The Chinese Crested Dog

Description:A small, elegant, graceful dog, almost hairless except for tufts on his tail, lower legs and feet, and the top of his head. The hair is soft and silky. (There is also a long-haired variety called the Powder Puff which needs substantially more grooming.) The head is wedge shaped with a slightly domed skull. The large ears stand at attention and the paws look like rabbits' feet. The toes are so long that the dog can use them to grasp things. Dewclaw removal is optional. The almond-shaped eyes are wide set. The body is rectangular, slightly longer than the height at the withers. The dog is fine-boned, but not excessively fragile. The plumed tail reaches at least to the hock. It is carried gaily when the dog is in motion and hangs down with a slight sickle-shaped curve when the dog is at rest. The Chinese Crested Dog can be any color, and the colors on the coat and skin sometimes change with the seasons. The skin color can be spotted, parti-color or solid. The skin feels warm. Some claim this breed is actually a member of the species Canis africanis rather than the usual Canis familiaris of most other domesticated breeds.