BREED VARIETIES.

The Chinese Crested is not a true hairless breed and for this reason, the amount and placement of body hair can vary from one dog to the next. Terms used to categorize the Hairless Chinese Crested are “Hairy Hairless” for a dog that has a moderate amount of body hair and “True Hairless” for a dog with very little body hair.

Most show dogs are groomed to remove excess body hair. Even a true Hairless may have stray hairs in places that should be removed for the show ring. Generally, show dogs with long, flowing furnishings will have more body hair than ones with thin, sparse furnishings.

The Hairless variety can vary in amount of body hair. Fur on the muzzle, known as a beard, is not uncommon. A true Hairless often does not have as much furnishings (hair on the head, tail, and paws). The difference between a very hairy Hairless and a Powderpuff is that the Hairless has a single coat with hairless parts on the body, while the Powderpuff has a thick double coat. The skin of the Hairless comes in a variety of colors, ranging from a pale flesh to black. Hairless Cresteds often lack a full set of premolar teeth, but this is not considered a fault.[4]

A Powderpuff has a long, soft coat. Both Hairless and Powderpuff varieties can appear in the same litter. The look of the Powderpuff varies according to how it is groomed. When its fur is completely grown out on its face, it strongly resembles a terrier; however, the Powderpuff is usually shaved around the snout as a standard cut. The Powderpuff Chinese crested dog is an elegant and graceful dog who makes a loving companion, playful and entertaining. The Puff’s coat is long and silky soft. Ears are large and erect.

The amount of body hair on the Hairless variety varies quite extensively, from the true hairless which has very little or no body hair and furnishings, to what is called a “hairy hairless”, which, if left ungroomed, often grows a near-full coat of hair. These hairy hairless are not a mix between Powderpuffs and Hairless Chinese crested dogs, but are merely a result of a weaker expression of the variable Hairless gene.