Chinese Crested Breed Magazine features information, expert articles, and stunning photos from AKC judges, breeders, and owners..
CRESTED CHINESE
Let’s Talk Breed Education!
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Official Standard of the Chinese Crested General Appearance: A toy dog, fine-boned, elegant and graceful. The distinct varieties are born in the same litter. The Hairless with hair only on the head, tail and feet and the Powderpuff, completely covered with hair. The breed serves as a loving companion, playful and entertaining. Size, Proportion, Substance: Size - Ideally 11 to 13 inches. However, dogs that are slightly larger or smaller may be given full consideration. Proportion - rectangular-proportioned to allow for freedom of movement. Body length from withers to base of tail is slightly longer than the height at the withers. Substance - Fine-boned and slender but not so refined as to appear breakable or alternatively not a robust, heavy structure. Head: Expression - Alert and intense. Eyes - Almond-shaped, set wide apart. Dark-colored dogs have dark-colored eyes, and lighter-colored dogs may have lighter-colored eyes. Eye rims match the coloring of the dog. Ears - Uncropped large and erect, placed so that the base of the ear is level with the outside corner of the eye. Skull - The skull is arched gently over the occiput from ear to ear. Distance from occiput to stop equal to distance from stop to tip of nose. The head is wedge-shaped viewed from above and the side. Stop - Slight but distinct. Muzzle - Cheeks taper cleanly into the muzzle. Nose - Dark in dark-colored dogs; may be lighter in lighter-colored dogs. Pigment is solid. Lips - Lips are clean and tight. Bite - Scissors or level in both varieties. Missing teeth in the Powderpuff are to be faulted. The Hairless variety is not to be penalized for absence of full dentition. Neck, Topline, Body: Neck - Neck is lean and clean, slightly arched from the withers to the base of the skull and carried high. Topline - Level to slightly sloping croup. Body - Brisket extends to the elbow. Breastbone is not prominent. Ribs are well developed. The depth of the chest tapers to a moderate tuck-up at the flanks. Light in loin. Tail - Tail is slender and tapers to a curve. It is long enough to reach the hock. When dog is in motion, the tail is carried gaily and may be carried slightly forward over the back. At rest the tail is down with a slight curve upward at the end resembling a sickle. In the Hairless variety, two-thirds of the end of the tail is covered by long, flowing feathering referred to as a plume. The Powderpuff variety's tail is completely covered with hair. Forequarters: Angulation - Layback of shoulders is 45 degrees to point of shoulder allowing for good reach. Shoulders - Clean and narrow. Elbows - Close to body. Legs - Long, slender and straight. Pasterns - Upright, fine and strong. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet - Hare foot, narrow with elongated toes. Nails are trimmed to moderate length. Hindquarters: Angulation - Stifle moderately angulated. From hock joint to ground perpendicular. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet - Same as forequarters. Coat: 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. Placement of hair is not as important as overall type. Areas that have hair usually taper off slightly. Wherever the body is hairless, the skin is soft and smooth. Head crest begins at the stop and tapers off between the
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base of the skull and the back of the neck. Hair on the ears and face is permitted on the Hairless and may be trimmed for neatness in both varieties. Tail plume is described under Tail. The Powderpuff variety is completely covered with a double soft and silky coat. Close examination reveals long thin guard hairs over the short silky undercoat. The coat is straight, of moderate density and length. Excessively heavy, kinky or curly coat is to be penalized. Grooming is minimal-consisting of presenting a clean and neat appearance. Color: Any color or combination of colors. Gait: Lively, agile and smooth without being stilted or hackneyed. Comes and goes at a trot moving in a straight line. Temperament: Gay and alert.
Approved June 12, 1990 Effective April 1, 1991
JUDGING THE CHINESE CRESTED
By the American Chinese Crested Club
T he Chinese Crested is a striking dog in both the Hairless and Pow- derpu ff . When they fi rst enter the ring you should be looking for: “A Toy dog, fi ne-boned, elegant and graceful. Th e distinct varieties are born in the same litter. Th e Hairless with hair only on the head, tail and feet and the Powderpu ff completely covered with hair. Th e breed serves as a loving companion, playful and entertaining.” When you stand back to observe the dog on the table, keep in mind that they are rectangular rather than square. Th e Hairless variety can be sensitive to cold hands during the table exam and may tuck up. Th e topline should be assessed as the dog is moving around the ring. Starting with the head—the Chinese Crested head is to be a wedge from the top and from the side. Th ere is to be a slight but distinct stop. Th e eyes are almond shaped and set wide apart, which enhances the alert and intense expression. Teeth are di ff erent in Hairless Chinese Cresteds— you can have everything from a full mouth correctly placed to a minimal number of teeth. Th e most important part is that the jaw is properly aligned. Both scissors and level bite is allowed in either variety.
