Pet Health And Care >> Dog Breed >> Chinese crested

Hairless and Powderpuff Chinese Crested:

The Chinese crested is a variety of specially bred crested dogs that has a dubious distinction with one of the members of this breed being famed for winning the “Ugliest dog” title at a competition a few years ago.

This variety of the dog does not trace its history to China in anyway and is a product of aggressive breeding programs in the United States in the early part of the last century. Despite the fact that it is a dog that has been bred and not a naturally occurring dog, it has quite a long lifespan that can sometimes be as long as 15 years.

Chinese crested puppies come in two varieties the hairless and the powderpuff, this variation can even be within the same litter and the differentiation is because of a genetic variation.

The hairless variety is actually a genetic mistake of sorts and individuals with the hairless gene usually don’t make it past the embryonic stage and are usually reabsorbed back into the uterus. The few that do survive form the hairless variety. The hairless variety are usually devoid of any kind of fur and have a skin coating that is quite similar to human skin.

The hairless variety is usually not completely hairless and the dog can sometimes be found with some hair on the face, which is called a beard. The powderpuff variety is completely covered with hair that resembles a mane. It even has the semblance of socks with a profusion of hair near the paws. The hairless Chinese crested needs to be cared for as the hair is prone to matting. The hairless variety usually suffers from problems that are seemingly human, like acne and sunburn. Health problems that are associated with this breed include retinal atrophy and tooth decay in its less severe forms. In more severe forms, the dog can also suffer from problems like neural atrophy, which can lead to the early death of the dog. The dog is also extremely prone to autoimmune diseases.

The disposition of this dog is quite partial to its immediate owners. However in large part the dog is not too temperamental. Chinese crested grooming includes using a soft brush to ensure that the hair of the powderpuff variety does not end up matting. Many owners who put up their dogs for shows will also remove the hair from the muzzle area. In any dog with an excessive amount of hair the challenge is to keep ticks at bay and to ensure that the dog is always in a cool environment.

Submitted on November 24, 2009