Dogs → Grooming a Hairless Chinese Crested Dog

Chinese Crested Dog puppies photo

The Chinese Crested is one of the most ancient breeds. The last records of this dog with a veil-shaped crest and monkey paws appeared 2,500 years ago, and scientists agree that the birthplace of the breed is Ancient China.

Purebred Chinese Crested puppies are friendly and active. But the dog shows love and awe only to “its own” people, and greets strangers with wariness and distrust.

Their colors are very diverse: white, chocolate, black, cream, tricolor. By 3-5 months, the puppies begin to color, and the final color of the coat and skin pigment appears. The character also changes: the dogs become temperamental, playful, and very graceful.

Advantages and disadvantages

Thanks to their miniature size and good nature, Puffballs can get along with almost everyone. But, like any other breed, they have their pros and cons.

Advantages of the breed:

• friendliness,
• lack of aggression,
• loyalty to the owner
• mobility,
• hypoallergenic,
• good health,
• undemanding to walks,
• good socialization.

Minuses:

• may be stubborn during training,
• don't tolerate loneliness well
• requires careful grooming,
• difficult to train to be neat.

Hairless Chinese Crested Dog

The Chinese Hairless Crested is an unusual dog whose exotic appearance is due to the lack of hair on its body. However, the head and paws are covered with long hair, and there is a plume (fan train) on the tail.

The dog's head is decorated with a crest; it begins at the transition point of the muzzle to the forehead and beautifully passes into the neck area. In purebred breeds, the crest ends in a wedge and never extends into the line of the spine.

Dogs have different coat colors and pigmentation. The leather can be plain - white, blue, black, brown, or marble and tricolor. The coat can also be white, cream, red, black.

The muzzle of the hairless Chinese Crested is slightly elongated and gradually narrows. The transition of the line to the forehead is smoothed. The eyes are always dark and almond-shaped. The color of the nose always matches the pigmentation of the eyelids.

The dog's ears are set low, always in a standing position, and densely covered with fringe. The Chinese Crested has “hare” paws - with long straightened toes.

According to their body type, crested animals are divided into two types - deer type and horse type. In the first case, the dog is light, with a refined silhouette, in the second case, it is more compact and strong.

Thanks to its specific appearance and graceful movements, a running hairless crested horse resembles a smaller copy of a horse.

Characteristics and standards

The Chinese Crested Powder is a small dog with a slightly elongated body. The height of adult males is 28-33 cm, weight 5-6 kg, the height of females is 23-30 cm, weight 4-5 kg. The Powder Puff differs from the Hairless Crested by the presence of long, flowing fur. It shouldn't be curly. Coat colors can be varied – from blue to dark red. More often you can see cream, white, black and white powder puffs.

Breed standards:

How to retrain a dog and stop a dog from barking at everyone? Read useful recommendations from experts.

How can you clean your dog’s ears and how to do it correctly? Read the answer at this address.

Chinese Crested Powder Powder Dog

The Chinese Downy Crested is an elegant breed with a slightly elongated body and a strong body covered with thick flowing hair. The color is very variable from snow-white to dark red, and can be solid or spotted. Black and white, golden, creamy red colors are popular.

The breed's hair is straight, without signs of frizz or wavyness. The dog does not shed seasonally, except for the period when the puppy's coat is replaced with permanent coat.

The breed has a rounded head, an elongated muzzle, and is covered with skin without folds. The external characteristics of the body and limbs are the same as those of the hairless Chinese Crested.

The color of the tip of the nose varies among dogs. The eyes are almost dark, the whites do not stand out. The ears are often drooping, but there are also erect ones.

The movements of the Chinese Crested Powder are soft and confident, making it similar to the Afghan Hound.

How to trim a Chinese Crested Puff at home

If you decide to give your Chinese Crested a haircut yourself, you will need a comb, hair dryer, scissors and a dog clipper (or trimmer).

Before deciding how to cut your Chinese Crested, you need to wash your pet with shampoo (twice!) and moisturizing conditioner, then gently comb and dry with a hairdryer.

For the same reason, never “tear” tangles with a comb - carefully untangle them with your fingers . The really “wild” tangle will have to be cut off. But it’s easier not to bring the dog’s fur to this state.

Important! Never brush dry hair - this breed has a very fine coat - and if it gets even a little matted, you can pull out a whole clump.

If you have never groomed a dog yourself before and are preparing for an exhibition, it is better not to risk prizes and high marks. Entrust your haircut to a professional groomer in a salon or at home.

