How to Identify a Chinese Crested Dog

Chinese Cresteds come in two varieties: hairless and powderpuff.

1. 1
   Recognize the hairless coat. The hairless variety of Chinese Crested is the one more commonly recognized. Despite the name "hairless", dogs with this type of coat have hair but only on certain parts of the body, including the head, 2/3 of the tail, and feet, from the front pasterns and rear hocks to the toes. The hair may flow in any length and is silky and soft, while the skin on the hairless portions of the body is smooth. ^[11]

   • The hair on the head is called a "crest", referring back to the breed's name, while the hair on the tail is referred to as the "plume" and the hair on the feet is named a "sock". ^[12]
2. 2
   Identify the powderpuff coat. Unlike the hairless variety, a powderpuff Chinese Crested is completely covered in hair. The coat is a double coat which is silky, straight, and soft with a moderate length and density. It is made up of thin, long guard hairs on top of a silky, short undercoat. ^[13]

   Did you know? The powderpuff gene in Chinese Cresteds is recessive. ^[14]
3. 3
   Disregard the coat color. A Chinese Crested may be any color. They may even be a combination of multiple colors. ^[15]
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1. 1
   See if the dog is playful. The Chinese Crested is a highly playful, peppy breed and enjoys playing with toys and running around. They typically act playful toward children and other animals. ^[16]

   • Chinese Cresteds usually enjoy playing with other pets, but some may become jealous of them instead. ^[17]
2. 2
   Expect barking. High attentiveness may get out of hand in the form of excessive barking. Chinese Cresteds are rather vocal dogs, and though this can be good for alarm purposes, they should be trained to prevent them from barking too often. ^[18]
3. 3
   Take note if the dog seems needy. Chinese Cresteds are people-oriented and value attention. They are dependent on their owners for interaction and companionship and may be prone to separation anxiety if left alone for too long. ^[19]

   • Additionally, some Chinese Cresteds may value the attention to the point of jealousy if others receive more than them. ^[20]
4. 4
   Look for stubbornness. A Chinese Crested may act willful, independent, or stubborn and require consistent training to address this. However, they are also very bright and can respond well to training. ^[21]
5. 5
   Notice a high activity level. With their playful nature, Chinese Cresteds have fairly high amounts of energy and need to make use of it all. They enjoy playing but may turn to climbing and jumping, with the risk of potential escape, if playing is not an option. ^[22]
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