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The Chinese Crested is an active and entertaining little dog. Cresteds are generally not destructive and are not big chewers. They are happiest when surrounded by people, and do not appreciate isolation. Cresteds prefer to be with their people and on their laps whenever possible, a trait not always appreciated by those who prefer a less clingy dog. The crested may not be the breed for everyone, as they do expect a lot of personal attention.
When a person comes to the door, be prepared for the Crested alarm bark, which is quite shrill and can be annoying. Once a person enters the house, most Cresteds are very friendly and will bounce right into the new lap. Some Cresteds are not impressed with strangers and will continue to bark or ignore the interloper. If, however, the new person happens to have food, well all bets are off, and immediate bonding usually ensues. In general, cresteds are not a "yappy" breed.
Cresteds benefit from regular exercise in a fenced yard, but can get by with regular walks. Most get their exercise from their indoor "gym," leaping fearlessly from furniture to furniture. While the hairless variety may require a coat in the winter, the powderpuffs absolutely love the snow.
The two varieties, hairless and powderpuff, can appear in the same litter, and compete against each other in the same classes in the show ring. Two hairless parents can produce both powderpuff and hairless puppies. The same is true of a powderpuff to hairless breeding, but two powderpuffs bred together will only produce coated offspring.
New owners need to remember that cresteds are simply large dogs in cute little bodies and do much better if they are treated as such.