If there is a need for a simple haircut for hygienic and aesthetic purposes, then you can start. Just remember: Grooming a Chinese Crested Dog is like writing Chinese characters in calligraphy. You must act confidently, but extremely carefully, accurately and without harsh pressure!

Cutting your head

We start with the head because this is the most critical area, and by the end of the haircut the dog may get tired and begin to express dissatisfaction. And then try to hold her head properly! Using a clipper or trimmer, we very delicately trim the hair in the direction from the shell of the ear to the outer corner of the eye, holding the ear, moving it back with the other hand.

We cut against hair growth . We carefully remove all excess around the ears and eyes. We trim our cheeks. If your Chinese Crested has a short muzzle, cut the cheeks deeper, up to the ear. If the dog has high cheekbones, you can leave sideburns - islands of fur opposite the outer corners of the eyes.

You can visually lengthen a short face by cutting the hair on the bridge of your nose deeper. Extremely delicately, so that the machine does not grab the skin under any circumstances, we remove the hair near the eyes, nose and lips. Raising the dog's head, we treat the chin.

The neck should be cut in the shape of a V. To do this, holding the dog’s head up, we find the most protruding point on the chest - this is the tip of our V. From it we move the clipper up to the ears or sideburns, and at the same time we trim the chin to an ideal state. Ready!

Shearing the body

The body of the Chinese Crested Dog is completely clipped , except for the hair on the bottom of the paws and on the tail. It is important to beautifully and evenly design the dog’s “mane” and the feathering on its paws, so that the Chinese Crested, even without any exhibition, has a look worthy of its breed.

If the silhouette is square and the legs do not visually appear short, the “mane” may begin immediately behind the shoulder blades.

If your dog’s body is a little long, let the “mane” end a little closer to the waist, and when the body is shortened, it is better to move the “mane” closer to the neck: we create a purely visual effect of an ideal body.

The “gaiters” on the paws begin 2–5 cm above the hock joint. It is desirable that they be “the same size” - they start equally on the front and hind legs, have the same shape and length.

Important! What a dog has on its sides has nothing to do with its “mane”! We remove all this with a machine. The “mane” of a Chinese Crested Dog is a narrow strip that extends from the neck to the back.

Doing the styling

The elongated strands on the head are part of the image of the breed; we do not cut them, but comb them in the middle and carefully, symmetrically trim them. to cut the hair above the eyes , trying to achieve a semicircle.

If your ears are erect , you can shave them, leaving only long fringes in front, or you can simply comb them properly, trimming the ends of the strands if necessary.

drooping ears are aligned with the rest of the fur to give the dog a uniform appearance.

The tail of a hairless dog is cut short 3–5 cm from the root, the plume is trimmed in a semicircle.

Try to remove the rags between the pads of the paws, and trim what remains into a circle so that the paws look neat and elegant, without protruding tufts.

Maintenance and care of the Chinese Crested Dog

The appearance of a Chinese Crested puppy in your home will require a lot of attention and love from you towards the animal.

First you need to purchase all the necessary things for your new friend:

• Sun lounger. It should be soft and comfortable. It is advisable to choose models with a roof, since the dog loves to hide in a cozy place where it will be warm and calm.
• A litter tray or disposable diapers. While the dog is still small and has not been fully vaccinated, it is kept in quarantine. While the puppy cannot be taken outside, you need to patiently accustom him to the tray or use diapers.
• Care products. You will need shampoo, a comb, a nail clipper, ear balm, and a dog toothbrush.
• Collar and leash. From about 4 months the dog can already be walked, so these attributes should be at hand.
• Cloth. This breed of dog gets cold, so you need to wear clothes in cold weather.
• Toys. These dogs are very active and playful, so they need balls and chews.
• Dishes for food and water. It is important to choose the right dishes - bowls should be on a stand with a height adjuster.
• Skin care products. Hairless Chinese Cresteds require sunscreen during the summer as their skin burns easily.

Caring for the Chinese Crested is simple, but time consuming. Without it, the dog quickly loses its breed traits and may get sick.

Grooming

• Buy a comb with very long metal teeth. The Chinese Crested has a long, thick coat that mats quickly, so it needs to be brushed daily, especially if you have a powder coat.
• Use a hair dryer to dry and style the wool. Without these attributes, the wool takes a long time to dry and become tangled.
• Choose good scissors for cutting the hair between the pads of the toes, trimming the hair on the ears, paws, and tail. Do this twice a month.
• Use a clipper to groom your dog - shave the chest, muzzle, and area under the tail. This procedure is carried out once every three weeks.
• Use shampoo and conditioner only for long-haired dogs.

