The Chinese Crested, also known as the Crested, the Chinese Hairless, the Chinese Edible Dog, the Chinese Ship Dog, the Chinese Royal Hairless and the Puff, is believed to have descended from African hairless dogs which were reduced in size by selective breeding in China. It has been known by various nick-names depending upon where it was found. In Egypt, it was called a Pyramid or Giza Hairless; in South Africa it was called the South African Hairless, and in Turkey a larger version was called the Turkish Hairless. In China, this toy breed was originally known as the Treasure House Guardian.
The Chinese Crested was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1985 as part of its Miscellaneous class, and was accepted for full registration in 1991.
The history of the Chinese Crested is uncertain. It is believed that for many centuries Chinese mariners sailed the seas with this breed on board to manage the vermin population, which was infested with parasites and carried disease. Puppies probably were traded with local merchants at port cities. As early as the 1500s, dogs resembling today’s Chinese Crested were found in Mexico and other parts of Central and South America. British, French and Portuguese explorers
Chinese Cresteds are expressive dogs who can smile and even hug. Always happy and energetic, this breed loves people and can become quite attached to their primary caregiver. Often called “velcro” dogs, they will physically attach themselves to their favorite person, and will use their paws to hug that person around the neck. This toy breed loves to climb like a cat, and never tires of playing with children, adults, or other animals. Their size,
The Chinese Crested is a small, unique dog that comes in two varieties: Hairless and Powderpuff. The hairless version has no hair on the body except for long tufts of silky hair on the tail, lower legs and top of the head. The Powderpuff has more hair and requires a lot more grooming. Cresteds have wedge-shaped heads, large ears and feet that resemble the paws of a rabbit. Their long toes can actually be used
The Powderpuffs have a very soft and fine double coat that requires full brushing every other day 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 low maintenance option keeps the body hair and facial hair short, leaving the crest, feathers and tail plume at full
The saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Check out the many different Chinese Crested Pictures and Chinese Crested images. Get an in depth look at the Chinese Crested and see the many things that this breed has to offer.