Th e Hairless Variety is not to be faulted for the absence of full dentition. Missing teeth in the Powderpu ff are to be faulted, how- ever there are no DQs in the Breed stan- dard and are not to be considered any more of a fault than any other deviation from the standard. In both varieties the ears are large and erect, round or pointed; either are equal- ly seen and acceptable. Grooming may include shaved ears, fully-coated ears, a shaved face, a fully coated face and any combination of these—all are equally cor- rect and acceptable. Th e topline is level, leading to a slightly sloping croup. Tail is slender and tapers to a curve. It is long enough to reach the hock. When the dog is in motion, the tail is carried gaily and may be carried slightly forward over the back. At rest the tail is down with a slight curve upward at the end resembling a sickle. In the Hairless variety, two-thirds of the end of the tail is covered by long, fl owing feathering, referred to as a plume. Th e Powderpu ff variety’s tail is completely covered with hair. In the Hairless, soft and smooth skin is a virtue. Th e most important part when evaluating hair on the Hairless Chinese Crested is that it is to be soft and silky, fl owing to any length. Areas that have hair usually taper o ff slightly with the
placement of hair not as important as over- all type. Th e Powderpu ff variety is com- pletely covered with a double soft and silky coat. Close examination reveals long thin guard hairs over the short silky undercoat. Th e coat is straight, of moderate density and length. Excessively heavy, kinky or curly coat is to be penalized. Grooming is minimal-consisting of presenting a clean and neat appearance. Th e angulation of sti fl e is moderate, shoulders clean and narrow with a 45 degree layback to allow for good reach and freedom in movement. Th e hare foot has elongated toes and hair on the feet is from the toes to the front pasterns and on the hock joints. Th e gait of the Chinese Crest- ed is lively, agile and smooth without being stilted or hackneyed. Th e dog comes and goes at a trot moving in a straight line. All in all, the Chinese Crested stan- dard’s fi rst sentence explains the essence of the breed “A Toy dog, fi ne-boned, elegant and graceful.” Our members and exhibitors continue to strive towards the written description of the Breed’s virtues with each generation. In looking back to 1991 when we fi rst were accepted into the Toy Group it appears we have continued towards this goal. Find more online at http://accc.chines- ecrestedclub.info/index.html
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JUDGING THE CHINESE
CRESTED BY SHELLEY HENNESSY
T he Chinese Crested is a unique breed that comes in two distinct varieties; the Hairless, and the Powderpuff. When judging the breed, judges should remember that both varieties are judged by the identical standard except for differences in teeth and coat, which I will cover later. Please do not forgive or ignore faults in one variety that you would not in the other. Both varieties should be given equal consideration. Please do not put an inferior Hairless dog up over a better Powderpuff. Unfortu- nately, Powderpuffs do not seem to get the recognition in the Breed and Group judging that the Hairless dogs do. So many Toy dogs in the Group are heavily coated, and the Hairless Crested stands out more than the Powderpuff does. Please do not overlook either variety! The Chinese Crested may be free-baited or stacked in the ring. There is no preference for either presentation. Judges who insist on handlers free-baiting their dogs are not being fair to the handler or dog. And please move the dog around the ring before putting it up on the table, even if it is a single class entry. This shakes the kinks out of the dog (and handler), and on a cold morning or in a cold building it warms the Hairless up a bit, so it doesn’t shake as much on the table. Our current AKC standard is what we must judge by. There is an alarming tendency for people to misquote the standard in ads and articles, or leave out words that change the meaning of the standard. It is always a good idea to review the standard before a judging assignment. The Chinese Crested varieties are identical in outward appear- ance—except for coat. The breed should be fine-boned, elegant, and graceful. It is one of the bigger Toy breeds, 11-13" tall. You will find smaller and bigger ones. The standard states that “slightly” larger or smaller dogs may be given full consideration. As a judge, you will have to determine what your interpretation of “slightly” is. Keep in mind that extremely small dogs will probably not have the correct movement, and extremely large dogs will probably lack good breed type. However, please do not judge on the principle of “the smaller the better.” A larger, heavier dog with a level topline, good structure, and good movement should beat a smaller dog that hackneys or has a bad topline.
A RECTANGULAR BREED Many people seem to have a problem with interpreting the wording of the standard. It states: “ Rectangular… Body length from withers to base of tail is slightly longer than the height at the withers. ” Besides the fact that the word “rectangular” is specifi- cally stated in the standard, reading and understanding the next sentence will make it even clearer. When you say that the body length is “slightly longer” from the withers to the base of tail, this means that the length is even longer from the front of the chest to the base of the tail. It is not off-square, it is rectangular. This body type allows for the reach and drive of the correctly moving Chinese Crested. HEADS Heads vary greatly in the breed, ranging from a more Chi- huahua-type head with a shorter muzzle to a more Poodle-type head. Somewhere in the middle is correct. The muzzle and skull are balanced, and the head is wedge-shaped. Eyes should be almond-shaped, and this is a problem in the breed. There are many round eyes and small eyes. Be sure, when examining the dog, that you check under the crest for correct eye shape. Eye color varies. Dark-colored dogs have dark-colored eyes, and lighter-colored dogs MAY have lighter- colored eyes. Remember, the “may” when you find white or cream dogs with black eyes. Some light-colored Hairless dogs have very pale eyes. Blue eyes are not specifically mentioned in our standard, and you will find them on occasion. This may be addressed in a future standard, but for now, as a judge, you will have to consider them in terms of the other merits of the dog. Ears should be large. Small ears are a problem in the breed, and when set too high on the head, they change the expression of the breed. The hair on the ears may be trimmed (shaved) in either variety, and heavy furnishings on the ears may cause them to look as if they are not erect. Nose color also varies with the color of the dogs; while dark dogs should have dark noses, lighter-colored dogs MAY have lighter noses.
