Lowchen is originated from Germany but Chinese Crested Dog is originated from Mexico. Both Lowchen and Chinese Crested Dog are having almost same height. Both Lowchen and Chinese Crested Dog are having almost same weight. Both Lowchen and Chinese Crested Dog has same life span. Both Lowchen and Chinese Crested Dog has same litter size. Lowchen requires Moderate maintenance. But Chinese Crested Dog requires Low maintenance
Known as the Little Lion Dog, the Lowchen is considered by some registries as a toy dog and by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting dog.
Nobody seems too certain about the true origin of the dog but most records seem to suggest it originates from Germany, France or Holland.
He was bred to catch rats and mice and his history goes way back to 1442, with images of him being found in engravings and paintings. People think he may be related to the Bichon Frise.
His history shows that apart from being used to catch vermin he was also a companion dog to the wealthy. A breeding program for the dog was started in 1944 and they were later imported to Britain in the late 1960s. The dog was given Kennel Club recognition in the UK in 1971, also appearing in America in 1971 with The Lowchen Club of America being formed.
The Chinese Crested Dog is believed to have its origins in Africa and there are many texts from the 19th Century that feature an Africa Hairless Terrier that resembles the Chinese Crested. However, the scientific and genetic evidence leads to an origin that is shared with the Mexican Hairless Dog. Any way you look at it the dog did not originate in China. The Chinese were very fond of this breed and used them on their ships to control the rat populations. This is probably how they got their name.
There are two types of Chinese Crested Dogs – the well known Hairless, and the lesser known Powderpuff. The Hairless type is better known because they carry the dominant trait and the Powderpuff is recessive. However, this recessive gene is carried by every Chinese Crested Dog so the Powderpuff can show up in all litters even those of two Hairless Crested. Two Powderpuffs will not result in any Hairless in their litters as the Powderpuff does not have the gene for the Hairless.
The “Crest Haven” Kennel was opened by Debora Wood in the 1950’s to breed the Chines Crested Dog. At the same time Gypsy Rose Lee, of the famous burlesque shows, was also breeding Chinese Crested Dogs. The two lines of Crested bred by Americans came together following the death of Rose Lee. Every Chinese Crested that lives today can trace their heritage directly to these two breeding lines. In 1959, Debra Wood founded the American Hairless Dog Club which became a part of the American Chinese Crested Club or the ACCC in 1978. This organization then became the breed’s parent club after AKC (American Kennel Club) recognized the breed in 1991. Prior to this the Federation Cynologique Internationale, recognized the breed in 1987, the United Kingdom (UK)the Kennel Club recognized them in 1981 and the Australian National Kennel Council recognized the Crested in 1995.
The Lowchen is a small dog but robustly built and stands at between 25 – 33 cm in height and weighs anything from 4 – 8 kg.
He has a long coat which is available in a number of colors - cream, white, grey, black, silver and bi-colored. The single coat isn’t like that of the Bichon Frise, thin and fluffy, but is much thicker, silky and wavy and sheds minimally. People love snipping the long coat cut so that the dog looks like a small lion, short over the body and with a mane, with some hair left around the ‘ankle’ parts of the legs.
The tail is also sheared and left with a pom-pom look. People look at him as an ideal pet as he doesn’t shed much and is looked upon as being a hypoallergenic dog.
He has a wide muzzle and broad, flat skull. The ears are floppy with fringing, the eyes dark, round and intelligent looking. The litter size of this dog is is usually between 3 and 6 puppies.
Intelligent, bright, outgoing and affectionate, you won’t find any aggression in this cute little dog unless the owners have treated him so badly that he wants to be aggressive.
He is such an amicable little pet that he won’t cause you any trouble – he just wants to be your friend. He is a social dog, but can be quite timid when introduced to new people.Socialization and training will do wonders for him and give him some confidence.
He just loves receiving attention and is also prepared to give a lot of attention too. Although he can adapt easily to life in the city or the countryside, he wouldn’t like his owners being at work all day and leaving him alone hour after hour. He is gentle with his human family and sees to it that he gets on well with children as well as pets in the home.
