A Curious Collection of Peculiar Creatures

The Chinese crested dog comes in two different varieties: the hairless and the powderpuff. Of the two, the hairless has the more unfortunate features, with tufts of hair growing only on parts of its face, feet, and tail. Plus, hairless dog breeds tend to have poor teeth, so the hairless Chinese crested dog often has an odd, gappy-toothed look.

These dogs are about the size of a house cat, weighing only 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and growing to a mere 13 inches (33 cm) long.

This breed of dog became common as a house pet in North America around 1974. But they didn’t actually originate in China, as their name would have you believe. They were actually bred from Mexican and African hairless dogs, and can now be found all over the world.

Since these dogs are so small, they don’t need a lot of exercise and are well suited to live in small houses or apartments.

Like most domesticated dogs, this breed subsists on a range of prepackaged dog foods, rather than going out and hunting for themselves!

The Chinese crested dog is a domesticated dog, so its conservation status has never been evaluated. However, records going as far back as the late 1800s suggest they are abundant, and have been for a long time.

Fun Facts

Hairless Chinese crested dogs will live for approximately 12 years.
Because they don’t have hair on most of their body, they can struggle with skin conditions. They’re even prone to getting blackheads!
In the 1500s, the ancestors of Chinese crested dogs may have been used on ships to help rid the vessels of rats and mice, which were potential carriers of the plague.
Their Mexican ancestors were also used by Aztecs as portable sources of heat in colder climates.
They’re one of the most popular breeds to enter the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, and they often take home the prize!