also disqualified blue eyes. Later, the palo- mino colors, which are self-colored dogs, were permitted to have a lighter (amber) eye, and a liver nose. Chocolates are a varia- tion of palomino with a medium brown eye and a brown nose. All other colors of hair- less and powderpu ff s must have black noses, with corresponding dark eyes. In addition, early standard also provided that the hair- less had no extra hair to hide any imperfec- tions, and glamour was not a deciding fac- tor in selecting a winner. Having a hairless with excessive hair was considered a fault. Less hair and more skin, with good move- ment was the trait that was selected for. Th is early standard also addressed grooming. For example, a modified trim was introduced to the powderpu ff s in America and was reflected in the standard. Addition- ally, the original standard was changed to fit the style of the time by permitting the option of trimming faces and/or ears only in either variety, should the exhibitors desire. But, the standard did not prefer one groom- ing style as compared to another style. Th us, a powderpu ff would not be rewarded if its coat were trimmed into a V shape on its neck or if trimming extended past the dog’s Adam’s Apple. Th is was not and is still not considered acceptable as the trimming is not confined to the face and ears as indi- cated by the standard. AKC o ffi cially rec- ognized the Chinese Crested breed and the American Chinese Crested Club (ACCC) in April 1991. Th e first o ffi cial AKC show for Chinese Cresteds was Monday, April 1st (April Fool’s Day) and the top dogs in the breed showed up to vie for the first set of AKC points for the breed. Questions and intrigue filled the crowd, as the first AKC
breed with a hairless variety competed for the first time. Since there were only a few Cresteds in the USA as compared to other breeds, the spectators lined the ring four layers thick, with all eyes on the first dogs to be exhibited. Th ere were oohs and aahs heard when the hairless variety entered the ring, and even more shock when the world was introduced to the powderpu ff . For people unfamiliar with the breed, it was di ffi cult to understand how these di ff er- ent looking dogs could be one breed. Shirley Th omas was the first judge for the breed. She put up a hairless, Razzmatazzmanian Strip- per, for Best of Breed, and a powderpu ff Gin- gerys Maple Syrup for the Best of Opposite. Both dogs were lovely examples of the breed, were representative of the standard, and went on to be the top two dogs for the breed. Th e following months of showing proved that the hairless variety was what most people believed that a Crested should be like, while powderpu ff s were virtually ignored. Although the standard provided that both varieties were to be given equal consideration, it was clear in those early days that powderpu ff s were viewed as second-class citizens. Th ere was also controversy surrounding what constituted an appropriate look for the powderpu ff variety. Some pu ff s were as natu- ral as can be, with full faces and ears, while others were trimmed, with their ears, faces, necks, tails, feet, and even the body was scis- sored. Judges education programs were still in their adolescent stages and many people just did what they wanted, or what they thought would win. Th ere was also talk of separating the hairless and pu ff varieties again, but from
a breeder’s point of view, this would be undesirable for the breed. Th e two varieties are genetically connected, and the powder- pu ff s are normal with regard to dentition and coat type. Th e hairless variety is the result of a dominant genetic mutation for which there is a lethal combination that can result in hairless to hairless crosses. No one in the breed wanted this to occur. Because Powderpu ff s are one third of the gene pool in the breed, they are a necessary element to keeping the breed alive. It was ultimately two powderpu ff s that demonstrated the sound and fine quality of pu ff . First, ACCC champion, 12-time Best In Specialty Show winner, and 2-time National specialty winner, Ch. Gingery’s Maple Syrup, came out to play in the AKC world. Th is dog was a well-balanced and sound toy dog that was shown natural, and untrimmed. He not only was a great win- ner in the AKC, being the first AKC all breed best in show winning pu ff , but also he had the temperament that enabled him to perform well in agility, obedience and therapy work. Barbara Beissel was hired to campaign this dog on the national level to get the powderpu ff variety known. And on the east coat, Victor Helu, handled Maple Syrup’s Best in Show winning daughter, Ch. Gingery’s Cheesecake to many acco- lades. Maple Syrup made history early the next year by being the first multiple Best of Breed Westminster winner, as he went on to win the first two Chinese Crested Best Of Breeds in Westminster. Both of these pu ff s paved the way for the powderpu ff variety to get recognition as an equal partner to the hairless variety of the Chinese Crested.
“Dancer”, Group 1, c. 1995.
“Krimson”, Best in Show, c. 1998.
“Basil”, Best in Specialty Show, c. 2000.
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