Breed
Info
Hairless: There
are actually two types of hairless Chinese Crested. The Hairy
Hairless is the most recognizable of the two. They have
the crest (hair on the head), boots (on the feet), and plume (on the
tail) in various lengths (all of which are called "furnishing"), and
some sparse, thin body hair. The body
hair can be a tiny patch or two, a stripe down the back, or even a thin
coat on the back, sides, and legs. There will be no hair on the
underside or underarms. Unwanted body hair is often shaved off to get
the popular 'crested' look, but it doesn't have to be. We sometimes
allow our dogs to grow their hair in the winter. . . it isn't much, but
every little bit counts!
Lucan
and Lilly are both Hairy Hairless.
True
Hairless Chinese Crested will have no body hair, but may
get short hair on the head, feet, and tail. Any sparse hair on the True
will never grow to be long and flowing like the Hairy Hairless or the
Powderpuff.
Powderpuff: The
Powderpuff Chinese Crested looks like a completely different dog. They
have a soft, silky outer coat and a fluffy warm undercoat. Most people
clip the hair around the face, but you don't have to.
Luna is a
powderpuff. This picture was taken at 4 weeks.
For more information on the AKC standards for the Chinese Crested,
please visit the AKC
website.
Health:
The crested
is a very healthy breed compared to many other pure breeds. Be on the
look out for knee and hip problems (common in small breeds) and some
minor skin issues. Some (but not
all) of the
older hairless cresteds will lose their teeth, but don't be alarmed!
This
is perfectly normal for this breed and accepted by the AKC, and is not
an indication of health problems. None of the dams or sires at
AlmostNakedPups have any health issues and all of our pups so far have
had great dentition!
Special Care:
The only special considerations for Chinese Crested pups is skin
health. Since all but the Powderpuff have exposed skin, you'll need to
put them in a shirt or sweater in cold weather, use baby sunblock in
the summer, and use lotion after baths if your pup has dry skin. Any
product you use on your dogs must be LANOLIN FREE, as many Cresteds are
allergic to lanolin. That means no sweaters made of wool, since lanolin
comes from wool.
Given lots of love and proper care, the Crested can live 12 - 15 years
or more!
A puppy pile!
Clockwise: Mina, Lilly, Lucan (sleeping in the middle), and Abbie.
Interesting Tidbits:
*
Cresteds come almost naked and
fully dressed, and both
types can be born in a single
litter.
* Legend states that the hairy ones are born to keep the naked pups
warm.
* Some people use them as bed warmers on cold nights or to help relieve
arthritis pain--their bodies are very warm!
* I'm often asked what they feel like to pet. Cresteds are incredibly
warm, almost hot to the touch, and their skin is supple and soft, much
like the skin of a human baby. Some Cresteds have a fine, thin layer of
fuzzy, velvety hair.
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