FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

3 year old child and Chinese Crested doing agility

Chinese Crested Presentation

How Every Dog Should Be Trained !!

Q: How do you get nice skin on a Hairless Crested?

A: Well they are born with good skin. However, most young cresteds will go through a "teenage acne" period", my dogs did too, so you're not alone. With a sex crazy breed like the crested this can happen as early as 4 or 5 months until about a year old. This means that you may see more blackheads and pimples on the surface of the skin. Don't be alarmed! Keep your crested clean and the problem will eventually resolve itself. Some bloodlines have lovely skin, while others will tend to have problems on and off all the time. So far I have been fortunate and not had to deal with too many skin problems. I do know my Maddie has allergies to certain foods which also cause breakouts and we now avoid these whenever possible. In this case a Powder Puff would certainly be easier to care for ;-)

Q: I thought the Chinese Crested were only hairless, why do I see puppies advertised with lots of hair and others called "Hairy Hairless"?

A: The Chinese Crested comes in two varieties. The coated are called the Powder Puff (PP) and the hairless are either Hairy Hairless (HHL) or True Hairless (HL). This is due to a combination of genes. See the page for the LETHAL GENE for more information on this topic. Both are purebred standard varieties of this breed.

Q: Can a Powder Puff be shaved to look like a hairless?

A: Yes of course, and some owners prefer this, as there are many benefits to owning a Powder Puff over their hairless counterparts.

Q: What are the benefits of owning a Powder Puff versus a Hairless?

A: The Powder Puff in comparison has lesser needs. It is also more dog like in character compared to the hairless which is more cat like. The Powder Puff is more emotionally balanced, tends to have better dentition (as it is rare for a hairless to keep its teeth intact to an old age) and is not as cold in winter due to their soft double coat that covers the entire body. They are also relatively easy to train and housebreak. The hairless is also more prone to skin conditions like bacterial contamination or yeast.

Q: How tall are they and what is the average weight?

A: Most Cresteds are between 11-13 inches tall, with females being slightly smaller (9" +), their weight will vary but usually averages around 7 pounds for a 10-11 inch tall and 12 pounds when about 13 inches in height.

Q: Can you name some differences in males and females?

A: Females can be cleaner and gentler and therefore make better pets, however males especially if neutered at an early age, will be inclined to act more puppy like. Neutered males will have less body odor and be less prone to skin eruptions. Males may be calmer and less dependent. Females tend to hold grudges for longer periods. Individual personalities will be shaped by the puppy's mother, the breeder and the new owner. Therefore in my opinion, both make great pets.