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Chinese Crested
The Chinese Crested is actually quite common, but hasn't achieved
the popularity of other breeds. It is even sometimes displayed in
circuses and carnivals as an oddity. Yet this small dog has quite
a few unacknowledged assets. It comes in two varieties: hairless
and full-coated, aka Powderpuff.
The Powderpuff is nearly identical to the hairless
variety except it has a coat. These two are often interbred and
are shown together. By breeding a hairless with a hairless or a
hairless to a Powderpuff, you may wind up with either or both of
the two types of puppies. However, by breeding a Powderpuff with a
Powderpuff the resulting litter will always be the Powderpuff
type.
The
"crest" in this breed's name refers to the beautiful
mane of silky hair that flows from the dog's head.
The Chinese Crested has been described as nimble and cunning. He
can be very sensitive and vigilant when kept as a house dog. The
Chinese Crested is also very loving and obedient. While he
socializes very easily with other pets, he can be slightly nervous
around strangers. The Chinese Crested is energetic and active, but
is not often seen in agility competitions. He can be trained quite
easily, and will behave well in obedience tasks.
The Chinese Crested is elegant and has fine bones. This breed is
between 11 and 13 inches tall, weighing between 5 and 12 pounds.
He has excellent muscle tone and is athletic in appearance. Its
legs are strong and straight. The Chinese Crested has a large mane
of silken hair that flows from his head. Over the rest of his
body, hair is missing, except for some tufts found on his feet and
tail.
The Powderpuff in the alternative has a thick double coat of
silken hair covering its whole body. The breed has a wide variety
of coat colors, and also has color combinations.
Other names the
Chinese Crested is known as include Chinese Edible Dog. Chinese
Royal Hairless, Turkish Hairless and Chinese Hairless.
For the hairless variety of this breed, you must have a high
quality brush and a safety razor for shaving its the face. For the
Powderpuff variety, you must again have a high quality brush, as
well as a wide-toothed comb and hair trimming clippers.
It is best to treat the hairless variety with frequent oiling,
using baby oil or a gentle face cream and massaging its hair-free
areas. This helps moisturize the hairless parts and keeps the
Chinese Crested hairless variety very smooth.
When a puppy, the Powderpuff needs frequent brushing using either
a pin or bristle brush especially as the puppy's coat changes into
an adult coat, after which daily grooming can be useful. To brush
the coat of a Powderpuff Chinese Crested, brush in layers with the
direction of the coat.
Use a wide-toothed comb all over the entire body to finish. By
combing, any remaining knots and tangles will be removed. Unlike
other breeds, the toenails for the Chinese Crested should be kept
somewhat long.
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