Chinese Crested Dog - History

History

Although hairless dogs have been found in many places in the world, it is unlikely that the origins of the modern Chinese crested are in China. The breed was believed by some to have originated in Africa and was called the African Hairless Terrier in several 19th Century texts, however, there is genetic evidence that shows a shared origin with the Mexican Hairless (Xoloitzcuintli). In the 1950s, Debora Wood created the "Crest Haven" kennel and began to purposefully breed and record the lineages of her Chinese crested dogs. The famous burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee also bred Chinese cresteds, and upon her death her dogs were incorporated into Crest Haven. These two lines are the true foundation of every Chinese crested alive today. Ms. Wood also founded the American Hairless Dog Club in 1959, which was eventually incorporated into the American Chinese Crested Club (ACCC) in 1978. The ACCC became the US parent club for the breed when the Chinese crested was recognized by the American Kennel Club thirteen years later, in 1991.

The Chinese crested was officially recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1987, by The Kennel Club (UK) in 1981, by the American Kennel Club in 1991, and by the Australian National Kennel Council in 1995.