THE UNIQUE AND EXOTIC
CHINESE CRESTED

My love of dogs began as a child in Australia, from pure breeds and a Dingo or two thrown in.

Since my husband retired, I am now devoted to my chosen breed, which keeps me absorbed and forever guessing.

Traveling the world for 25 years and living in many countries around the globe, I have had the opportunity of observing the many ancient breeds of hairless dogs that are in existence today.

The unique difference with the Chinese Crested and other hairless breeds is that the Cresteds carry the gene for long hair, and all other hairless breeds carry short coat.

There are many myths and legends about this exotic little dog.   It is sometimes thought that breeding the coated powder puff with the hairless will improve the dentition of the hairless or the furnishings of the hairless.

The power puff does not carry the hairless gene so their mouths are not affected by the mutation.   Not all powder puffs are perfect specimens and some do not have the correct bite.

A successful breeding program to improve dentition in the powder puff will result in a mouth where all incisors are evenly placed in each jaw.

To further complicate the myths is to breed the powder puff to the hairless will increase the body hair on the hairless or increase the furnishings on the hairless.

The powder puff does not carry the hairless gene and cannot influence the amount of hair or lack of hair in the hairless dog.

A dominate mutation can show considerable variation of the mutant gene.   Genetically, hairless dogs can carry varying amounts of hair on thier bodies as well as the crest, socks, and plume.

This variability is unfortunutely a characteristic of the incomplete dominate lethal mutation.

All hairless dogs have a coated counterpart.   The coated dog plays a critical role in any breeding program when a potentially lethal gene is involved.   Coated dogs are nature's way of insuring survival and continuation of the breed.

The powder puff was discarded in the past and considered not important in the breeding program.   Sadly, a lot of wonderful foundation stock has been lost.   The coated variety plays a critical role in maintaining health, quality, and substance of the breed.

Variation is a natural occurrence and important in any breeding program.

This loving, fascinating, intelligent, little toy dog is gaining quite a following with its happy, gay, little personality, and its total devotion to its human companions.

I must confess my heart has been stolen by this delightful, fascinating, unique little toy breed.

Top Notch Toys/August 2001 - 115