This is a toy breed and very small. The Hairless and the Powderpuff are two types of the same breed, although they do not look like it. The Hairless type can have fur anywhere on its body, but it will not have much. It will have hair on its paws, tail and head. The Powderpuff on the other hand will have a thick double coat. When discussing the color of the hairless, one is referring to the color of its skin. It can range from flesh to black.
The Powderpuff has a soft, thick, straight double coat. It can have very long hair. The Hairless must have its skin taken care of and protected. Both types of Chines Crested are small in stature with well proportioned, athletic bodies.
The Lowchen is sure to make anyone a splendid pet as he is friendly, playful, loving and loyal. He is such a good natured pet and will make a wonderful companion, being able to get on well with children and pets in the home.
He is energetic too and will love to be outside playing games or joining you on a walk. Those who have had the Lowchen as a pet haven’t been disappointed as they all agree that he makes the most amazing family companion.
The Chines Crested Dog is very intelligent and love to perform for audiences. They do well with obedience courses and they are very affectionate lap dogs. They want to be with you and on you or in your arms all the time. They are loyal and playful.
The Lowchen is a healthy dog breed so you aren’t going to be spending too much money with him at the vet. Some health concerns with this particular dog breed are cataracts and patellar luxation.
It can be so sad witnessing your dog’s bright, alert eyes clouding over. Dogs have clear lens, but cataracts, while not painful, can impair vision and actually lead to complete vision loss. As the eye disease progresses, the lens can become completely opaque.
This occurs when the kneecap of the dog is dislocated from its normal position. You’ll see your dog holding up his hind leg every now and then. It can only be returned to its normal position once the quadriceps muscles of the dog relax.
This is a common knee joint problem in dogs and it can lead to arthritis. He will need to get to the vet.
The Chinese Crested Hairless version must have its skin take care of much in the same way we take care of our own. It will burn if exposed to too much sun without protection. They can suffer from dry skin, acne, need moisturizing cremes. They get skin allergies as well and it is important to take care of the skin instead of the brushing you don’t have to do.
The Chinese Crested does not suffer from most of the diseases other toy breeds do. They can have ye issues. The Hairless have a “primitive mouth” . They have pointy teeth and poor dentition. This is not true of the Powderpuffs however. Their eye issues include:
Because your Lowchen is a bright, happy companion dog you want to ensure that you look after him well to ensure his ongoing wellbeing.
The single coat is long and you will need to brush him regularly to keep it looking good. If brushing becomes too hectic, you can have him sheared at a professional dog groomer.
Check him over for fleas and ticks while brushing him.
Feel all over his body for the emergence of new lumps.
Clip his nails to ensure they don’t grow long so that they hook on things and tear his flesh.
Check the inside of his ears to make sure there is no sign of redness and ear infection. This can drive your pet mad with the itching. The ears need to be kept clean, as do the teeth and both these can be done for you at professional dog groomers.
Every dog requires exercise and your Lowchen will need games and walks to keep him fit, to ward off obesity and to provide him with something to look forward to.
Make sure to feed your pet wholesome food as good quality food promotes good health and longevity. Give your Lowchen the best quality kibble there is and try and mix in some homemade cooked chicken, brown rice, pasta and cooked or raw vegetables every now and then just to add some tasty variety to your pets diet. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.
Make sure your Lowchen has a warm, dry comfy spot to sleep, and ensue that when he’s outside he has shade to lie down in.
Like several other toy breeds, it is easy to overfeed the Chinese Crested because it has such a small stature. Feed once or twice a day but never more than one fourth of a cup total for the day.
Luxating Patellas – kneecaps move out of place and cause lameness and arthritis
Legg-Perthes Disease – a hip disorder where blood does not reach the head of the femur. The bone dies, and growth stops.
Canine Multiple System Degeneration (CMSD) – a progressive movement disorder can call falls
This Breed does not need an excessive amount of exercise, but they do enjoy running. They are competitive and athletic, so they can excel at flyball, lure coursing, agility and obedience. They are sensitive and trainable enough to become a therapy dog.