Caring for show dogs is more thorough. The dog is washed with a special shampoo and conditioner, the hair is dried and straightened with an iron. Then the wool is treated with a fixing spray and smoothed with a brush with natural bristles. If your dog does not participate in exhibitions, you should not overload the fur with sprays and ironing.

Caring for ears, mouth, claws

• A dog's nails grow quickly, so they are trimmed at least once a month.
• The eyes are prone to souring, so they are washed once a week or more often with chamomile decoction or tea infusion.
• Teeth should be brushed with a toothbrush for children or a special brush every 5-7 days. If this procedure is started, the dog will lose teeth at a young age.
• The ears need to be cleaned with a special product after each bath. Once a month, the inside of the ear is sprinkled with powder and dead hairs are pulled out with your fingers. It doesn't hurt the dog at all. This is done to prevent the development of ear diseases and deafness.

Bathing

• Bath the dog once every 2 weeks. The downy Chinese Crested may need to be bathed more often because its long coat gets dirty more quickly.
• Water procedures are carried out only in warm water (up to 38⁰C). The dog is washed with shampoo, then a balm or mask is applied for a few minutes.
• After bathing, the dog is wrapped in a towel and dipped (the fur cannot be rubbed, otherwise it will break).
• If the dog is downy, it is dried with a hairdryer; if it is naked, the skin is moisturized with cream.

Walking with a Chinese Crested

• Crested Chinese cats need active and long walks at least twice a day.
• Although this breed is obedient, it is best to walk the dog on a leash. This will protect her from strangers and vehicles if she runs too far.
• In summer, you should avoid walking under the scorching sun. The naked Chinese Crested's skin immediately burns, and the Powderpuff's fur dries out.
• In winter, the dog must be dressed, and if possible, wear shoes. Trying to harden dogs of this breed is pointless - your dog will catch a cold or frostbite on his skin.

Grooming

The KHS coat requires constant care. You need to bathe your dog once a week. Contaminated wool will never become silky and will not grow to the required length.

Combing

Before combing an adult dog, you need to make sure that there are no tangles on it, then spray it with a special spray diluted with a small amount of distilled water (1 part spray, 1/3 part water).

Combing dry hair causes brittleness and damage. It is better to comb when the dog is lying on its side, using movements from top to bottom. The tangled fur is separated by hand. Very bad tangles are cut out.

Attention! Sudden movements with the brush are not allowed; they can damage the veil-like coat.

Bathing

Bathing begins with wetting the coat. A special shampoo is foamed with water and applied with gentle movements in the direction of hair growth. After rinsing off the first portion of shampoo, apply a second one, which is held until rinsed off with cool water for 2 minutes. Washing with cool water helps close the cuticles on the surface of the epithelial tissue.

After bathing, wet wool is moistened with a mixture of conditioner, oil and water in proportions of 1/8 * 1/4 * 2, after which it is wrung out. Without washing off the oil mixture, the pet is wrapped in a soft blanket and kept there for 10 minutes, then combed with a long-toothed brush.

Important! Under no circumstances should you comb with single-row combs - they damage the coat.

In the warm season, it is better to dry your dog naturally in the fresh air. When drying with a hairdryer, you need to make sure that the air currents are not hot.

Grooming KHS

What to feed your Chinese Crested Dog?

The most convenient option for the owner of a Chinese crested dog is ready-made food. Their superiority over natural food lies in the balanced composition of minerals and vitamins, as well as proteins and fats. By giving preference to dry food, you provide your dog with complete nutrition. But there is a very important nuance in this matter: only premium food, for example, Royal Canin or Akana, is suitable for the Chinese Crested.

But it is no less useful to feed the animal with the gifts of nature. True, you will have to try to ensure that your dog’s diet is complete. In addition, natural nutrition involves taking vitamin complexes.

What should be included in the “Chinese” menu:

• dairy products;
• porridge (buckwheat/rice/millet/oatmeal);
• chicken meat;
• fruits (apples/raspberries/bananas);
• vegetables (cucumbers/tomatoes/pumpkin).

Your dog's diet should not contain the following ingredients:

• cheap food;
• large bones, especially tubular ones;
• sweets;
• very salty dishes;
• pork and fatty beef;
• raw fish.

It is better to boil food for the Chinese Crested and then chop it a little. Also, there should always be water near the bowl of food.