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JUDGING THE CHINESE CRESTED
TEETH This is one of the two major differences between the varieties. While the Powderpuff must have full dentition, the Hairless is not to be faulted for missing teeth. While not mentioned in the standard, many Hairless dogs’ teeth may “tusk,” meaning that the teeth, both upper and lower, incline slightly forward (rather than straight up and down) while still retaining a scissors or level bite. Undershot bites are a problem in the breed and, while not specifically mentioned as a fault, will weigh in your final decisions. TOPLINE The Chinese Crested topline is often hard to judge. A cold and or nervous Hairless will make himself look terrible, and the coat on a Powderpuff will often destroy its topline on the move. The Pow- derpuff may be shown with its coat evenly parted down the middle or casually tousled; either is cor- rect. Check toplines carefully on the table. A Hair- less may be carefully stacked to give the appearance of a level topline, but movement will show the true picture. On the other hand, the Powderpuff may have a great topline, but the hair on its rear will “puff up” when moving, and make it look high in the rear—when it isn’t. Check toplines carefully. They are a major problem in the breed. TAILS & FEET The Chinese Crested standard does not call for a “gay” tail! It states that the tail is “carried gaily,” which is a big difference. It also says that the tail “ may be carried slightly forward over the back, ” not that it has to! See what omitting or changing words does to interpreting a standard? The original American standard and the stan- dards of some other organizations call for a tail that is carried “ up or out ” in motion. Since most Cresteds don’t read, they still carry their tails that way. I still remember a judge withholding ribbons from three beautiful puppies at a show several years ago when they did not have their tails up in the air, but rather out behind them while moving.
This still is a tail carried “gaily” and should not be faulted. The tail does not have to go over the back, and if it does, it is only carried “slightly” forward over the back. It should not curl over and touch the back. Handlers that push the tail over on the back while stacking the dog (more often done with Powderpuffs) are doing a real disservice to the breed, and are ruining the rectangular look of the breed. The Crested used to be shown with the tail curled around the left hock; many handlers still do, and it is a presentation unique to our breed. The feet on a Crested should be narrow; a true “hare” foot, with elongated toes. Many Crested use their feet to actually pick up small objects. COAT Here is the only other difference between the two varieties. The Hairless ranges from what many call a “true” Hairless, with very little crest, socks or tail plume, to dogs dripping with furnishings. With that extreme amount of furnishings often comes body hair, which is removed for the show ring. A judge is not there to try to determine whether a dog has had hair removed or not; most have to some extent. Judge the dog on the quality of the skin, which should be soft and smooth. There are some handlers who let the hair on the neck grow down over the withers. This goes against the standard, which states that the hair on the crest tapers off between the base of the skull and the back of the neck. While the hair may flow over the withers, the actual growth should not start there. And too much hair there often makes a dog look short-backed. The Crest will naturally part and fall to either side of the dog’s neck with most Hairless. The Powderpuff coat does resemble a small Afghan Hound in many respects. It should lay flat, and be soft and silky. It should not be excessively heavy or kinky or frizzy. Again; many handlers have taken it upon themselves to shave a large V-shaped patch on the front of the necks, which disrupts the flow of a beautiful Powderpuff coat and goes against the standard, which only states that the hair on the ears and face may be trimmed. MOVEMENT When the Chinese Crested moves, all the beautiful parts come together. With its head and tail carried up, the topline level, it moves with reach and drive. It should never hackney or appear stilted. It does not throw its front up in the air. It should not be cowhocked. CONCLUSION When judging the Chinese Crested, remember that both varieties should be given equal consideration. Remember that it is one of the larger Toy breeds. Do not auto- matically put up the smallest one; put up the best one. Do not award incorrect move- ment and bad structure. And always… JUDGE THE DOG.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR My current breed is Chinese Cresteds, but I have also bred Afghan Hounds and Whippets (and I also owned Collies) putting numerous titles on my dogs in Conformation, Obedience, Rally, Lure Coursing, Agility, Barn Hunt, and Scent Work. I am approved to judge four Groups (plus breeds in the other three Groups), Rally, and Lure Coursing.
