|
"Small Dog Breed Catalog"
Small Dog Breed Catalog: Page 15
of 56
Chinese Crested Dog Breed
The Chinese Crested dog has a delicate and fine-boned body. The breed
comes in two types- the hairless and powder puff. The hairless
variety has no coat aside from the silky tufts on his head, tail, and
feet ' which means no hairs on carpet. Unlike all other breeds, he is
hairless and has sweat glands on his body. The powder puff variety
has a medium-length, silky, soft, and shedding coat. Although still
very apparent, the powder puffs have been excluded from selective
breeding over a period of years. Many believe that the powder puffs
are nature's way of keeping these hairless breeds warm. This dog is
handy sized, clean, odorless, and is great a pet dog as well as a show
dog. He is intelligent, alert, inquisitive, courageous, gentle,
devoted to his owners, and gets along well with children. He is
sometimes timid with strangers and other dogs. Training should be
precise and patient. Socialization is crucial from puppy hood to help
boost the confidence of this sensitive toy breed. This dog can be
difficult to housebreak and can be noisy at times. Spoiling may
result to a pushy and nippy dog that lacks confidence. He seldom
requires veterinary care and is a free whelper. He has the ability to
grip his paws in a charming and almost human fashion. This breed is
allergic to wool.
Size: The Chinese Crest stands between 11-13in at the shoulder and
weighs between 6-10lb.
History and origin: Though the age of this breed is not clear, it is
believed to have been developed by the Chinese in the 17th century
from the bloodlines of African Hairless dogs. Up until 1966, an
elderly lady in the United States, Mrs. Ruth Harris owned the only
examples of this breed in the world. She introduced 4 of these to the
United Kingdom. Nowadays, the Chinese Crested is becoming more and
more popular and is being included in an increasing number of dog
shows. The breed is also recognized by the British Kennel Club.
Feeding: Recommended feeding for this breed is ' -3/4 can of
high-quality brand dog food (13.3oz size) or the fresh meat equivalent
with a cupful of small dog biscuits. You may want to keep a bowl of
biscuits handy so that the dog may help himself when puckish, but
remove them if you think he is becoming overweight. This breed lack
premolar teeth, and thus it is inadvisable to give them bones.
Exercise: An apartment is fine for this small breed provided he gets
a brisk walk or 2 each day.
Grooming: This breed requires frequent bathing. The skin should be
regularly rubbed with baby oil to prevent cracking and to keep it
smooth to the touch. Extra care must be taken to prevent sunburn and
to maintain the skin free of blackheads to which they are prone to
during adolescence.
Copyright 2006 by Jay Jennings. All rights reserved.
|