Chinese Crested Dog, reviews

The Chinese Crested is a dog breed that is impossible not to love. Here's what happy owners write:

Ksyusha, 25 years old: “The Hairless Chinese Crested is already my third dog. When I saw this dog breed on the Internet, I fell in love. Now I understand that this is not only a beautiful and sweet creature, but also a devoted, affectionate, ideal friend. In addition, Lola quickly became friends with my Chow Chow and French Bulldog.”

Tanya, 38 years old: “If you are looking for a smart and friendly dog, get a Chinese Crested. This is the most magnificent creature that gives positivity, love and loyalty. From personal experience, I can say that caring for this dog is not as difficult as everyone writes. Yes, the dog has a certain diet, it needs to be bathed and groomed often, but it is fun. The only disadvantage of this breed is its harmfulness. My Ricci will definitely do some mischief if he is dissatisfied with something.”

History of the Chinese Crested Powder Breed

The Chinese Crested Puff (also called Powderpuff) comes in two types. One of them is a deer, has a light frame, and the dog is unusually active. The other has a heavier skeleton, and therefore a heavier body.

No one knows for sure where the Chinese puff first appeared. Externally, the breed is similar to the Mexican Sholo dog. How it got to China is not known.

There is a legend that the corydalis accompanied Buddha on his travels. She shed her fur, turning into a formidable lion if God was in danger.

For reference! Dogs still serve today to catch rodents in Chinese temples.

The first standard for this breed was approved in Great Britain. To begin breeding, puffballs were collected from all over the globe. By 1966 there were only a dozen of them. Now the Chinese downy dog ​​has spread throughout the world. They are bred not only by English clubs, but also by breeders from other countries.

Puff on a walk

Grooming a Chinese Crested Dog

Caring for your dog involves regular grooming. A hygienic haircut is required, and decorative and exhibition haircuts are optional.

A hygienic haircut is carried out as follows:

• The dog is washed, dried, combed and excess hair trimmed.
• Shorten the fur on the ears.
• The silhouette of the plume on the tail is trimmed.
• Excess hair is trimmed between the fingertips.
• Carefully shave the hair under the tail.
• The hair on the chest and face is shaved.

A hygienic haircut is carried out every 3-4 weeks.

If the dog is a show dog, its haircut must comply with the standard. Hairless "Chinese" dogs should only have hair on their head, tail and paws. It should be smooth, shiny, without tangles. For downy dogs, the standard calls for a “veil-like” flowing coat. The standard does not make any requirements for the style of ear cutting.

Special attention can be paid to decorative haircuts. The coat and type of the Chinese Crested allows you to experiment. Professional groomers offer many interesting options for cutting and even coloring a dog. At the request of the owner, the dog can be knitted into tails, hairpins, and the dog can be turned into a lion cub, a kitten, or even an imp. Particularly interesting options are dyeing wool in pink, red-black, and blue tones.

If you decide to cut your dog’s hair yourself, use the groomer’s tips:

Nicknames of Chinese Crested Dogs:

The Chinese Crested gets its nickname at the time of litter activation. The breeder does this, and then enters the dog’s name into its pedigree. It is no longer possible to change the name after this, but the new owner can give the puppy a pet name. Only for participation in exhibitions will the nickname indicated in the documents be used.

Calling the exotic Chinese Crested by an ordinary nickname is somehow wrong, so the nicknames Sharik and Rex automatically disappear. You will need something more special and exclusive, such as Aurum or Ramses.

girls

Interesting nicknames for Chinese Crested girls:

• Aurora, Addie, Isa, Aqua, Alice, Alpha, Amanda, Angel, Ariel, Astra.
• Barbie, Bella, Betty, Bonita, Bridges, Beauty, Becky.
• Wanda, Vesta, Vanessa, Venus, Viola.
• Glory, Gracie, Greta, Ginda.
• Daisy, Jen, Jennifer, Gina, Dobby, Dory.
• Eva, Blackberry.
• Jasmine, Zhefrey, Zhura.
• Zlata, Zuri.
• Isabelle, Toffee.
• Kaina, Camilla, Klyaksa, Katie.
• Lada, Laima, Lassie, Lilu, Lina, Laura, Lorna.
• Margo, Mirana, Mirlana.
• Naomi, North, Noira.
• Palma, Penelope, Paris.
• Rainbow, Rika, Rammy.
• Lilac, Sophie, Stephanie, Siren, Sparta.
• Twiggy, Tiffy, Topa, Tori.
• Fani, Fiji, Flute, Flora, Francesca.
• Heidi, Chloe, Holly, Hilda.
• Tsilya.
• Chapa, Chili, Chucha, Chaka, Chelli.
• Shiny, Sherry, Shosha, Shandy.
• Evie, Alice, Elba, Elya, Esther.
• Yucca, Juno.

