Chinese Crested
A warm little shadow in a fur stole — the dog that forgot to grow a coat.
On these lists: Low-shedding dogs · Dogs for allergies
Vital stats
| Size | Toy · 23–33 cm |
| Weight | 3.5–5.5 kg |
| Life expectancy | 13–18 years |
| Energy | Moderate — 30–45 min/day |
| Shedding | Minimal |
| Coat | Hairless with furnishings, or soft double-coated Powderpuff · all colours |
| Group | Toy · FCI №288 / AKC |
| Origin | China |
| FCI group | 9 — Companion and Toy Dogs · FCI 288 |
Breed traits
Friendliness
Care
Mind
The Chinese Crested by the numbers
The Chinese Crested facts owners search for most — price, lifespan, weight, shedding and colours, in one place.
Widely bred, so you can usually find a litter from a registered breeder without a long wait. Ongoing costs stay modest — it eats little and routine vet care sits at the lower end. Its coat also needs a professional groom every few weeks — a real line in the budget.
We don't quote a single figure: the real price swings with breeder, region, bloodline and health testing — and a rescue costs a fraction of a breeder's litter. Adopting is almost always the cheapest route.
Temperament
Carried on ships as ratters and comforters, the Crested settled into one job: being exactly where its person is. Expect a perceptive, slightly clownish companion that reads your mood, climbs to your shoulder like a cat, and wilts if excluded — alert enough to announce visitors, soft enough to need gentle handling and patient house-training.
Habits & quirks
Heat-seeking missile
Laps, duvets, sunny windowsills — a Crested finds the warmest point in any room and claims it.
The shoulder perch
Many drape themselves around your neck like a scarf and consider the matter settled.
Happy feet
Those famous hare feet grip like little hands — Cresteds hold toys, tap for attention and open more than you'd expect.
Wardrobe enthusiast
It genuinely needs jumpers in winter — and most wear them with visible self-regard.
Health
The Chinese Crested is a long-lived little dog, and most of its real care needs come down to the skin and the teeth rather than any long list of inherited disease. The hairless variety has bare skin that sunburns, dries out and can break out in blackheads, so it needs dog-safe sun cream in summer, a moisturiser in the cold, and a warm coat or jumper when the weather turns. Teeth are the other watch point: hairless Cresteds often come with missing or peg-shaped teeth, so start a dental routine early and expect the vet to keep a closer eye on the mouth than they would with most toy breeds. The Powderpuff, under its soft coat, is the same dog with fewer of the skin demands.
Nutrition
| Skin care | Hairless skin sunburns and dries out — use dog-safe sun cream in summer, moisturiser in winter, and watch for blackheads. |
| Warmth | No coat means no insulation; provide jumpers, blankets and a heated indoor life in cold climates. |
| Grooming | Powderpuffs need brushing several times a week to stop mats; hairless furnishings still need combing. |
| Dental health | The hairless variety often has missing or peg-like teeth — start dental care early and expect vet attention. |
Feed a Chinese Crested as the small, fine-boned dog it is: a measured amount of good food, split across the day, with the treats counted into the total rather than added on top. It's easy to let a lap dog drift into softness, and a few extra grams show quickly on a frame this light, so keep him trim enough that the outline stays neat. Because the hairless variety so often has gappy or peg-like teeth, pay attention to how he manages his food, and choose textures and a dental routine that keep that fragile mouth comfortable.
Puppy guide
A Crested puppy is sensitive and deeply people-focused, and the first months are about gentle exposure rather than drill. House-training takes patience with a dog this small, so keep it calm and consistent, and let him meet new people, sounds and places softly, without overwhelming him. Start handling the mouth, feet and skin early so grooming, tooth-brushing and, for a hairless pup, sun cream and jumpers all become ordinary. And keep him warm: a young Crested has little or no coat to hold heat, so a cosy bed and a layer in the cold matter from the start.
Training
This is a bright, perceptive companion that learns quickly and reads your mood, but it wilts under a hard word, so keep everything reward-based, short and kind. It bonds so closely that being left out is the real punishment, which makes gentle, patient training easy; it wants to be with you and to get things right. Fold the fiddly bits of Crested life into that: brushing, tooth care and putting on a jumper all go far more smoothly when you've made them a rewarded routine rather than a wrestling match.
Life expectancy
Chinese Cresteds live 13–18 years. That's a long life even for a toy breed, and you help him reach the top of it by keeping him lean, staying ahead of the skin and dental care the breed asks for, and giving him the close company he needs; a Crested left lonely is an unhappy one. Regular tooth care in particular pays off over a dog that may live well into its teens.
Similar breeds
Breeds with a similar build and background — worth a look if this one isn't quite the fit.
Breeds that look like this
Common questions
Are Chinese Cresteds truly hypoallergenic?
No dog is fully hypoallergenic, but Cresteds shed very little and spread less dander than most breeds. Spend time with one first if allergies are serious.
Do hairless Chinese Cresteds get cold?
Yes — with no coat they lose heat quickly and need jumpers outdoors in cool weather and warm bedding at home. Most tolerate clothing happily.
What is a Powderpuff?
It's the coated variety of the same breed, born in the same litters, with a soft, silky double coat. Same dog underneath — it simply trades skin care for regular brushing.
Does the Chinese Crested shed a lot?
Not much. The Chinese Crested is a low-shedding breed, so loose hair around the home stays minimal. It still needs regular grooming, but you won't be fighting drifts of fur.
Is the Chinese Crested good with children?
Generally yes. The Chinese Crested is a friendly, people-loving breed that usually does well with children when raised and socialised well. As with any dog, teach children to be gentle and supervise around toddlers.
Is the Chinese Crested easy to train?
Reasonably. The Chinese Crested is trainable with consistency and rewards, though it isn't the quickest study. Keep sessions short and positive, and be patient with the basics like recall.