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MAY 2021 | 257
JUDGING THE CHINESE CRESTED
BY SHELLEY HENNESSY
T he Chinese Crested is a unique breed, that comes in two distinct varieties, the Hairless, and the Pow- derpuff. When judging the breed, judges should remember that both varieties are judged by the iden- tical standard, except for differences in teeth and coat, which I will cover later. Please do not forgive or ignore faults in one variety, that you would not in the other. Both varieties should be given equal consideration. Please do not put an inferior hairless dog up over a better Powderpuff. Unfortunately, Powderpuffs do not seem to get the recognition in the breed and group judging that the hairless dogs do. So many toy dogs in the group are heavily coated, and the hairless Crested stand out more than the Powderpuff does. Please do not overlook either variety! The Chinese Crested may be free baited or stacked in the ring. There is no preference for either presentation. Judges who insist on handlers free baiting their dogs are not being fair to the handler or dog. And please move the dog around the ring before putting it up on the table, even if it is a single class entry. It shakes the kinks out of the dog (and handler), and on a cold morning or in a cold building, it warms the hairless up a bit, so it doesn’t shake as much on the table. Our current AKC standard is what we must judge by. There is an alarming tendency for people to misquote the standard in ads and articles, or leave out words that change the meaning of the standard. It is always a good idea to review the standard before a judging assignment. The Chinese Crested varieties are identical in outward appearance except for coat. The breed should be fine-boned, elegant and graceful. It is one of the bigger Toy breeds, 11"-13" tall. You will find smaller and bigger ones. The standard states that “slightly” larger or smaller dogs may be given full consider- ation. As a judge, you will have to determine what your interpre- tation of “slightly” is. Keep in mind that extremely small dogs
will probably not have the correct movement, and extremely large dogs will probably lack good breed type. However, please do not judge on the principle that “the smaller the better”. A larger heavier dog, with a level topline, good structure and good movement, should beat a smaller dog that hackneys, or has a bad topline. A RECTANGULAR BREED Many people seem to have a problem with interpreting the wording of the standard. It states “Rectangular… Body length from withers to base of tail is slightly longer than the height at the withers.” Besides the fact that the word “Rectangular” is specifically in the standard, reading and understanding the next sentence will make it even clearer. When you say that the body length is “slightly longer” from the withers to the base of tail, this means that the length is even longer from the front of the chest to the base of the tail. It is not off-square, it is rectangu- lar. This body type allows for the reach and drive of the correct moving Chinese Crested. HEADS Heads vary greatly in the breed, ranging from a more Chi- huahua-type head with a shorter muzzle, to a more Poodle-type head. Somewhere in the middle is correct. The muzzle and skull are balanced, and the head is wedge shaped. Eyes should be almond shaped, and this is a problem in the breed. There are many round eyes and small eyes. Be sure when examining the dog that you check under the crest for correct eye shape. Eye color varies. Dark colored dogs have dark colored eyes, and lighter colored dogs MAY have lighter colored eyes. Remember the “may” when you find white or cream dogs with black eyes. Some light colored hairless dogs have very pale eyes. Blue eyes are not specifically mentioned
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Judging the Chinese Crested
BY SHELLEY HENNESSY continued
“WHEN THE CHINESE CRESTED MOVES, ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PARTS COME TOGETHER. With its head and tail carried up, the topline level, it moves with reach and drive.”
“carried gaily”, which is a big difference. It also says that the tail “may be carried slight- ly forward over the back”, not that it has to! See what omitting or changing words does to interpreting a standard? The original American standard and the standards of some other organizations call for a tail that is carried “up or out” in motion. Since most Cresteds don’t read, they still carry their tails that way. I still remember a judge withholding ribbons from three beautiful puppies at a show sev- eral years ago, when they did not have their tails up in the air, but rather out behind them while moving. This still is a tail carried “gaily” and should not be faulted. The tail does not have to go over the back, and if it does, it is only carried “slightly” forward over the back. It should not curl over and touch the back. Handlers that push the tail over on the back while stacking the dog (more often done with powderpuffs) are doing a real disservice to the breed, and are ruining the rectangu- lar look of the breed. The Crested used to be shown with the tail curled around the left hock; many handlers still do, and it is a pre- sentation unique to our breed. The feet on a crested should be narrow, a true “hare” foot. With elongated toes. Many Crested use their feet to actually pick up small objects. COAT Here is the only other difference between the two varieties. The hairless ranges from what many call a “true” hairless, with very little crest, socks or tail plume, to dogs drip- ping with furnishings. With that extreme amount of furnishings, often comes body hair, which is removed for the show ring. A judge is not there to try to determine whether a dog has had hair removed or not, most have to some extent. Judge the dog on the quality of the skin, which should be soft and smooth. There are some handlers who let the hair on the neck grow down over the withers. This goes against the standard which states that the hair on the crest tapers off between the base of the skull and the back of the neck. While the hair may flow over the withers, the actually growth should
not start there. And too much hair there often makes a dog look shortbacked. The Crest will naturally part and fall to either side of the dog’s neck with most hairless. The Powderpuff coat does resemble a small Afghan Hound in many respects. It should lay flat, and be soft and silky. It should not be excessively heavy or kinky, or frizzy. Again; many handlers have taken upon themselves to shave a large v-shaped patch on the front of the necks, which dis- rupts the flow of a beautiful Powderpuff coat and goes against the standard, which only states that the hair on the ears and face may be trimmed. MOVEMENT When the Chinese Crested moves, all the beautiful parts come together. With its head and tail carried up, the topline level, it moves with reach and drive. It should never hackney, or appear stilted. It does not throw its front up in the air. It should not be cowhocked. CONCLUSION When judging the Chinese Crested, remember that both varieties should be given equal consideration. Remember, that it is one of the larger toy breeds, and do not automati- cally put up the smallest one, but the best one. Do not award incorrect movement, and bad structure. And always… JUDGE THE DOG.
in our standard, and you will find them on occasion. This may be addressed in a future standard, but for now, as a judge, you will have to consider them in terms of the other merits of the dog. Ears should be large. Small ears are a problem in the breed, and when set too high on the head, change the expression of the breed. The hair on the ears may be trimmed (shaved) in either variety, and heavy fur- nishings on the ears may cause the ear to look as if it is not erect. Nose color also varies with the color of the dogs; while dark dogs should have dark noses, lighter colored dogs MAY have lighter noses. TEETH This is one of the two major differences between the varieties. While the powder- puff must have full dentition, the hairless is not to be faulted for missing teeth. While not mentioned in the standard, many Hair- less dogs’ teeth may “tusk”, meaning that the teeth, both upper and lower, incline slightly forward, rather than straight up and down, while still retaining a scissors or level bite. Undershot bites are a prob- lem in the breed and while not specifically mentioned as a fault, will weigh in your final decisions. TOPLINE The Chinese Crested topline is often hard to judge. A cold and or nervous hairless will make himself look terrible and the coat on a Powderpuff will often destroy its topline on the move. The Powderpuff may be shown with its coat evenly parted down the middle or casually tousled; either is correct. Check toplines carefully on the table. A hairless may be carefully stacked to give the appearance of a level topline, but movement will show the true picture. On the other hand, the Powder- puff may have a great topline, but the hair on its rear will “puff’ up when moving, and make it look high in the rear, when it isn’t. Check toplines carefully. They are a major problem in the breed. TAILS & FEET The Chinese Crested standard does not call for a “gay” tail! It states that the tail is
ABOUT THE AUTHOR My current breed is Chi- nese Cresteds, but I have also bred Afghan Hounds and Whippets (and also owned Collies) putting
numerous titles on my dogs in conforma- tion, obedience, Rally, Lure Coursing, agil- ity, barn hunt and scent work. I am approved to judge four Groups (plus breeds in the other three Groups), Rally and Lure Coursing.
