Chinese Cresteds – Meet the Breed

About the Chinese Crested:

First of all – beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and once you behold one of these gorgeous little dogs racing across the lawn with the sheer joy of living, or look into their expressive eyes as they snuggle close to you, well, its going to be love.

Chinese Cresteds are small dogs,  seven to twelve pounds fully grown, ten to twelve inches tall.   Like some other breeds, they come in a couple different varieties.   Unlike some other breeds, their varieties are so different that people don’t believe you when you say, “yeah, they are the same kind.”   There are the powderpuffs.   Fluffy little bundles of joy.  The coat is soft, silky, and mostly non shedding.   They come in a variety of colors and its fun to see the differences.

 

Ten week old powderpuff puppy

 

The other variety is the kind that make people go WOW, or What is that?  And that’s the hairless kind.  They have some hair, on their heads, their feet and a plume of a tail.   (as a side note, many of the ‘hairless’ you see in show rings are shaved powderpuffs.  Most of the hairless don’t have that much thick hair).

Yes, I have a coat. But I took it off. My mom makes sure I don’t get too cold.

Both kinds are smart. They love their people and enjoy being with them, very much.  Any time I sit down on the couch, I will have three or more on my lap.   Any time I’m at the computer, there are several at my feet.  I always have company in the yard.

Unlike some small breeds, they are not excessive barkers, and if you are diligent, aren’t too hard to housebreak. They are elegant, small boned creatures and look like little deer running across the lawn.  They love to jump, and love to play.  They figure out what you want fairly quickly and will try to please you.   They are fairly sturdy, despite their elegance, and while care has to be given to make sure they don’t sunburn or freeze, they aren’t high maintenance.  These dogs make excellent companions for gentle children.  The Cresteds are also wonderful with older people, a long walk and some snuggles and they are happy dogs. Some can be trained for therapy dogs, and if you are interested or have a need for that, drop me a line.

But do you know bulldogs?

Lucky me!  I recently did jury duty for the fourth time.  I really should buy a lottery ticket.   On the first day as the fifty or so of us sat in uncomfortable silence, waiting, the bailiff laughed and said, “You’ll all be best friends by the end of the week.”    Well, we all got more comfortable anyway.

Chatting away, after a day or so, I found out one lady did bull dog rescue.  I mentioned I trained, and she said, “I always have new families who need a little help.  I’ll give them your card.”   Then she looked at me very seriously, and asked, “But do you know bulldogs?”

Do you think you can deny me anything? I thought not. I practiced this look at LONG time!

I can say, yeah.   I know bull dogs.   People always say, “Its how you raise them.”   Well, that has a lot to do with how dogs are.  But.  Oh.  But.

When people complain to me about their bull dog (or other breeds) I just laugh at them and say, “if you wanted a golden, you shoulda got a golden.  But you chose This.  This is not a golden.”   (Generalizing) A golden will do about  anything you want, when you want it.  And beg, “Please please please!  let me let me!”

A bulldog.  Not so much.   Yes.  There IS such a thing as breed specific behavior.  Not all dogs within the breed act the same, but many of them have a lot of the same traits.  And that is why some people are ‘doberman people’ and some are ‘poodle people’ and some will only own mutts and others would never be without a dachshund in their beds.   You get a bulldog because you like that he does things in what I call ‘bulldog time.’

I say “sit” and my dogs all think “TREAT!” and slam their cute butts to the ground.  A bulldog, no matter how much he wants that treat, will consider his options first.

Oh, he’s going to do it, but just give him a minute, okay?  And that is your cue to laugh.  You have to celebrate what makes them special and just enjoy it.  Really, you have no other option.  I know bulldogs.

Breed Specifics

There is that old nature vs nurture debate.  I hear it all the time from people as they cuddle their cute, adorable puppy,  ‘its all in how you raise them’.    Well.  No.  Its not.

Sure, some of it is.   A dog that is kept on a chain in the back yard all the time will act differently than one raised in the house, under your feet.    A dog that is hit, kicked and abused will not be the same dog as her sister who is dressed in clothes and carried in a purse.  My dogs who are raised around other dogs, animals, many children and have a huge fenced yard to run in, act differently  than a friend’s dog who sees only her, pees on papers inside and never goes anywhere.

However.

“What is she?”  is the very first question people ask new puppy owners.  Why?  Because it matters.

Different dog breeds act and react in different ways.  I will never be without a dachshund in my bed.  They cuddle and keep your feet warm as if they were made to do that.  They are also quite handy when it comes to killing varmints.  I’m not a huge fan of rodents and neither are most doxies.  “Here, let me kill it for you!”  Good puppy!!

I can dig holes in the yard too! She didn't mention that!

People get a lab because they want a big friendly easy to train dog who is good around kids.   And mostly that is what they get when they get a lab.

They get a yorkie because they want something that makes everyone go ‘awwww’,  is adorable, entertaining,  and because they want to clean up pee in the house for months.

Sit? Stay? Pee where? Aww come on...!

Schnauzers will bark when the door bell rings and Not Stop.   And they are smart,  funny and are great with kids.

A golden will do anything for you.  Period.  End of discussion.  “My life or yours?  Not even an option – let me die for you!”  That is a golden.

Great Danes are big, gentle giants.   And seem to be like potato chips.  No one can have just one.   Their biggest flaw is their short life span.

You can't shove things far enough back on the counter to hide it from me!

A German Shepherd will protect you.  It will guard and watch, as well as play and be a great companion.

And sometimes, no matter how you raise them pit bulls  decide they are kings  and begin protecting you, your house and Their property.    I’m off to work with one of those today.   “He was a great dog, but ever since he turned two years old, he’s wanting to rule the world!”

Yes – its not ONLY pit bulls who grow up and want to take over, but we have so many of them around in our area.  I’ve worked with a scant handful of rotties and dobies and shepherds.   But so many pit bulls they blur together.    I love my pit bulls.    They can be great dogs, smart, goofy, loving.   Most of them are wonderful family pets.    And some  can be wonderful with good  training.

Let’s hope today’s dog  is one of those.