Chinese Crested

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In the 1830s, London's Zoological Gardens featured what must have been a thoroughly fascinating exhibition of hairless dogs.

There are two distinct varieties of this unusual dog: one is hairless except for its feet, head and tail, and called, not surprisingly, the Hairless; the other is called the Powder Puff.

It has a coat of long soft hair. Both come in numerous colors, either solid, mixed or spotted all over. It has a broad skull and a long muzzle. Eyes are dark, and ears are erect. Strangely the two types often come in the same litter.

Temperament: Lively, Playful, Alert, Sweet-Tempered, Happy, Affectionate

Health Problems: Gains weight easily; do not overfeed. Exposed skin on the hairless dogs needs special care to prevent skin irritations. The hairless dogs do get sunburn and a good sunscreen should be used if the dog is going to be out in the sun. The hairless variety is prone to tooth loss and decay. Powderpuffs have healthier teeth. The hairless variety has the ancient forward-pointing canine teeth or "tusks" as they are called, but usually these are the first teeth to fall out. A high percentage of Chinese Cresteds are allergic to wool and lanolin. Both the hairless and powderpuff dogs are born in the same litter. Each hairless dog carries one gene for hairless and one gene for hair. Two hairless genes are fatal.