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JUDGING THE CHINESE CRESTED
by SUE KLINCKHARDT- GARDNER J udging the Chinese Crested is really pretty straightforward. Once you get past the obvious fact that you have to judge dogs with hair against hairless dogs, the rest is fairly simple to grasp. Judging hairless dogs is more visual than judging dogs with coat. It’s not necessary to spend a lot of time touching when you can see angula- tion and topline. Powderpu ff s, of course, require that the judge “see” more with his fingers. Just a little di ff erence in technique when approaching our two non-varieties. As with any breed, a judge should be able to identify the dog as a Chinese Crested when it comes into the ring— type. Th en, the dog should be put together well—soundness. Th is is a toy dog, but he is an athlete, too. Th is little dog excels in performance events and he has no trouble jumping up on the couch or dancing for extended periods of time on his hind legs. He is strong for his size and he should be built to move like a “big dog”. Everything you know about shoulder angulation and rear angulation, well let down hocks, topline and coming and going in a straight line will all apply here. Knowing these things will give you a head start judging this breed. SIZE Th ere are, as with any breed, some things that are special to our breed. When you judge Chinese Cresteds, you have a
tremendous responsibility to breeders and to the future of the breed. Th e dogs you choose are going to be the breeding stock that will provide the Cresteds of the future. Please be intimately familiar with the fine points of the breed that make a di ff erence. For instance, our standard allows for a height at the withers of 11-13 inches with dogs that are slightly smaller or larger to be given full consideration. Th is is a big size range for a toy dog. Learn to be able to spot a 14-inch dog. He’s okay size wise. Learn to spot a 15-inch dog—he’s too big. Same thing applies at the other end of the size range—10 inches is okay, 9 isn’t. Th e stan- dard says “slightly larger or smaller”. Th ere is a judgment call here. Maybe you think an inch is too big a deviation. You can make that call, but be consistent. In any event, a sound, typey 10- (or 14-) inch dog is always better than a 12-inch dog with a roachy topline who crosses over coming toward you. COAT Th ere is a movement right now, pro- moted by a small number of exhibitors, to convince judges that only a “truly hairless dog” is a correct dog. As a judge, your job is to judge the dog as it is presented to you on the day you see it. You may assume that the dog with an abundant crest also has a lot of body hair. Don’t assume anything. I can show you dogs with bountiful crests, plumes and socks that don’t have more than 4 or 5 hairs on their entire bodies. Hairless dogs should be presented to you with skin that is soft and smooth. Some
of this is grooming. I shave all my hairless dogs before I show them, whether they have a lot of body hair or only a couple of hairs. Judge what you see. Occasionally, a judge will make a big show of running his hand against the grain of the skin, trying to find body hair. No matter how much body hair the dog has, if the handler is a good groomer, you still won’t find it. It’s not up to you to decide if the dog has body hair—any more than you should excuse a terrier that you think might be dyed. If the color doesn’t come o ff on your hand, judge the dog. When breeding, the amount of body hair that the parents have doesn’t breed true. You can breed two true hair- less dogs and get hairy hairless puppies or vice versa. We’ve come a long way from the unsound, really homely little dogs that we used to show (some of which had quite a bit of body hair). Our dogs today are sounder, prettier and healthier—let’s not try to go back. Some new judges are concerned that they are going to be fooled by a shaved down Pu ff . Don’t spend too much time worrying about that. First of all, it’s just a whole lot of work to do and most people don’t. Th e other thing is, we judge the pu ff s and hairless together, so the worst mistake you could make would be a grooming related mistake! PROPORTION Proportion in the Chinese Crested is important. While square may be cute, it isn’t correct. Th is breed is rectangular which allows for freedom of movement. A correctly
“THE OTHER THING IS, WE JUDGE THE PUFFS AND HAIRLESS TOGETHER, SO THE WORST MISTAKE YOU COULD MAKE WOULD BE A GROOMING RELATED MISTAKE!”
