JUNA DOGS FCI

Stereotyped as an "ugly dog," the Chinese Crested is an elegant, beautiful pooch who is worth a closer look. The Chinese Crested dog breed was created to be an invalid's companion. In that setting, you won't find a better dog. They can almost read your mind and will lie in bed for hours without moving a muscle. They have almost no desire to go out and run around like regular dogs, although they are athletic enough to jump surprisingly tall fences and compete in agility. Chinese Cresteds are not gregarious, but they are intensely social and bond quickly within their pack. They don't accept strangers easily. Once it falls in love with you, you'll have a little stalker on your hands — he'll be eternally, thoroughly devoted.

 

For whom Chinese Crested?

Chinese Crested is suitable for everyone. It does not require a lot of experience, but the owner should be patient and calm. A dog of this breed can live anywhere and likes steady life, but can be a career athlete as well. Both varieties are recommended for people with allergies, because they usually do not cause allergies.

 

History

Chinese Crested dogs don't really come from China. They evolved from African or Mexican (no one is certain which) hairless dogs who were reduced in size by the Chinese. The Crested is believed to have accompanied Chinese sailors on the high seas as early as 1530, hunting vermin during and between times of plague (today they can still be found in port cities worldwide). By the middle of the 19th century, Cresteds began to appear in numerous European paintings and prints. Earlier names of the Crested include Chinese Hairless, the Chinese Edible Dog, the Chinese Ship Dog, and the Chinese Royal Hairless. The Chinese bred the dog for its excellent ratting abilities aboard their ships, and sailors traded them at different ports. Documentation by Europeans of a hairless dog who closely resembled the Chinese Crested appears as early as the 1700s, when European travelers visited Chinese seaports and boarded Chinese trading vessels. The Chinese apparently viewed the Chinese Crested as having magical healing powers; they also used them as living heating pads. They were kept by Chinese emperors as well as by sailors. It's unclear when the breed officially arrived in North America, but the first breed club here was founded in 1974. In China, the breed has become rare.

 

Personality

Alert and happy, the Crested adores and dotes on his people. Expect kisses and lots of snuggle time in your lap from this happy, loving little guy. Understand that he doesn't accept strangers easily — but once he comes to love you, you become his world. He makes an excellent companion and is extremely intelligent. Be aware, however, that many dog trainers unfairly rate them low on the intelligence scale because they don't fit the typical dog personality profile. The Crested is not a good breed for insensitive trainers. The Chinese Crested can be stubborn. Intensely social, he bonds tightly to his immediate pack. Really friendly Cresteds are the exception rather than the rule, as most are naturally suspicious of strangers. He can be reactive, and that trait combined with his high social drive tends to make him needy. He's wonderful with familiar people but likely to bite strangers unless socialized and trained out of that impulse. He'll alert bark to protect his home (not that the burglar is going to be terrified). He isn't particularly yappy, but he is adamant about his guard duty and will do his job. Some also like to howl or sing. Temperament is affected by a number of factors, including heredity, training, and socialization. Puppies with nice temperaments are curious and playful, willing to approach people and be held by them. Choose the middle-of-the-road puppy, not the one who's beating up his littermates or the one who's hiding in the corner. Always meet at least one of the parents — usually the mother is the one who's available — to ensure that they have nice temperaments that you're comfortable with. Meeting siblings or other relatives of the parents is also helpful for evaluating what a puppy will be like when he grows up. Like every dog, the Crested needs early socialization — exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences — when they're young. Socialization helps ensure that your Crested puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog. Enrolling him in a puppy kindergarten class is a great start. Inviting visitors over regularly, and taking him to busy parks, stores that allow dogs, and on leisurely strolls to meet neighbors will also help him polish his social skills.

