Chinese Crested

The Chinese Crested is a small companion dog from the toy group, weighing around 3.5 to 5.5 kg and standing roughly 28 to 33 cm at the shoulder. Two coat types can appear within the same litter. The Hairless has smooth skin over most of the body, with hair left on the head (the crest), feet (socks), and tail (plume). The Powderpuff carries a full, soft double coat over its entire body.

The breed's name does not fully reflect its documented past. Its development is tied to Chinese trading ports rather than to a single region of origin, and small hairless dogs travelled long distances aboard trading ships as they moved along these routes. In New Zealand today, the Chinese Crested is bred and kept almost exclusively as a house companion, and it is recognised by Dogs New Zealand in the Toy group.

The breed is affectionate, playful, and forms a tight bond with the household it lives in. It tends to fix on one family and can be wary of strangers at first. It stays alert and will let you know when someone is at the door, but it was never built for guarding work or hard physical labour.

Who it suits

The Chinese Crested does best in a home where someone is around for most of the day, since it wants close contact and can find long stretches alone hard going. It suits flats and smaller homes well, as its exercise needs are modest. The Hairless variety needs skin care and protection from sun and cold, so owners need to be willing to manage bathing, sunscreen, and a coat or jumper for walks in cooler weather. A household with very young or boisterous children is a poorer match, since the breed is fine boned and sensitive to rough handling.

Hairlessness is an old, naturally occurring trait that turns up in dog populations across several parts of the world. Exactly how it produced the Chinese Crested is not fully recorded, but small hairless dogs became associated with Chinese trading ships and were noted in port cities during the 1800s. Sailors kept the dogs aboard, which helped carry them along established trade routes.

By the late 1800s, hairless dogs were being exhibited in Europe and North America, often shown under a mix of names that lumped together hairless types from different parts of the world. Written records and illustrations from this period label some of these dogs as Chinese, though the naming of the day was inconsistent.

Much of the breed's modern form was set during the 20th century by breeders in the United States and the United Kingdom, who standardised the two coat varieties and fixed the breed's proportions. Their work also managed the genetics behind the Hairless and Powderpuff coats.

National kennel clubs granted the breed formal recognition through the second half of the 20th century. Dogs New Zealand now registers the Chinese Crested in the Toy group, and in New Zealand, as elsewhere, it is kept purely as a companion rather than for any working role.

The Chinese Crested is small, fine boned, and graceful, with a body that runs slightly longer than it is tall. The head is wedge shaped, the eyes range from dark to medium in tone, and the ears stand large and erect in the Hairless variety. The tail is long and carries up or out on the move, and the gait is light and free.

Coat is what defines the breed. Both varieties can turn up in a single litter, and apart from coat, the two share the same body structure and standard.

Coat and colours

In the Hairless variety, most of the body is smooth, bare skin, with soft hair left on the head, lower legs, and tail. Skin colour can be anything and is often spotted or mottled. The Powderpuff carries a long, soft double coat over its whole body and needs regular brushing to stay free of mats. Both varieties come in a wide range of colours and patterns, and the standard does not favour one colour over another. Hairless dogs can carry varying amounts of body hair, which breeders factor into grooming.

At heart, the Chinese Crested is a companion breed. It looks for close contact and often wants to sit on or right beside its people. Indoors it is playful and lively, and it enjoys gentle games. The breed forms a strong attachment to its household and can pick up on changes in routine or mood.

With family it is warm and demonstrative. Around strangers it is usually reserved and can take a while to come round, though it is not an aggressive breed. Calm socialisation from an early age helps keep shyness in check. It stays alert and will bark at visitors or unfamiliar sounds, though how vocal it is varies between individual dogs.

The breed generally gets on with other pets, especially dogs of a similar size and cats it has grown up alongside. Because it is small and light boned, keep an eye on things around larger, boisterous dogs. The Chinese Crested is sensitive to harsh handling and does not respond well to rough correction, so a gentle household suits it best.

Grooming needs differ a good deal between the two coat varieties, though both call for routine attention. The Hairless variety needs skin care; the Powderpuff needs coat care.