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moving Crested almost takes your breath away. It is that beautiful. A square dog is more likely to be hackneyed or have a stilted gait. Look for that nice length of body and easy flowing movement. HEAD & BODY Th e topline should be level. Sounds easy, but we are seeing an increasing number of dogs with roachy toplines or dogs that are low in the shoulder. Th ese are not correct. One issue with Cresteds that is di ff erent from other breeds is teeth. A Powderpu ff should have full dentition, a Hairless is not to be faulted for missing teeth. Please note—missing teeth in a Pu ff is a fault, not a DQ. An absolutely beautiful Pu ff with a couple of missing premolars is, in my book, preferable to one with all his teeth, but has a hitch in the rear end. Th e bite, in either type, may be scissors or level. Be aware of the tail carriage in both types. When is motion, the tail is to be carried gaily and may be carried slightly forward over the back. “Slightly” does not mean curled over touching the back, or, worse, laying flat on the back like a Peke. Th is is a fault that carries over from one generation to another. Once in a blood- line, it’s di ffi cult to correct. It ruins the outline of the dog when it is moving and it usually means that the tail set itself is incorrect. I would rather have a dog whose tail is out behind at the level of the body than one with a teacup kind of tail Another concern for breeders is eye color. “Dark-colored dogs have dark eyes and lighter colored dogs may have lighter colored eyes.” While our standard does not specifically disqualify blue eyes, it would be hard to fit them into the description from the standard. Dark eyes that get lighter to match the color of the dog are not blue—milk chocolate brown or hazel, even greenish—but not blue. Delight in the rainbow of colors that you will see in the Crested ring. You’ll nev- er be presented with classes of dogs that are all the same colors and markings. We love our colors and, like people, no color is bet- ter than another. Never be the judge who puts up only dogs of a certain color. Th ey are all beautiful. You will see a lot of variation in Crest- eds that you judge—size, beautiful colors, coat (or not) and grooming. Learn to see past a full faced dog to the head shape. A full-faced dog can be very attractive. Just because you don’t see them very often doesn’t make them incorrect. Ears may or may not be shaved—either is fine.
Some judges prefer a part down the back of a Pu ff , but that, too, is a grooming option. Part of the fun of judging our breed is the variety—but it does take, I think, a little more time to recognize the beauty in the variation. Please take the time. Sit ringside and watch. Talk to breeders, but remem- ber, that while everyone has something to teach you, no one knows everything. Listen to everything and then go back and read the standard carefully again and make your own decisions. And never quit learning—even though you have been approved to judge the breed. “I TEND TO STATE IT THIS WAY—’WE DON’T GIVE CREDIT FOR MORE HAIR AND DEDUCT FOR LESS; WE DON’T GIVE CREDIT FOR LESS HAIR AND DEDUCT FOR MORE’.” by PENELOPE C. INAN Judges’ Education Coordinator for the American Chinese Crested Club I have often been asked what are the main points when judging Chinese Cresteds—what should you look for. For me, the most important phrase is right at the beginning of the standard: “A Toy dog, fine boned, elegant and graceful”... Although the Chinese Crested is one of the larger Toys, with sizes ranging from 11" to 13", they are supposed to be on the more elegant side. Th ere was a suggestion a few years ago to have this breed placed in what was a proposed “Companion Group”, rather than the Toy group. Th ere are some- times quite lovely dogs that seem as if they don’t quite belong in the Toy group— but that is diametrically opposed to that
initial description in the standard. Of course, it doesn’t mean that Cresteds should be delicate and dainty, just that they should resemble more the elegance seen in Arabian horse, than the solid stur- diness of a draft horse. Another common request is about grooming... yes, a great many Chinese Cresteds require some hair removal to have the placement be that described in the standard. However, judges should not be required to (indeed actually can- not) determine what and where hair removal has occurred. As with any breed, you are to judge the dog as it has been brought into the ring. I usually explain it this way... “You wouldn’t put up a badly- groomed Poodle, please don’t put up a badly-groomed Crested.” Grooming inju- ries are specifically something that would give ringside visitors a bad impression not just of Chinese Cresteds, but of the dog show sport itself—and should not be tol- erated, or encouraged. Another area of possible confusion when judging is the standard’s descrip- tion of the tail: “When dog is in motion, the tail is carried gaily and may be carried slightly forward over the back. At rest the tail is down with a slight curve upward at the end resembling a sickle.” Please note: “MAY be carried SLIGHTLY forward over the back”. I have been told occasion- ally “no tail—no Crested”... not true. Th e Chinese Crested tail is a thing of beauty, helping to create an attractive picture, whether standing or moving. Th e sickle shape (a slight curve) when moving is part of the elegance—adding to the impression of flowing easy movement. When the dog is standing, the tail should be down— again creating a graceful balanced outline. Th e last issue upon which I am often questioned is that of coat—the standard clarifies it fairly simply in a couple of sen- tences. “ Th e texture of all hair is soft and silky, flowing to any length,” and “Place- ment of hair is not as important as overall type”. My interpretation of that is empha- sis should be placed on having the correct kind of hair, over having either quantity or exact placement. I tend to state it this way—“We don’t give credit for more hair and deduct for less; we don’t give credit for less hair and deduct for more”. My last word is almost always “Please judge the entire dog” and use the standard in an inclusive, rather than exclusive way. Look- ing for the virtues, rather than itemizing the faults, in my opinion, is the most e ff ec- tive way to find the best Chinese Crested!