 

Care

A Chinese Crested needs only minimal exercise — he is not a good jogging companion — but mental stimulation is important. There are many toys and puzzles designed for dogs on the market, and he can enjoy many of them. Chinese Cresteds are generally easy to train but they have a stubborn streak, which means you need patience. Positive reinforcement is the only route, and correction needs to be handled sensitively, because the breed can be naturally timid. Socialization is necessary, so if possible find a place that offers separate small-dog puppy classes, so your Crested can socialize with similarly sized dogs. He could be injured while playing with a larger puppy. Crate training benefits every dog and is a kind way to ensure that your Crested doesn't have accidents in the house or get into things he shouldn't. A crate is also a place where he can retreat for a nap. Crate training at a young age will help your Crested accept confinement if he ever needs to be boarded or hospitalized. Never stick your Chinese Crested in a crate all day long, however. It's not a jail, and he shouldn't spend more than a few hours at a time in it except when he's sleeping at night. He's a people dog, and he isn't meant to spend his life locked up in a crate or kennel. Crate training is also helpful for housetraining, which can be one difficult area of training for the Chinese Crested (as a group, toy breeds can be tough to housetrain) — but it will all click into place eventually.

 

Coat, Color and Grooming

Powderpuff coats are seen in all colors and in combinations of mahogany, blue, lavender, or copper. They can be solid or spotted. The skin tones of the Hairless are pink and black. Perhaps it's the Hairless's essential nakedness that made stripper Gypsy Rose Lee a breeder. The Hairless Chinese Crested is bald except for soft, flowing hair on the head, feet, and tail. Hair on the body should be shaved to protect the skin. Don't use sun block or moisturizers; let the skin remain natural. The Hairless should be bathed frequently with a high-quality shampoo. Because he can be prone to minor skin problems, such as acne, check for any blackheads while grooming. Powderpuff Cresteds are a lot of work to groom. They have a silky double coat, and the undercoat is copious and will mat if the dog isn't groomed regularly. Shaving the face is an option. The Powderpuff needs to be brushed weekly, except when the puppy hair is changing into adult hair, during which brushing is best done on a daily basis. A pin or bristle brush is best. All mats should be worked out and any "felting" between the pads on the feet should be removed. Powderpuffs should be bathed regularly but not as frequently as the Hairless, and they need a high-quality shampoo to avoid stripping necessary oils from the hair and skin. The dog should be towelled off and blow-dried to prevent him from getting chilled. Start grooming your Crested at a young age. Grooming allows you the opportunity to bond with your puppy as well as check for any signs of illness that your dog may be showing. Make grooming a positive experience and you will find that veterinary checkups and grooming sessions when the dog has reached maturity will be easy and enjoyable tasks. Most grooming services are available at the local pet groomer's, and if you're unsure or wary about doing any of it yourself, especially shaving, you should seek the help of a professional. Both varieties can have dental issues, but the Hairless is particularly prone. Brush his teeth at least two or three times a week to remove tartar buildup and the bacteria that lurk inside it. Daily brushing is even better if you want to prevent gum disease and bad breath. Trim his nails once or twice a month if your dog doesn't wear them down naturally to prevent painful tears and other problems. If you can hear them clicking on the floor, they're too long. Dog toenails have blood vessels in them, and if you cut too far you can cause bleeding — and your dog may not cooperate the next time he sees the nail clippers come out. So, if you're not experienced trimming dog nails, ask a vet or groomer for pointers. His ears should be checked weekly for redness or a bad odor, which can indicate an infection. When you check your dog's ears, wipe them out with a cotton ball dampened with gentle, pH-balanced ear cleaner

 

to help prevent infections. Don't insert anything into the ear canal; just clean the outer ear. Begin accustoming your Crested to being brushed and examined when he's a puppy. Handle his paws frequently — dogs are touchy about their feet — and look inside his mouth. Make grooming a positive experience filled with praise and rewards, and you'll lay the groundwork for easy veterinary exams and other handling when he's an adult. As you groom, check for sores, rashes, or signs of infection such as redness, tenderness, or inflammation on the skin, in the nose, mouth, and eyes, and on the feet. Eyes should be clear, with no redness or discharge. Your careful weekly exam will help you spot potential health problems early.

 

Breed standard

ORIGIN: China 

PATRONAGE: Great Britain.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID STANDARD: 13.10.2010.

UTILIZATION: Companion Dog.

