Q. I just purchased a hairy hairless Chinese Crested Is there any advice you can give me on how to take care of this breed.
A. Congratulations on your new acquisition! The first thing you’ve learned is that not all “hairless” Chinese Cresteds are hairless. Some are fuzzier than others and have hair on their bodies other than on their heads and necks, their feet and their tails.
Cresteds make delightful pets but little hair doesn’t necessarily translate into low maintenance. Regular skin care is essential to prevent sunburn, blackheads and whiteheads.
The ideal person to mentor you would be your dog’s breeder. However, if you obtained your dog from a shelter or rescue group and your breeder is not in the picture, please visit the American Chinese Crested Club’s website. There you will find a list of regional Chinese Crested clubs around the country.
Contact the secretary of the club nearest you to attend a meeting and get to know members in your community. Genuine lovers of the breed want all Cresteds to be well cared for and will be generous with their advice. Not only will you benefit from having your questions answered but you will make many new friends who share your love of the breed.