Orlovia
Chinese Crested dogs are rarely found in this country. The hairless variant with a tuft of hair and socks undoubtedly draws a lot of attention on the street. Her unusual hairstyle is not shaved but only grows naturally on the legs and head. Because of their fluffy fur, the hairy crested dogs are called Powder Puff. We summarize all advantages and problems of the friendly little one for you:
The Graceful Toy Dog from China: Characteristics of the Chinese Crested Dog
With an average height at the withers of 28 to 33 cm for males and 23 to 30 cm for females, the Chinese crested dog is one of the smallest dog breeds, the so-called toy dog. Bred for thousands of years as companion dogs and ratters, they are agile and rather delicately built. The weight is not specified in the FCI standard but is between 4.5 and 5.9 kg for most representatives of the breed.
The Chinese crested dog from the forelock to the tail flag
- Head: In the hairless variant, the shock of hair begins at the eyebrows, the rest of the face is free. The skull is elongated and the snout does not appear shortened or pointed but tapers slightly towards the tip.
- A special feature is a narrow nose, which is usually black but is also accepted in liver or pink.
The almond-shaped eyes appear black. The eye color is so dark that the iris can hardly be distinguished from the pupil. Even when excited, the whites of the eyes can hardly be seen. - The ears are set very low: the base is in line with the corners of the eyes. They stand out at an angle and are rounded at the tips. Long plumes hang down from the backs of the ears – some animals have short hair on their ears.
- The neck is long and carried slightly arched. It blends harmoniously into the muscular shoulders. When moving, it is carried high and nobly. No hair grows on the neck of the hairless variant, but it is often covered by the tufted mane.
- The body is relatively long, with a straight back and smooth skin. The dogs are muscular and athletically built.
- The legs are long and slender. Front and hind paws are extended, with claws of all colors. The so-called “socks” (hair on the paws) should not go beyond the pastern joint.
- The tail is ideally long and has flowing hair and forms a real tail. It is long and tapers to a point. Sparse hair is not considered a breeding fault and seems acceptable.
A Dog Like a Hot Water Bottle: Skin and Hair by Hairless and Powder Puffs
Hairless crested dogs
The hairless variant of the Chinese Crested dog has soft, wrinkle-free skin that is very warm to the touch, but not warmer or colder than hairy dogs. It can appear solid pink, liver, gray, or black, with stippled patterns and spots in all combinations also appearing more frequently. In the hairless crested dog, hair grows without an undercoat in the following places:
The natural 80s rock star look
- The tuft begins at the stop and extends to the neck. Not all dogs have a well-haired crest, some are rather sparsely haired.
- Many hairless people have long feathers on the backs of their ears.
- They wear long “socks” on their paws, which require special care. They reach the forefoot joint.
- Long hair grows on the tail to just over half the length of the tail. The tip is sparsely hairy.
Powder Puff
The fully haired Powder Puff variant of the breed sports long, soft fur with a fine undercoat all over its body. The coat color changes noticeably over the course of a dog’s life, mostly from dark to light, but spots of color and spots can also appear or disappear.
Colorful selection when buying a puppy
All coat colors are permissible in breeding and occur in the breed’s genetic lines. Some breeders focus on specific colors, others deliberately leave the coloring of the puppies to chance. These coat colors occur:
- The fur of red puppies usually lightens from dark blond to blond over the course of life.
- Chocolate is a rare coat color that lightens to dark blonde in some dogs. Beige, sable, and other shades of brown also occur.
- Solid white or black are common and popular colors. Black with white spots or dots is also allowed.
- Gold/apricot from wheat to pale yellow to reddish-gold and fawn are also common. The hair can also appear silvery to gray.
- What coloring your dog takes on in the course of its life remains a surprise! Later color changes are not seen in puppies.
Similar dog breeds
The Chinese crested dog is almost unmistakable in both variants. Certain similarities exist with the Shih Tzu, which, in contrast to the Crested Dog, has a shortened snout. Bichons have a similar build but are more compact overall and tend to have curly hair. The breed is easily distinguished from the Chihuahua by its unusual hairstyle.
The History of the Chinese Crested Dogs: Welcome Immigrants
Chinese crested dogs were kept at Chinese courts as early as the Han Dynasty, about 200 years before our present era. Hairless dogs from Africa with the FOXI3 gene for hairlessness were carried along by Chinese seafarers because they rarely carried fleas. The Chinese nobility took a great interest in the unknown breed and chose the smallest and friendliest among them for breeding. By sea, the Chinese Ship Dogs conquered many port cities around the world. They have been common in Europe since the mid-19th century.
- They have been kept as pets and lapdogs for thousands of years.
- In China, they made themselves useful as pied pipers and watchdogs.
- They are said to have a “healing effect”. Because their skin feels very warm, they were used at sea and on land like hot-water bottles to warm up.