Routine cleaning of the skin is very important to prevent problems such as blackheads. I treat their skin somewhat like my own hence I do not keep them in "oil" because this will only clog up their skin causing a multitude of problems. I will after a bath apply a non -oily cream such as dermabase which helps to make the skin soft to the touch.

The Hairless's come in a wide variety of hairlessness. This can range from a very hairy hairless to a true hairless. The true hairless will have a very sparse covering of hair over their body which requires a bit of clipping and are easy to maintain. The hairy hairless can have a considerable amount of body hair and will often require a lot more clipping. Properly cared for with some skin cream, the skin of the hairless will remain soft to the touch. A comb is required for the fine hairs. Be sure to protect the hairless dogs in the cold of winter, they should be protected from the cold in winter.

Powder Puffs which are the long-haired variety of the hairless will require grooming for 10 minutes every few days to keep their coat free of tangles.

Because the hairless have what is called prehistoric molars which are somewhat like tusks and do not have a good root system the problem of loosing teeth prematurely can be a problem.. I find that giving a lot of raw bones and a dog food called TD is great for cleaning the teeth . Routine cleaning is very helpful as well. Selecting and breeding from dogs with improved dentition can also help to reduce this problem over time.

Powder Puffs (the long-haired variety of the hairless) generally have normal teeth and are an important part of the breed. Breeders are hoping to improve the dentition of the hairless variety by interbreeding with Powder Puffs. .  Powder Puff and Hairless dogs often appear in the same litter because each hairless dog carries one gene for hairlines and one gene for hair, as a combination of the two hairless genes is fatal. Powder Puffs bred to Powder Puffs will only produce Powder Puffs.

 Toenails also require regular clipping.

A healthy Chinese Crested dogs should live an average of 15 years.

Feeding and maintenance

It is important to feed your Chinese Crested a good quality dog food and fresh raw bones. It is common to watch them take their food away from their dish and eat it one piece at a time. It is important to watch your Chinese Cresteds weight and adjust their food intake accordingly.

Space and exercise

These dogs do well with just regular sessions of play. Although they do enjoy brisk walks.

Recommended for

Those who prefer something a little different. These are loyal dogs equally suited to families, the retired or someone who might just want to look a bit funky. Due to their size, these dogs are generally not suited for families with very small children.

Health Concerns

The most common disorders are acne, loss of teeth, skin allergies.

Other problems that can occur is Luxating Patellar, Legg-Calve Perthes Disease, wool and lanolin allergies as well as deafness.

What is Deafness all about!

We all know that deafness is a problem in the Dalmation breed but it also can show up in our Chinese Cresteds.

All puppies are effectively deaf for the first two weeks of their life. It is around the 14th day that their ears open up and they start to perceive sounds. It is hard to recgonise a deaf puppy because unlike their hearing siblings they will become very adept at relying on their eyes and nose to react to what is going on. A good example is if the human calls and the litter mates all respond the deaf puppy see what is going on and will follow the others so one would assume that the deaf pup did hear the call.

To determine that an animal is deaf, it helps to know how normal pups develop their ability to hear. For the first  two weeks of life, all dogs are effectively deaf. At about the 14th day, the pup's ears open up and the animal can start to perceive sounds. While normal pups become adept at identifying sounds, a deaf animal will rely on its eyes  and nose to make up for its inability to hear. Using primarily visual cues, the deaf puppy may appear to be reacting to sounds exactly like its litter mates. When a human calls the puppies, the deaf one merely watches and follows the  others. It will be assumed that the deaf pup "heard" the call.

The disorder is usually associated with pigmentation patterns and the presence of white in the hair coat increases the likelihood of deafness. Unlike the studies done for the merle gene it has been found that the piebald and extreme white piebald pigment genes are less well-understood. In Dalmations a breed that does have the extreme piebald pigment gene there is thoughts that there is a multi-gene for deafness in dogs with the piebald pigment genes.

There is a need for breeders to BAER test to prevent a major problem from arising  in the years to come and the only way to determine if your dog can hear is to have the BAER test done. It can be done on puppies as young as 6 weeks and is fast and easy as well as painless. Here in Canada there is finally getting to be more places and clinics being run to have the test done.

For more information the following links have a lot of information.

Deafness in Dogs and Cats
BAER Test Sites

What is a Luxating Patellar?

The patella, or kneecap, is part of the stifle joint (knee). In patellar luxation, the kneecap luxates, or pops out of place, either in a medial or lateral position.

Luxating Patella

What is Legg-Calve Perthes Disease

This orthopedic disorder is known by many names: Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, Legg-Perthes disease, Perthes disease, coxa plana, aseptic or avascular necrosis of the femoral head.  All of these names still amount to - a deterioration of the head of the femur (thighbone) due to insufficient blood supply.  As a result of the insufficient blood supply the head of the femur begins to die and disintegrate.  The disintegration can be seen, through x-rays as a flattening of the femoral tip.
        Most often, only one leg is affected.  This condition occurs more frequently in males, between the ages of 4 to 10 years.  Some family bloodlines tend to have extremely high incidence of this condition, while other bloodlines appear to be less susceptible.
        Symptoms of this condition will vary according to the severity of the degeneration.  Physical indications of this condition may include: knee pain (may be the only initial indication), thigh pain, muscular atrophy in the upper thigh, restricted movement in the hip, limping, difficulty walking, and asymmetry (unequal length) of legs.
        Positive diagnosis can usually be achieved through x-rays of the hip and/or pelvis.
        Treatment of this condition will also vary dependent upon severity.  In mild cases, enforced rest may be adequate.  Resting can allow the body to generate new bone cells replacing the damaged ones.  In more advanced cases surgery may be needed.
        The long-term prognosis of this condition is dependent upon the extent of the damage.  It is critical that the dog is treated by a veterinarian as early as possible in the progress of this disorder.
        Dogs that have had Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (regardless of the degree of severity) should never be used for breeding.

Legg-Calve Perthes

VACCINE PROTOCOL - DR. W.JEAN DODDS

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