08/21/2026
I LOVE when a unique breed makes it onto my table! 😍🐾
These two handsome kids are Chinese Cresteds — and they're brothers! One is a Hairless Chinese Crested and the other is a Powderpuff Chinese Crested!
I haven't seen this breed since I left Washington, so I was pretty excited when these two walked through our door! They're just so cool looking to me! Since you don't see them every day, here are some fun facts about the Chinese Crested:
🐾 Hairless & Powderpuff are the same breed!
Even though they can look like completely different dogs, Chinese Cresteds come in both varieties. Hairless Cresteds have exposed skin with their signature crest, furry feet and plumed tail, while Powderpuffs are covered in a soft, silky coat.
🚢 They were once working dogs aboard ships!
Chinese sailors kept these little guys aboard ships as ratters, helping control vermin — a pretty important job when rats and their fleas could spread disease! Traveling with sailors and merchants also helped spread these unusual dogs around the world.
🌎 Their true origin is actually a mystery!
Despite the name Chinese Crested, we don't know for certain that the breed originated in China! One theory is that their ancestors were African hairless dogs that were later bred smaller by the Chinese. They did, however, become closely associated with Chinese sailors and traders.
🐀 Don't let the fancy hair fool you!
These little guys may look like they belong on a runway, but they historically hunted rats! Today they're primarily companions, but they're surprisingly athletic and can excel at agility, obedience, flyball and lure coursing.
🐱 They're also sometimes described as “cat-like” because they enjoy perching in high places, like the back of the couch, to survey their kingdom. 😂
🎭 And here's a random one: famous entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee fell in love with Chinese Cresteds and became an influential breeder and promoter of the breed in the 1950s!
✂️ Our Powderpuff brother got an extra-fun transformation today! Dad wanted him styled after the classic Hairless Crested look — without actually shaving him hairless! 😂 So we left a short fuzzy coat on his body while keeping those signature longer furnishings, topped off with his requested little ponytail. ❤️
His Hairless brother was just along for a nail trim, but of course we had to get pictures of both!
Seriously… if you saw these two separately, would you ever guess they were the same breed?! 😍
