Chinese Crested puppies

About the Chinese Crested

The Chinese Crested is an old companion type whose route into Europe ran through ports and trading ships rather than any documented breeding programme. This is a fine boned toy of 3.6 to 5.4 kg standing 28 to 33 cm, and there are two varieties that appear in the same litters: the hairless, with tufts on the head, tail and feet, and the fully coated powderpuff. Both are agile, lively and unusually attached to their people, often picking one person to shadow.

Exercise is modest, short walks and indoor games, with sun protection outdoors and a coat in cold weather. Grooming differs by variety: the hairless needs skin care, sun protection and treatment for spots and irritation, while the powderpuff needs daily brushing to the skin or the coat mats. Shedding is minimal, though that is not the same as being safe for allergy sufferers. Even a hairless dog needs grooming, so go in expecting some.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Chinese Crested puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A toy breed puppy at eight weeks is small enough to be genuinely fragile. They can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so they need frequent small meals rather than two big ones. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Primary lens luxation, in which the lens slips out of place and can cause glaucoma, detectable by DNA test
• Progressive retinal atrophy, rod cone dysplasia type 3, detectable by DNA test
• Patellar luxation, a slipping kneecap, found on a patella evaluation
• Legg Calve Perthes disease, a degeneration of the hip joint head in young dogs, which shows on x-ray
• Glaucoma and other eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Missing and crowded teeth in the hairless variety, which makes routine dental care important

Your Chinese Crested puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Toy for a Chinese Crested.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 3.6 to 5.4 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 22 inch (22 x 14 x 16 in, 56 x 36 x 41 cm) for an adult of up to 5.4 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Puppy pads: are they a good idea, and how to pick ones that do not leak
• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other toy breeds

More on the Chinese Crested

Previous: Chihuahua · Next: Chinese Shar-Pei

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Chinese Crested breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/chinese-crested/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Tommy Gildseth, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.