boys

Respectable nicknames for boys:

• August, Ike, Aston.
• Basil, Bond, Brioche, Bud.
• White, Viking, Winter.
• Gavrik, Gideon, Gosha, Grimhild.
• Daric, Jason, Dorian.
• Marshmallow.
• Icarus, Ginger.
• Cupcake, Cupcake, Klepa.
• Lucky, Lassie, Lotus, Luntik.
• Mike, Macho, Magic, Monty.
• Nike, Nelson, Norton.
• Oswald, Oscar, Ocean.
• Pablo, Peach, Pixel, Poof.
• Rafael, Richie, Ronnie.
• Salvador, Sapphire, Suzuki.
• Tyler, Tokyo, Thor.
• Fedor, Flor, Fox.
• Hunt, Hygge.
• Charles, Shpunik.
• Elf, Anthony, Eric,
• Yukki, Yust.

How to train a Chinese Crested puppy:

Teaching a puppy to go to the toilet in the right place is quite difficult. This requires time and patience. First you need to decide on a place for the toilet, and then start studying. Track where the puppy relieves itself and place a diaper or tray there. If this location does not suit you, gradually move the tray in the desired direction, but no more than 3-4 cm per week.

Once you have a Chinese Crested puppy, remove the rugs for a while to prevent the dog from choosing them instead of the litter box.

to the diaper

If you are going to accustom your puppy to a diaper, decide which one you will use:

• Disposable diapers are convenient to use, they do not need to be washed, and they absorb moisture well. But you will need a lot of them, because the puppy goes to the toilet very often.
• Reusable diapers will save your budget, but you will have to constantly wash them, since puppies are very clean and will not wear a dirty diaper a second time.

Methods for training a Chinese Crested to a diaper:

• Choose a place for the diaper. Constantly monitor the puppy to catch the moment when he wants to go to the toilet. It’s easy to understand: the puppy is fussing, spinning, sniffing. You need to catch the puppy and put him in a diaper. If he does his job in the right place, he needs to be praised and given a treat. As a rule, the puppy wants to go to the toilet more often after sleeping and eating. But he still can’t stand it until 5-6 months, so small embarrassments in the form of a puddle on the floor will still happen. At this moment, there is no need to scold the puppy, just take the diaper, dip it in the puddle and let the dog sniff. And then treat the crime scene well so that there is no smell left.
• If it doesn’t work with one diaper, place several diapers at once in all the places where the puppy poops. And gradually remove them one by one. This will make it easier for the puppy to learn to go to the toilet in only one place.
• If unsuccessful, you can leave the puppy in a special enclosure. Place the puppy's bed and diaper in it. When the baby gets used to wearing a diaper, the enclosure can be removed.

to the tray

To make the toilet training process easier, you need to purchase a suitable tray:

• It should be spacious so that the dog fits completely and can sit comfortably.
• To prevent the puppy from turning over with the tray, it is better to buy a model with sides.
• If you have a male dog, you need to buy a tray with a post for tags.

An excellent tray model with artificial grass or odor absorber.

You can accustom your puppy to the tray in the same way as to the diaper. But as experience shows, it is better to first accustom the dog to the diaper, and then gradually transfer it to the tray. When the dog gets used to it, the diaper is completely removed, leaving only the tray.

to the toilet

While the puppy is small and in quarantine, you cannot take him outside to the toilet. This period should be devoted to accustoming the puppy to a diaper. When all vaccinations are completed, you can begin toilet training your dog. On the street, you need to choose a suitable place on the grass, where outside dogs do not walk and dogs do not leave marks. After the puppy has slept, eaten or played actively, you need to take him outside and give the command “go to the toilet.”

If the dog went to the toilet in the right place, he is rewarded with a treat; if he tries to choose another place, he is taken away from there and told “no”. After 2-3 weeks of training, the dog develops a schedule and begins to go to the toilet only in a certain place.

Clothes of Chinese Crested Dogs photo

In the summer, the Chinese Crested does not need to be dressed, but to maintain style, you can dress it up in a cotton T-shirt, T-shirt, dress or skirt (if you have a girl).

In winter, the dog will need a warm overall and boots.

If it’s raining outside, the dog will be comfortable in a raincoat or waterproof blanket.

During the demi-season period, the dog's wardrobe should consist of suits made of thin fabrics that will protect the fur from dirt and moisture.

A festive outfit for special occasions wouldn't hurt either.

The Chinese Crested is an amazing dog that will give you a lot of joy and pleasant memories!