The name might be misleading, as many believe these dogs actually come from Africa. However, a long time ago, the Chinese selectively bred these dogs to achieve their current appearance. Some say they’ve been around Chinese ships since the 16th century. No matter what their origin country is, one thing is certain: they are very interesting dogs. Small, hairless, with a beautiful crest on their heads. However, there is the “powderpuff” version which has a long and silky coat. So, as you can see, the Chinese Crested dog can be hairless and silky! 

Size

Today’s Chinese Crested dogs are small, but that wasn’t always the case. When they were first brought to China, these dogs were of medium size. Years of breeding programs led to downsizing the breed to the size we know today.

• Height: 11 to 13 inches (28 to 33 cm)
• Weight: 8 to 12 pounds (3.5 to 5.5 kg)

There are, actually, two types of Chinese Crested dogs and it has nothing to do with their fur. It’s their bone structure and overall appearance. One is the so-called Cobby type and the other one is the Deer type.

The Cobby type looks heavier and sturdier, while the other one looks much more fragile. The robustness (or the presence of hair) has nothing to do with their temperament. 

Color

The only coat color that is not accepted by the RKC or the AKC is the merle coat color. All other colors are permissible. That means you can have a combination of any two or three colors or a solid color, such as white, black, red, and so on.

You can see some examples in the pictures below.

Social traits

The Chinese Crested dog is affectionate and easily gets attached to their favorite human. It could be the whole family as well, but most times, they pick one person to follow around and adore! They are companion toy dogs, which means we can expect such traits from them, but there are some issues that follow this behavior: they get very protective of whom they love.

If we don’t work hard on making sure the Chinese Crested dog is well-socialized and habituated, they can easily become too protective of their owners and their territory.

It could be funny at the beginning for some people when their dogs growl or snap when someone tries to touch their human, but if we don’t stop it, soon, they’ll do it all the time no matter if it’s a stranger or a neighbor. Their behavior means we need to properly train and socialize them to become confident, calm adult dogs.

Here are some things about the Chinese Crested you should know before deciding to get one: 

• Velcro dogs
• Often show signs of separation anxiety
• Easily scared/get anxious
• Not the best companions for very young children
• Often highly protective of their owners/territory

However, you should also know that they are:

• Very affectionate
• Easy going (with their owners)
• Very smart
• Small and easy to carry
• Love to cuddle
• Easy to train

Now, all you have to do is to decide which side prevails, the “good” or the “bad”. I do have to point out, though, that it is much easier to work out the possessiveness problems of a very small dog than a 100 pound dog.

Activity needs

Here’s another thing that might tip in favor of getting a Chinese Crested dog. If you have a busy schedule and can’t go out on long walks or hikes every weekend with your dog, this is a great dog breed for you. The Chinese Crested dog needs around 30 minutes of daily activities. 

A walk in the morning and in the evening is perfectly fine. Just don’t forget to add some playtime inside your home! You can’t literally leave them with nothing to do all day long. They need some fun time in between. But, once again, the good thing is they don’t need lots of space so you can play an additional half an hour indoor game or give them a dog toy.

Activity needs: around 30 minutes a day plus some indoor games to keep them mentally active as well!

Trainability

Having a Velcro dog that loves its owner has its perks when it comes to training. They will love to learn new things because they love you and want to show you how good they are. Another thing that helps is that most Chinese Crested dogs are food motivated. 

Now, even though these dogs are smart and trainable, that doesn’t mean you won’t have any problems. They are dogs and, like other dogs, have their puppy phase. Truth be told, the puppy phase of a small dog is much shorter than a puppy phase of a big dog. Also, cleaning after a small dog is much easier than after a big dog. 

Consider this: every dog is unique, and while people consider the Chinese Crested dog easy to train, that’s not true of every dog. Don’t give up – patience and consistency are the key.

Feeding

These dogs don’t eat a lot. After all, they’re tiny! The general rule is that an adult Chinese Crested dog needs from ½ to 1 cup of kibble a day. We should divide the amount into two meals. 

It’s important to make sure the food you give them has a low percentage of carbohydrates and a high percentage of proteins. We can also add some healthy snacks from time to time, such as fruits safe for dogs.

If you’re wondering what brand of food is the best or what diet to feed your Chinese Crested dog, you can always ask a vet for recommendations.

Grooming

Are Chinese Crested dogs considered hypoallergenic? Yes. Do they shed? Minimally. Do they need lots of grooming? Yes, as well. 

Don’t get fooled by the fact they don’t have a lot of hair. You need to take care of the crest, paw fur, and the tail. But what’s more important is their very sensitive skin! They can easily get sunburns, dry skin, or have other skin issues. That’s why we need to make sure we massage the skin, keep it moist and warm during winter, and protected from the sun in summer.

As for the Powderpuff type, they need regular brushing to keep the fur healthy and silky-looking. Regular means daily! The coat gets easily tangled and matted, so daily brushing is a must.

The Chinese Crested dog has sensitive skin and needs regular and proper care.

Possible issues

The Chinese Crested dogs are prone to several diseases, such as:

• Progressive Retinal Atrophy
• Glaucoma
• Epilepsy 
• Patellar luxation
• Heart issues 

Apart from these, as I already mentioned, the Chinese Crested dogs have very sensitive skin. That means we need to make sure they are always protected from the harsh weather, heat or cold.

Final thoughts

The Chinese Crested dog is a great dog for those who want an affectionate dog. But with great affection comes great responsibility! These dogs easily get too attached, which can lead to separation anxiety. We also need to make sure they are not too aggressive toward other dogs or towards people. While they can’t do much harm because of their size, it’s not acceptable for a dog to be aggressive no matter their size. And, finally, if you decide to get a Chinese Crested dog, don’t forget that they need lots of work around their skin and fur if it’s a Powderpuff type.

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Cover photos: Distelfink