Grooming

• Hairless: bathe regularly and moisturise the skin to stop it drying out; watch for blackheads and minor breakouts, and clean the skin gently
• Hairless: apply a pet-safe sunscreen before time outdoors, since New Zealand's UV levels run high even on cool days, and use a coat or jumper when it is cold
• Powderpuff: brush several times a week to stop mats forming in the soft double coat
• Both: trim nails every few weeks and check the crest, socks, and plume hair
• Both: brush teeth often, as the breed is prone to dental problems

Exercise

• One or two short daily walks, about 15 to 30 minutes in total
• Indoor play sessions to burn off energy and give the dog something to think about
• Avoid overexertion in heat or cold, especially for the Hairless variety

Environment

The Chinese Crested is an indoor dog and suits flats and smaller homes well. It feels the cold and heat more than most breeds: the Hairless variety chills quickly and sunburns easily, so it needs a warm, draught-free spot and cover when outdoors. Older New Zealand homes can run cold in winter, so extra bedding or a jumper indoors is worth considering. The breed wants company and does not do well left alone for long stretches.

Feed a complete and balanced diet formulated for small or toy breeds. Because the dog is small, portions are modest, and even small measuring errors can add weight quickly. Split the daily amount into two or three meals to keep energy steady, since very small dogs, especially as puppies, can be prone to low blood sugar if meals are spaced too far apart.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to a small share of daily calories so the dog stays lean. A diet labelled complete and balanced usually covers all the nutrients a healthy dog needs, so routine supplements are not necessary on top of that. Keep fresh water available at all times. Talk to a vet before adding any supplement, such as a joint or skin product, particularly given the Hairless variety's specific skin needs.

The Chinese Crested is a long-lived toy breed, typically reaching 13 to 18 years of age. Most dogs live full lives with routine veterinary care, good dental hygiene, and weight control. A handful of conditions show up more often in the breed and are worth keeping an eye on.

Preventive care

• Annual vet check-ups, with more frequent visits for seniors
• Daily or near-daily tooth brushing, plus professional cleaning as your vet advises
• Keep the dog at a lean weight to protect its joints and heart
• Buy from breeders who have their dogs' eyes and knees checked before breeding
• For the Hairless variety, keep up a steady skin and sun-care routine

The Chinese Crested is quick to learn and keen to please, which makes it trainable, though it is also sensitive and can shut down under harsh handling. Keep sessions short, calm, and upbeat. The breed responds well to food rewards, praise, and play. House-training can take patience, as with most small breeds, so a steady routine and consistency matter. Early socialisation with people, places, and other animals helps ease the natural wariness around strangers.

Basics

1. Start with the dog's name and simple attention cues in a quiet room
2. Teach sit, down, and come with small treats and short repetitions
3. Build house-training around a fixed schedule and frequent breaks outside
4. Get the dog used to calm handling for grooming, including skin and tooth care
5. Add gradual exposure to new people and settings to build confidence
6. Keep each session a few minutes long and finish on a success

Breeding the Chinese Crested is usually best left to experienced, responsible breeders, given the breed's small size and the genetics behind its coat. Dogs generally reach physical and behavioural maturity between one and two years of age, and responsible breeders wait until a dog is mature and health-tested before using it for breeding. Pre-breeding checks commonly cover the eyes and knees.

Gestation in dogs runs to about 63 days. Litters are small, often two to four puppies, in keeping with the breed's toy size. The Hairless trait is carried on a single dominant gene that also affects the embryo, so planned pairings often include a Powderpuff parent, and both coat types can turn up in the same litter. Newborn puppies are tiny and need a warm, clean whelping area with close monitoring through the first weeks. Hairless puppies need extra attention to skin and warmth as they grow.

Chinese Crested registration and microchip registration in New Zealand

Adding your Chinese Crested to the registry is a ten-minute job at most: name, date of birth, photo, contact details, save. The profile is free for life and works whether the chip is already in or booked for the next vet visit. Dog registration is the place to start.

Getting the chip implanted was the vet's job; giving the number somewhere to point is yours. Registering the microchip with United Pet Club costs nothing on the lifetime plan, suits any brand a Kiwi vet reaches for, and keeps the record searchable at any hour from anywhere. Creating a free account ties the profile and the chip together.