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“IT MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE GLAMOUR OF SOME OF THE OTHER DOGS IN YOUR RING, BUT SHOULD BE THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE IF ALL OTHER THINGS ARE EQUAL.”
by CAROLYN STRUNGE Caros Chinese Cresteds Y our first impression of the Crested in either variety should be that of a fine boned, elegant and graceful toy dog. One trip around the ring will let you know if the dogs you are judging meet these basic characteristics of the breed. Th ese characteristics work together to produce the toy dog you are looking for. A heavy boned dog will not move with the elegance and grace of a fine boned dog with proper structure. You have seen them go around now what to look for on the table. Stand back and look at the dog on the table—look for proportion and size. Pro- portion is RECTANGULAR—measured from the withers to base of tail is slightly longer than the height at the withers. Look under the dog –you should see a rectangle if the dog is properly proportioned. Hands on—use a gentle approach and touch. If your hands are cold expect the hairless to react to your cold touch. HEAD Cup the head in your hand and look for the distinguishing features: Almond eye: Set wide apart, can be lighter in lighter colored dogs, expression is alert and intense. Eye rims match the color of the dog, i.e.: a spotted dog may have spotted eye rims and a split face may have no color on the eye rim on the light side—this is correct. Ears : Large and erect, base level with outside corner of eye. Depending on the width of the back skull you can have ears that appear to stands straight up and ones that appear to be on an extreme angle— both may be level with the outside corner of the eye. So on to overall head. Head is wedge shaped: Viewed from above and from the side. A clean wedge will have cheeks that taper cleanly and lips that are tight and clean. Stop will be slight but distinct and nose is dark in dark col- ored dogs; maybe lighter in light colored dogs—pigment is solid. Check the bite: Th e Hairless are not to be faulted for missing teeth—do not spend
your time checking for teeth—lift the lip and check for level or scissor bite and move on. Th e Pu ff s are to be faulted for missing teeth so check for those incisors. No DQs —so don’t get carried away. Th is is still a toy dog and will not react well if you are cranking the mouth open to count teeth. BODY Th e bone structure of the Crested is very similar to many breeds: Neck clean : Arched, carried high. Topline level to slightly sloping croup: Th is slope contributes to the proper tail carriage for the breed—watch for it. Brisket to the elbow Breast bone not prominent: Th e points across the forechest are on the same plane. Ribs well developed Tuck up at fl ank: If the dog has the proper proportion and length of loin you should see a nice tuck up with a lightness in the loin area—which will allow for the freedom of movement expected. Tail: Check the tail—it has very spe- cific shape, length and carriage. Th is is a breed characteristic: 1. Slender and tapers to a curve 2. Long enough to reach the hock 3. In motion, carried gaily and may- be slightly forward. Th e tail should not lay on the back or hang down the side of the dog—remember out or slightly forward. Th e dog running around with its tail straight out is correct the one with its tail curled over its back should be faulted. 4. At rest the tail is down with a slight curve upward. Forequarters and Hindquarters: Typical 45 degree layback (about as common as in most breeds). Legs are long slender and straight: Pasterns upright. Sti fl e is moderate: hock perpendicular. Feet: Hare foot—check it—it is a char- acteristic of the breed. HAIRLESS COAT Provides the variety and the eye candy for the observer of the breed. Hairless: Hair only on its head, tail and feet.
Judges seem to be concerned with the grooming procedure in the breed—don’t be. If it is poorly groomed with skin dam- aged by shave marks or chemical burns or patches of hair where they don’t belong— treat it the same way you would treat any other poorly-groomed dog and don’t reward it. Make sure you understand the proper hair placement for Hairless—it may not have all the glamour of some of the other dogs in your ring, but should be the apple of your eye if all other things are equal. Th e coat placement and texture on the Hairless is very specific in the standard: • Th e texture is soft and silky: Overall type is more important than placement • Head Crest: Begins at the stop and tapers o ff between the base of skull and back of neck • Hair on the feet: From toes to front pasterns and rear toes to hock joints • Tail in the Hairless: Two-thirds of the end of tail are covered by long, flowing, feathering hair • Skin is soft and smooth —If it is not, don’t reward it POWDERPUFF COAT Completely covered with a double soft and silky coat with long thin guard hairs over the coat. Th e Powderpu ff ’s tail is com- pletely covered with hair. Don’t look through the coat for the undercoat—it is soft and silky and not a shorter, protective undercoat. The guard hairs are usually visible—but there are not a lot of them just a few usually over the shoulders or hips and often a different color. Coat is straight of moderate density and length. Excessive, heavy, kinky or curly coat is to be penalized. GROOMING IS MINIMAL Grooming practices include shaving the face and ears on both varieties—you may be presented with some that are full faced or do not have the ears shaved—any combination is an accepted practice in the breed. Th is is a fun little breed—enjoy all the variety it will bring to your ring!
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THE CHINESE CRESTED
BY AMERICAN CHINESE CRESTED CLUB HTTP://ACCC.CHINESECRESTEDCLUB.INFO/INDEX.HTML
T he origin of the Chinese Crested has many theories, myths or legends and is still obscure in pinpointing the breed’s exact origin. It is generally accepted that hairless dogs similar in stature and type are documented in Africa, South and Central America, as well as China dating to the early 12th and 13th centuries. For many people, the first impression of a Chinese Crested is how much it looks like a little pony. A Toy dog with a mane (crest), tail (plume), and feathering on its feet (socks) describes the Hairless. Most people are surprised to learn there is a fully coated Chinese Crested variety called a Powderpuff. Both varieties are elegant and graceful, and structur- ally are the same dog except for the coat. They are quite an active, athletic breed, and can entertain themselves playing with toys, but can also be “cat-like” and enjoy sitting in high places like the back of a couch or the arm of a chair. Cresteds are the ultimate comforter dog and many people with chronic pain conditions rely on Cresteds to improve daily life. A Crested wants nothing more than to be as close to its owner as possible—they love laps and sharing food, yet are easily trained to not be obnoxious about begging.
