Chinese Crested
The Chinese Crested is a distinctive toy breed that captures attention with its unique appearance and devoted personality.
The breed comes in two varieties: the Hairless, featuring soft skin with hair concentrated on the head, feet, and tail, and the Powderpuff, which sports a full silky coat.
5-6kg
Weight
Small
Size
12-14yrs
Lifespan
About the Chinese Crested
Despite its name, the breed's true origins remain somewhat mysterious, though it may have developed in Africa or Mexico before being refined in China, where it served aboard trading vessels as a vermin hunter. Today, the Chinese Crested is primarily valued as a companion dog, standing 23 to 33 centimetres at the shoulder and weighing around 5 to 6 kilograms. The breed is graceful and alert, combining confidence with a deep affection for family members. Whilst somewhat reserved with strangers, it is never aggressive and makes a surprisingly effective watchdog without excessive barking. Intelligent and curious, the Chinese Crested demonstrates remarkable dexterity with its paws and possesses a strong-willed, independent nature that shouldn't be underestimated despite its diminutive size. The Hairless variety requires dedicated care, as exposed skin needs protection from sunburn, cold, and irritation through regular moisturising and sun protection. The breed requires up to 30 minutes of daily exercise and benefits from patient, positive training from an early age. These qualities make the Chinese Crested an excellent choice for those seeking an unusual, engaging companion.
Chinese Crested at a Glance
- Group
- Toy
- Size
- Small
- Weight
- 5–6 kg
- Height
- 23–33 cm
- Lifespan
- 12–14 years
- Coat
- Short
- Sheds
- Yes
- Exercise
- Up to 30 minutes per day
- Typical price
- £650–£2000
Chinese Crested Temperament
The Chinese Crested is a graceful, alert and affectionate breed that combines a confident, self-assured character with a deep devotion to its family. It can be somewhat aloof with strangers but is never aggressive or snappy. Intelligent and curious, it is capable of gripping and carrying objects with its dexterous paws. Despite its toy-sized frame, the Chinese Crested has a strong-willed and independent spirit and should not be underestimated. It can be useful as a watchdog, though it is not known for excessive barking. Patient, positive training from an early age helps bring out the best in this distinctive and engaging breed.
Chinese Crested Lifestyle
The Chinese Crested is content in a flat or small apartment and appreciates a small to medium garden to explore. They suit both urban and rural settings.
Dog Food for Chinese Crested
Top-rated foods for Small breeds, ranked by FurScore. How we score →
Recommended Food for Chinese Crested
Chinese Crested Food Costs
Estimated based on a typical Chinese Crested weighing around 6 kg, using the food prices shown above.
Per day
£1.48 - £1.58
Per month
£44 - £47
Per year
£541 - £577
Chinese Crested Characteristics
The Chinese Crested needs regular exercise but isn't as demanding as some breeds and trains well and tends to enjoy learning new skills. They are very patient and gentle with kids and handle being left alone without much difficulty. The coat benefits from a brush once or twice a week and sheds very little. They are sharp and quick-witted, which is a joy, but means they need keeping mentally occupied.
Chinese Crested Pros & Cons
Pros
- Charming and affectionate, with a warm and devoted personality
- Low-shedding, making them a practical choice for tidy households
- Adapts well to flat living and smaller spaces
- Intelligent and trainable, picking up new things with enthusiasm
Cons
- Sensitive skin needs careful attention and protection from the elements
- Prone to separation anxiety and dislikes being left alone
- Can be stubborn without consistent, patient training from the start
- The hairless variety needs sun protection in summer and extra warmth in winter