FCI-CLASSIFICATION:

Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs. Section 4 Hairless breeds. Without working trial.

 

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY:

The Chinese Crested Dog comes in two varieties - the Hairless and the Powder Puff. The ‘Hairless’ have a crest of hair on their head extending part way down their neck, ‘socks’ covering their toes, and a plume on their tail. The rest of their body is, as their name implies, hairless. The ‘Powder Puff’ variety is covered entirely with a veil of long soft hair. While it is difficult to pinpoint their origin, it is said that they were owned by families of the Han Dynasty of China. The Chinese Cresteds were developed at this time as guardians of the treasure houses and, in a larger, heavier form, as hunting dogs. They were seen at shows in America from 1885 to 1926 but then were rarely ever seen for some fifty years.

 

GENERAL APPEARANCE:

A small, active

 and graceful dog; medium-to fine-boned, smooth hairless body, with hair on feet, head and tail only; or covered with a soft veil of hair. Two distinct types of this breed: Deer type, racy and fine-boned, and Cobby type, heavier in body and bone.

 

BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT:

Happy, never vicious. HEAD Smooth, without excess wrinkles. Distance from base of skull to stop equal to distance from stop to tip of nose. Head presenting graceful appearance with alert expression.

 

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull: Slightly rounded and elongated. Stop: Slightly pronounced, but not extreme.

 

FACIAL REGION :

Nose: A prominent feature, narrow in keeping with muzzle. Any colour nose acceptable. Muzzle: Tapering slightly but never pointed, lean without flews. Lips: Tight and thin. Jaws / Teeth: Jaws strong, with perfect, regular scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Cheeks: Cleanly chiselled, lean and flat, tapering into muzzle. Eyes: So dark as to appear black. Little or no white showing. Medium size, almond in shape. Set wide apart. Ears: Set low : highest point of base of ear level with outside corner of eye. Large and erect, with or without fringe, except in Powder Puffs where drop ears are permissible.

 

NECK:

Lean, free from throatiness, long and sloping gracefully into strong shoulders. When moving, carried high and slightly arched. BODY: Medium to long, supple. Back: Level. Loin: Taut. Croup: Well rounded and muscular. Chest: Rather broad and deep, not barrel-ribbed. Breast bone not prominent. Brisket extending to elbows. Underline and belly: Moderate tuck-up.

 

TAIL:

Set high, carried up or out when in motion. Long and tapering, fairly straight, not curled or twisted to either side, falling naturally when at rest. Plume long and flowing, confined to lower two-thirds of tail. Sparse plume acceptable. 

 

LIMBS 

FOREQUARTERS:

General appearance: Legs long and slender, set well under body. Shoulder: Clean, narrow and well laid back. Elbow: Held close to body. Metacarpus (Pastern): Fine, strong, nearly vertical. Forefeet: Extended hare-foot, narrow and long. Nails any colour, moderately long. Socks ideally confined to toes, but not extending above top of pastern. Feet turning neither in nor out. HINDQUARTERS: General appearance: Hindlegs set wide apart. Angulation of the rear limb must be such as to produce a level back. Stifle (Knee): Firm and long, sweeping smoothly into hock. Metatarsus (Rear pastern): Hocks well let down. Hind feet: Extended hare-foot, narrow and long. Nails any colour, moderately long. Socks ideally confined to toes, but not extending above top of pastern. Feet turning neither in nor out.

 

GAIT / MOVEMENT:

Long, flowing and elegant with good reach and plenty of drive.

 

SKIN:

Fine-grained, smooth, warm to the touch.

 

COAT:

Hair: No large patches of hair anywhere on body. A long and flowing crest preferred, but sparse acceptable; ideally beginning at stop tapering off down neck. In Powder Puffs coat consists of an undercoat with soft veil of long hair, veil coat a feature. Colour: Any colour or combination of colours.

 

SIZE AND WEIGHT:

Ideal height at the withers:

Males: 28-33 cms.

Females: 23–30 cms.

 

 

FAULTS:

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

 

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS

• Aggressive or overly shy.

• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B.:

• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.