All dogs – purebred or mixed-breed – can be potentially allergenic, though hypoallergenic dog breeds (like the hairless Chinese Crested, Poodles, Bichons Frises, Maltese, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers, Portuguese Water Dogs and Scottish Terrier breeds) are less likely to trigger allergies in sensitive individuals.
Allergens aren’t just present in a dog’s fur, but can also be found in other substances. Dander, saliva, urine and sebum can contain or trap common allergens.
A Chinese Crested dog, though hypoallergenic, can still trigger allergies via their hair, dander and oils found on their skin.
Here’s what to know about Chinese Crested dogs, why they’re one of the most popular hypoallergenic dog breeds – and how to take care of their coat in the best way to minimize allergens.
Why Are Chinese Crested Hypoallergenic Dogs?
Hairless Chinese Crested Dog
Chinese Crested dogs come in two varieties, the first variety, known as the Hairless is without hair except for long hair which grows on its paws, head and tail and the second variety, has fine, long hair resembling human hair, known as the Powder puff.
Both varieties are considered hypoallergenic because they don’t shed too often.
If you have the sniffles around most dogs, cresteds can be a great hypoallergenic choice…with the right care.
Part of what helps to make Chinese Crested dogs more hypoallergenic are:
Their Coat
The Chinese crested has two different coats, and both are considered hypoallergenic.
The most commonly seen is the hairless Chinese Crested which has a single coat. The haired variety, the Powder puff, has a double, very soft, straight coat and has no odor.
Both varieties produce the allergen that triggers sensitives but the lack of fur reduces the amount of irritants that come off of them.
Other breeds with soft, silky, or curly single coats shed very little and causes less sensitivities than others.
Double-coated breeds like German Shepherds, Samoyeds, Collies and Akitas can cause more sensitivities than others shedding excessive amounts of hair.
With the right regular care of their coat, Chinese Crested dogs have a thinner hair distribution that doesn’t trap fur as readily as other breeds and their coats.
Their Dander
Dandruff is a potential nightmare and constant battle for many dog breeds, but luckily the Chinese Crested dog breed is not one of them!
While some other breeds with naturally dry skin will shed their dander all over your house, Chinese Crested dogs have less active sweat glands and less of a natural dandruff problem to deal with.
A lot of allergies can be thanks to trapped or shed skin cells. With a regular bath, Chinese Crested dogs shed in a way that’s easier to control.
Their Sweat Glands
Some dog breeds (like the Sharpei) are known to produce more sweat and other bacteria through their skin. Lucky for sensitive dog owners, the Chinese Crested breed doesn’t fall into this category.
Most Chinese Crested dogs have less sensitive, moisture-producing glands and skin.
The way their skins naturally produce oils is much less likely to trigger allergies for sensitive dog lovers – and it’s one more reason why the Chinese Crested breed makes one of the perfect hypoallergenic dogs.
How Do I Minimize Allergies Caused By a Chinese Crested Dog Fur and Dander
The coated Crested is called “Powderpuff”.
Hairless dog breeds don’t automatically mean that your Chinese Crested dog will be allergen-free.
A hypoallergenic breed means less allergy-causing factors particular to the type of dog, but only with the proper care.
Despite having very little hair, the Chinese Crested Dog is a breed that still requires certain amounts of grooming, and for the hairless variety it usually falls into skin care mostly.
Here’s how to minimize allergies caused by a Chinese Crested dog.
Brush Your Dog At Least Twice a Day
For the best healthy, shining coat you should brush your dog at least twice a day prevent matting especially in the case of the Powderpuff.
Take the same care of your pooch’s coat as you would take of your own hair. A dog’s fur takes more or less the same amount of time as your own head of hair to become tangled or matted.
When brushing, use a pin brush and a comb (Amazon links).
Remember that some dogs like to be brushed more than others. In the end, individual dogs can still differ.
Bathe Your Crested At Least Once a Week
A coat is only ever as good as its care routine.
Both Chinese Cresteds varieties should be bathed at least once a week to remove the dandruff that gathers on the animal’s fur using a natural and chemical-free shampoo like Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Liquid Soap (found on Amazon).
If you live in a warmer or dustier area, increase the amount of times you would give your dog a bath. Owners can usually tell when their dogs need a bath, and allergy-sensitive dog owners know even more.
In addition, make sure that you apply oil like organic coconut oil on their skin after bathing to keep them from developing dry skin.
Remember that dogs shouldn’t bath nearly as much as their humans. More than a few times per week can cause harm to your dog’s skin, and trigger a contact rash or dry skin as a result.
Apply an oil-free sunscreen on your crested’s skin during the warmer months to prevent sun burn. Wash off the excess sunscreen at the end of the day to prevent clogging up the pores.
Crested skin are acne prone so make sure you an exfoliating scrub when acne is present.
You will also want to cut the nails about once or twice a month and brush their teeth regularly.
Get An Air Purifier to Extract Allergens
Potential allergens can still hide in your environment even if you have the most hypoallergenic dog breeds of the lot, like a Chinese Crested or Scottish Terrier.
Fine hairs, dust and skin particles are very present in the air around your dog (and the air around you). If you are sensitive to allergies, being in the same room as your dog for too long can cause an immune-response to your pet’s common allergens.
Get an air purifier if you note allergies around your crested pooch.
A purifier extracts the worst of the airborne allergens, and makes the air you breathe less likely to cause an allergic reaction.
Change Your Pup’s Diet To Minimize Shedding
Your pet’s allergen-level doesn’t just have to do with their grooming.
The health of their fur has everything to do with the goodness of their diet.
Foods that are high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, like salmon and lamb-rich dog foods, can lend health to an already well-maintained coat.
A diet change can reduce the likelihood of dry skin for your dog, and make their coat stronger and less likely to dry out, break or shed.
Groom Fido Outside of the Home
Even if you have a hypoallergenic hairless dog breed like a Crested Chinese, it’s still very important to groom (that is, brush and wash) your dog on a regular basis.
There’s one more thing that makes a dog’s allergens a little less likely: groom your pet outside the home to keep the allergen load to a minimum.
A lot of dander and fur flies about the place when grooming your pet. When this is done inside the house, most of what you take off your pet will just stick straight to your carpets and curtains.
Done outside, you have a much better chance of grooming your pet without being bombarded by the allergy-causing compounds in a small space.
Be Prepared To Clean Your House Frequently
Even the most hypoallergenic dog breeds like the Crested will leave their dander and shed hair around the house. Humans do the same as they move, work and sleep.
Clean your house frequently to have less personal interaction with allergy-causing compounds that go with your pet. At least once a month, although more often if you notice that your allergic reactions stay the same or get worse.
Pay particular attention to carpets and curtains, which can be some of the worst allergy-causing things in the home and invest in a good pet-friendly vacuum.
Closing Thoughts
I hope the information in this article helps readers to better understand what causes their allergies to pets and how to manage them as effectively as possible.
A stunningly 40% of us have on display a picture of our pets in our homes (…guilty)! Most allergic people don’t have to give up their pets, some inexpensive lifestyle changes at home can yield some amazing results.
Talk to an allergist as well before you embark on taking on a furry or fur-less dog like a Chinese Crested dog to make living with Fido a healthier and happier experience.
