APPEARANCE
The Crested is a small dog, elegant and graceful dog, medium- to fine-boned. Its gait is lively and agile. It s expression alert and intense.
It is extremely agile and can turn with remarkable speed.
Chinese cresteds are gifted jumpers and some climb.
Size
Ideal height in dogs: 28-33 cms (11-13 ins) at withers; bitches: 23-30 cms (9-12 ins) at withers. Weight varies considerably, but should not be over 5.4 kgs (12 lbs). It is slightly longer than tall. Hair
The Hairless variety has hair on certain portions of the body: the head (called a crest), the tail (called a plume) and the feet from the toes to the front pasterns and rear hock joints (called socks). The texture of all hair is soft and silky, flowing to any length. The Hairless variety is warm to the touch, and its skin is soft and smooth. Colour
The Chinese Crested can be any color or combination of colors on both varieties. Both in solid colors and with white patches - or some with heavy spotting of colors on light backgrounds. Puffs come in a variety from White to Black and Tan. They come in an attractive variety of shades in black/blue or mahogany/liver. The darkest blue can be almost black, paling to lighter shades of steel blue, charcoal grey and lavender. The mahogany shades can be richly coloured paling through to honey. Solid colour is often broken up on the chest, legs and underbelly with pink, unpigmented skin. This gives a very attractive, mottled effect known as lacing. Interestingly, the Chinese Crested will change colors and/or markings as they mature. A black puppy may turn silver or white by the time it is an adult. This applies to both varies. Feet
The feet of the Chinese Crested are extreme hare-foot, narrow and very long, with unique elongation of small bones between joints, especially in forefeet, which almost appear to possess an extra joint. This unique feature enables them to grab and hold things, and makes them quite capable climbers. Teeth
The hairless have unusual dentition, having conical and forward pointing canines, referred to as tusks. This is a characteristic of the hairless, and is not a fault. However, there is a tooth problem in the breed. Teeth may be shallow rooted and there is a tendency to lose teeth. This has, and is being improved with careful selective breeding. It is the hairless gene that affect the dentition. The Powderppuff carries no hairless genes, and therefore has a normal canine mouth.
Ideal height in dogs: 28-33 cms (11-13 ins) at withers; bitches: 23-30 cms (9-12 ins) at withers. Weight varies considerably, but should not be over 5.4 kgs (12 lbs). It is slightly longer than tall. Hair
The Hairless variety has hair on certain portions of the body: the head (called a crest), the tail (called a plume) and the feet from the toes to the front pasterns and rear hock joints (called socks). The texture of all hair is soft and silky, flowing to any length. The Hairless variety is warm to the touch, and its skin is soft and smooth. Colour
The Chinese Crested can be any color or combination of colors on both varieties. Both in solid colors and with white patches - or some with heavy spotting of colors on light backgrounds. Puffs come in a variety from White to Black and Tan. They come in an attractive variety of shades in black/blue or mahogany/liver. The darkest blue can be almost black, paling to lighter shades of steel blue, charcoal grey and lavender. The mahogany shades can be richly coloured paling through to honey. Solid colour is often broken up on the chest, legs and underbelly with pink, unpigmented skin. This gives a very attractive, mottled effect known as lacing. Interestingly, the Chinese Crested will change colors and/or markings as they mature. A black puppy may turn silver or white by the time it is an adult. This applies to both varies. Feet
The feet of the Chinese Crested are extreme hare-foot, narrow and very long, with unique elongation of small bones between joints, especially in forefeet, which almost appear to possess an extra joint. This unique feature enables them to grab and hold things, and makes them quite capable climbers. Teeth
The hairless have unusual dentition, having conical and forward pointing canines, referred to as tusks. This is a characteristic of the hairless, and is not a fault. However, there is a tooth problem in the breed. Teeth may be shallow rooted and there is a tendency to lose teeth. This has, and is being improved with careful selective breeding. It is the hairless gene that affect the dentition. The Powderppuff carries no hairless genes, and therefore has a normal canine mouth.
