The Chinese Crested has come a long way from
its ancient past. It is on old breed, dating back
at least as far back as the 1500'.
There are two types of Chinese Cresteds that are
born in the same litter:
the Hairless, and a coated-type, called a Powderpuff.
The Hairless dog is warm to the touch, and its skin
is soft and smooth. It is odorless and will keep
itself clean.
The Powderpuff variety has long, silky coat,
that needs to be groomed daily.
Both varieties are very "houndy" in character
and confirmation. When together, they will howl
in unison. They are rather aloof and suspicious
of strangers.
Extremely intelligent, they are one of the most
extrovert, fascinating little toy dogs. They hate
boredom and shouldn't be left alone for extended
periods of time. Hairless are somewhat catlike,
and they are inclined to curl in your lap
and love to be touched, rubbed, stroked
and petted.
The Puffs are more likely to lay next to you
or your feet.
Hairless dogs have no protection from the sun
and they DO sunburn easily.
It is NOT by any means a care free breed.
The Hairless Crested can develop blackheads
and often suffer from acne. They should be
from the start bathed regularly to prevent
future skin problems. The Powderpuff needs
regular grooming. They are NOT, as it is
falsely believed, hypo-allergenic, non-shedding
companions just perfect for allergy sufferers,
although they shed much less than other coated breeds.
Breeding dogs for the right reasons is
a fascinating hobby, consuming both your time
and money. Breeders are the guardians of their
chosen breed, and must take a full responsibility
for every dog they ever bred.
HOW AND WHERE TO BUY A CHINESE CRESTED DOG
Before you decide to purchase your Chinese Crested
ask yourself the question: why do I want to have
the Chinese Crested?
Is it just a curiosity about the
exotic hairless dog, maybe you want your
friends to be envious, or you want a hairless dog
because you are fed up with grooming and believe
that Hairless Crested doesn't need to be bathed
and groomed like the coated breed?
Well, all these reasons are absolutely wrong:
Chinese Crested breed, especially the Hairless
variety is very demanding.
Here are few BARE FACTS:
Chinese Cresteds demand to be loved,
played with, bathed and groomed regularly,
they are prone to suffer from allergies,
can be difficult to housetrain,
hate to be left alone,
often communicate their feelings in plain
physiology ( like peeing on your bed if upset ),
can be noisy and will howl in a manner of coyotes.
Cresteds want to be treated like children,
and will often compete with real human children
for the affection.
Definiately, it is not a breed for everyone,
but people with lots of time and patience.
Remember also, that top quality dogs are never
obtained from easy and cheap sources.
Most dogs that come to animal shelters are almost
always a product of indiscriminate breeding.
Puppies and dogs offered for sale in the petshops
either come from commercial puppy mills,
unscrupulous backyard breeders,
or from unethical breeders - exhibitors ( there are plenty of these, too ).
Some even well known exhibitors routinely bring their puppies to the Shows,
and sell them from the x-pens placed next to the show ring,
in spite of the fact that this practice is outlawed by the AKC
as no different from selling the dogs at the pet shops.
The puppies coming from such indiscriminate
breeding usually suffer from hyperactivity,
excessive barking, agressivness, skin problems
and genetic defects. Even if these faults
are still not manifested in the puppyhood,
when these gorgous, sweet puppies mature
into adults, they often turn to be difficult pets
to live with.
Those who breed for profit obviously do not
concern themselves with results of their practices.
KNOWLEDGE is the best defense against the deceptive
sales techniques.
Buyer Beware!
If you care about dogs- NEVER, NEVER buy
a puppy from a petshop, or a backyard breeder.
Buy your Crested from a reputable breeder,
who DOES NOT breed in volume numbers, but
rather few quality litters, and who raise
their puppies in loving and warm environment.
Remember, that poor socialized puppies will make
difficult pets.
Get to know a breeder before you make a decision.
Ask for a contract, and learn beforehand
if the breeder would accept the dog,
if you ever would need to return it.
A reputable breeder should guaranty in writing
a refund or a replacement, if a situation
arises, that the dog bought by you would prove
to have defects, or simply be below standard
of quality that you paid for.
Choose your Cresteds breeder well:
remember, that personality of your dog
reflects his upbringing: how much care
and attention a puppy has received from his breeder in its early
formative period, which is from birth to about 10 weeks of age.