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THE CHINESE CRESTED
The activity level of a Crested is medium to high, but they do enjoy quiet times with their family and can be a great apartment dog. Naturally, a dog that bonds so closely with the person in their life can excel with the challenge of Obedience, Agility, Flyball, Lure Coursing, and other activities—a lov- ing team working together is their idea of a great time. The breed is well-suited to being Therapy or Service Dogs and enjoy visiting with residents or patients in hospitals and nursing homes. Some Cresteds have a great sense of humor and enjoy playing whatever games you can create. Conformation shows can be a fun family activity (children can compete in Junior Showmanship), and the Canine Good Citizenship program can lead to a CGC title, as well as teaching your pet to be a good citizen. The Hairless should have a weekly bath and protection from extremes in weather conditions—sun and cold. Powderpuffs require more frequent brushing and care of their coat. The American Chinese Crested Club participates in the Canine Health Infor- mation Center (CHIC) program with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the AKC Canine Health Foundation (AKC CHF). Currently, the recommenda- tions for breeders to screen and test their breeding stock for disorders are noted on the OFA website: http://www.caninehealth- info.org/brdreqs.html?breed=CHC . The Chi- nese Crested is a rather long-lived breed, living well into their teens is expected. There are several options when choosing a Chinese Crested; they come in the two coat varieties and size can be variable. In the Hairless, varying degrees of body hair are evident, from little to no body hair to a fine covering of hair over most of the body. The hair on either variety is soft and silky in texture. The Breed Standard calls for any color or combination of colors, as well as ideal size from eleven to thirteen inches in height. You will find the Hairless skin will tan with exposure to sun and will fade in winter. The Powderpuff coats often change color throughout their lives. Chinese Cresteds may not be the breed for everyone, but those who decide to share their home with a Crested will find a loving and loyal companion as their reward.
“THE ACTIVITY LEVEL OF A CRESTED IS MEDIUM TO HIGH, BUT THEY DO ENJOY QUIET TIMES WITH THEIR FAMILY AND CAN BE A GREAT APRTMENT DOG.”
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CHINESE CRESTED AMERICAN CHINESE CRESTED CLUB
FROM ACCC JUDGE’S ED by PENELOPE INAN AND CAROLYN STRUNGE -JUDGE’S ED CHAIR
T he very first words of the Chi- nese Crested Standard are “A toy dog, fine-boned, elegant and graceful” and that should be your first impression. Starting at the head, the large ears (either clean-shaven or covered in silky hair) are set so that the base is level with the outside corner of the eye. Small ears, or ears set too high on the head, are not correct. The head should be a clean wedge—both from the top and from the side. All too often we see a deep stop and short muz- zle—an adorable look, but not in keep- ing with the Chinese Crested Standard. Sometimes that appearance is coupled with a round eye again not correct; we want wide set almond shaped, prefer- ably dark eyes, although lighter eyes in keeping with the dog’s color are accept- able. A common misperception is the requirement for a scissors bite—our standard allows for both scissors AND level. Missing teeth are normal with the Hairless variety, although we ask that you penalize them in the Powderpuff- this is not a DQ, only a fault, we ask you treat it as any other fault. Primar- ily, the jaw should be correctly aligned even if there are few or no teeth. Any color nose is acceptable with full pig- ment-dark pigment with a dark dog and lighter pigment on a lighter dog.
The Crest on the head should be silky and taper to the base of the neck, neither an abrupt “chop” nor a shawl continu- ing onto the body of the dog and mak- ing even a correctly rectangular body seem square. The Chinese Crested is/should be a rectangular dog being longer from with- ers to set on of tail than from withers to the ground. This can be a difficult mea- surement to ascertain, but an easy way is to look for “the rectangle under the dog”. That is, the space under the dog’s body should be visibly rectangular. If it is a square, most likely the dog is too short bodied. This leads to movement faults—we want an easy mover, and the extra body length allows for that freedom. A level topline, both standing and moving, is a highly desirable char- acteristic. There should be a moderate tuck up—not exaggerated. The croup is slightly sloping, with the tail carried out or slightly over the back in motion. The tail should drop at rest, with a slight curve upward. The Chinese Crested has true “hare feet”—with long toes, and often capable of actually holding some- thing. Be aware that those toes may give you the impression of nails not being correctly trimmed. Hairlessness is a hallmark of the breed, with a soft and smooth skin.
The appropriate places for hair are the head (Crest), the feet (Socks), and the tail (Plume). All the hair should be soft and silky- and length neither adds nor detracts from type. The expres- sion of hairlessness is variable -and dif- ficult to predict in breeding. Groom- ing is acceptable, so that when you have the dog in your ring, the hairless areas should be correctly presented. Please don't advance a dog with groom- ing injuries -burns, scrapes, etc. My phrase is “you wouldn’t put up a badly groomed Poodle, please don’t put up a badly groomed Crested”. The Socks should taper and end at the top of the pastern in front and the hocks behind. Again, lots of hair is neither a fault nor a virtue—correct silky hair is the most important part. On the tail, the Plume only extends two-thirds of the way towards the body. The Powderpuff is completely covered in that same soft silky hair his Hairless brethren have- but in addition there is a somewhat shorter undercoat. This should be a “wash and wear” dog, so heavy, kinky or curly coats are incorrect. You may be amazed at how lightweight that coat is—silky and fine, rather than weighty and dense.
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