Crestepoo Dog Breed

The Crestepoo is a relative recent combination that is not too popular...yet. These ugly little cuties come from two useful breeds-- the Poodle has history as a water working retriever for hunters as well as a truffle hunting dog, and the Chinese Crested hunted vermin on ships. Nowadays, both breeds find more places as family companions or show dogs. The ideal household for this dog is one that can patiently train him and appreciate his liveliness and protectiveness. Here are some quick facts for the Chinese Crestepoo:

PROS

• Gentle playmate for respectful children
• Good hybrid for allergy sufferers
• Coexists well with other pets
• Protective alert dog
• Not a noisy, yappy dog
• Excels at agility and lure coursing
• Lively, friendly, affectionate companion
• Eye catching looks
• Relatively low maintenance
• Easily exercised

CONS

• May be difficult to train, especially for first timer
• Protective and may remain skeptical of strangers
• Usually doesn't live outdoors
• May be higher maintenance if Poodle coat is inherited
• High energy, energetic mind needs plenty of stimulation (training, exercise, games)

The Chinese Crestepoo is a skinny little dog with long, slender legs and a tail to match. She will often have a long, wavy to curly coat but can also be hairless or partially hairless; coat colors include black, various shades of brown, grey, white, cream, golden. Their size will depend on what variety of Poodle is used in the breeding process but they are usually 9-14 inches at the shoulder and around 11 pounds.

Most Poodle mixes are bright dogs, however, this one is notoriously stubborn and picky about what it wants to listen to. It may be hard for a first time owner to train this breed, however, if you can must enough patience, firmness and dominant demeanor then it should be a manageable task. This breed responds well to praise and treats and, once trained, excels in agility activities and lure coursing.

Most owners agree that the Crestepoo's affectionate, energetic personality makes it a cool family pet. A well socialized member of this breed will be a gentle, playful friend for a respectful child and do ok with other pets. They are protective and may bark at the approach of a stranger, however, they aren't yappy dogs.

Although they are lively dogs that need daily outdoor exercise, they are also fairly small so these needs aren't that hard to meet. A few daily walks, trips to the dog park and some toys will keep them in good shape. A fenced yard to play in is recommended but not required.

Chinese Crestepoos will vary much more in their looks and temperament because they are hybrid dogs. Ask your breeder about the difference each generation will make this dog. A brief breakdown of the generations or Crestepoos is as follows:

1. F1 is a purebred Chinese Crested crossed with a purebred Poodle and an F1B is when one of the F1 litter is bred back to either a purebred Poodle or Chinese crested; this is done to strengthen desired traits.
2. F2 is when two F1 Crestepoos are bred together and an F2B works similarly to an F1B, except sometimes they are crossed with an F1.
3. F3 is two F2s Crestepoos bred together.

Size variations will occur based upon the size of Poodle the breeder possesses; most will use the Toy or Miniature size but Poodles also come in Medium and Standard (largest) sizes. Additionally, there are Hairless and Powderpuff varieties of Chinese Cresteds. A Chinese Crested Powderpuff (has a coat) Poodle mix will have a long, wavy to curly coat; a Hairless Crested and Poodle has a good chance of being partially hairless.

The Chinese Crested x Poodle mix will likely have a lifespan of 12-15 years. Hybrids often fall outside expected ranges due to greater genetic diversity; this allows them to sometimes be free of diseases and disorders that plague their purebred parents. As this is a rather strange hybrid mix that isn't common yet, there isn't much information about common health problems, therefore we must look to the parent breeds. We recommend reading up on which issues are common to both the Chinese Crested and the Poodle. A few of such issues include:

• Hip Dysplasia
• Patellar Luxation
• Bloat
• Dental problems
• Eye Diseases
• Seizures
• Addison's Disease (potentially fatal sodium/potassium imbalance)