, and sunburn. A Hairless should be bathed at least once per week to avoid acne and other skin conditions(some dogs shower with their owners every day). Hypoallergenic or oil-free moisturizing cream can keep the skin from becoming too dry when applied every other day or after bathing. Burning can occur in regions that lend themselves to strong UV-rays, especially in lighter-skinned dogs. Many owners apply baby sunscreen to their pets before spending time in strong sun. Some Cresteds have skin allergies to Lanolin, so be cautious when using any products that contain it.

Health

The crested is not affected by many of the congenital diseases found in Toy Breeds. They are, however, prone to some of the conditions below.

Cresteds have what is called a "primitive mouth." This means that most of their teeth are pointy like their canines. Hairless varieties of the Cresteds can be prone to poor dentition. Poor dentition may include missing or crowded teeth and teeth prone to decay when not properly cared for. Most dogs of the Puff variety have few, if any, dental defects.

Eyes are a concern within the breed, having at least two forms of progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) which can eventually lead to blindness. For one of these forms of PRA, there exists a genetic test, prcd-PRA. Since this test can only reveal the existence of affected or carrier status of this one form of PRA, breeders and owners of the breed should still have regular eye exams by veterinary ophthalmologists.

As with all other Toy Breeds, the Cresteds can be prone to patellar luxation. This inheritable condition is caused by shallow knee joints (stifles) and results in kneecaps that pop out of place. Its onset is often at a young age, and can cause temporary to permanent lameness based on the severity. Breeders should have their stock certified free of patellar luxation. Many countries' kennel clubs maintain a centralised registry for health results.

The lifespan of a Chinese Crested Dog can be quite impressive. Many well-cared-for Cresteds live to see 15 years or more.

History

The Chinese Crested is thought to have originated in Africa It is commonly believed that Chinese trading ships stopped along Africa on their routes, and it was there that they picked up these dogs because they were excellent ratters aboard their ships. Examples of these dogs eventually made their way to Europe in the 1800s, where they were displayed as curiosities.

Breeding

The Hairless allele (the wild type) is a dominant trait, while the Powderpuff allele acts as a simple recessive trait in its presence. Embryos that receive two copies of the Hairless allele will never develop into puppies. Thus all Chinese Cresteds carry at least one copy of the Powderpuff allele.

The Powderpuff trait cannot be bred out because it is carried by all Chinese Cresteds (even the hairless ones). All Hairless Chinese Crested have the ability to produce Powderpuff puppies, even when they are bred to another Hairless.

It is believed in some breeder circles that it is necessary to include Puff to Hairless breedings in order to reduce the number of health problems (most notably deafness and poor dentition) that can occur from repeated Hairless to Hairless pairings down the generations.

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