Because hairless dogs are so uncommon, there are many misconceptions that circulate about them:

Myth: If you breed two Hairless Cresteds together, the puppies will be deformed or dead! You must always breed a Powderpuff to a Hairless to get healthy Hairless puppies.

Truth: This misconception is based from the fact that Chinese Cresteds have very unusual genetics. To put it simply, all Hairless Cresteds are heterozygous with the 'hairless' gene being an incomplete dominant.

If you remember high school biology class, this genetic combo would be written out as: Hp (H = dominant hairless gene, and p = recessive powderpuff gene). What is TRUE is that the gene combination for HH (which has a 1 in 4 chance to occur when an egg is fertilized) results in no puppy being created at all.

The scientific term for this is a 'prenatal lethal' gene combination. The word 'lethal' confuses some people into thinking this means it kills the puppy, but this is wrong, it is simply a 'dud' combination that prevents a zygote from ever becoming a puppy. In dogs, that means the fetus will be reabsorbed by the mother without ever being born. The term for a genetic defect that causes stillborn or deformed live puppies is 'congenital lethal'.

For more information about the genetics and biology of hairless dogs, check the bottom of my Links page.

Myth: All Hairless Cresteds have horrible teeth and their tongues hang out!

Truth: The gene that makes a Crested have less hair is also linked to the growth of teeth, primarily the premolars and incisors. Most toy breeds in general have delicate teeth that are prone to crowding/weakness, and the same holds true for Cresties. This is considered normal for the breed, and causes no harm to their ability to eat. The absence of those teeth alone do not allow the tongue to hang out in a normal situation.

The reasons why some Cresteds' tongues will poke out of their mouths is generally tooth loss from old age, poor breeding, or because the dog never got proper dental care and lost other teeth as well. Regular tooth brushing is recommended for all Cresteds to best ensure that doesn't happen, and avoiding hard chew toys/bones is another good precaution.

Myth: Hairless Cresteds have lots of skin problems, and can never be out in the sun!

Truth: The majority of Cresteds do not have any skin allergies or disorders. Responsible breeders will not breed dogs who suffer from chronic skin problems. Acne is something that can occur even in healthy dogs, just as it does in humans, and can be treated in exactly the same way. In fact, the skin of hairless dogs like Xolos and Cresteds is so similar to healthy HUMAN skin that they have been used in many dermatological studies as 'stand-ins'.

Hairless dogs DO require specialized grooming for their skin, just as long-haired dogs require extra maintenance to prevent mats. Learning how to care for the unique needs of a hairless dog will ensure their skin stays healthy.

Most Cresteds love the sunshine, and will actually tan and tolerate it quite well. If there is still any worry about sunburn, baby suncreen works just as well on dogs as it does on humans!

Myth: Hairless dogs sweat like humans to keep cool, instead of panting like regular dogs.

Truth: A basic fact of canine biology is that they only sweat through their feet, and hairless dogs are no different. The hairless mutation does not bestow new abilities that do not exist elsewhere in the canine species -- it only affects the growth of body hair and teeth. This myth is fairly common among even hairless dog owners, but is more a result of people's mistaken impressions than reality. Hairless dogs perspire only through their feet just like other dogs, and the reason they tend to pant far less than coated dogs is because the majority of excess body heat radiates freely off their bodies since there is no insulating fur (the same reason why they appear to feel hotter than coated dogs).

Myth: Hairless dogs have a higher body temperature than other breeds.

Truth: Hairless dogs feel warmer to the touch than coated dogs simply because there is no hair to insulate their body heat.

Myth: Chinese Crested hairlessness is the canine equivalent of anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, therefore Cresteds suffer from the same painful physical disorders as humans with A.E.D.

Truth: The only similarity between A.E.D in humans and the FOXI3 hairless mutation in dogs is that both genetic mutations affect hair and tooth growth, because both mutations affect a gene that has a similar function in both species.

The term 'Ectodermal Dysplasia' describes any mutation that affects the development of an organ that grows through the skin (hair, teeth, etc). There are many different types of ectodermal mutations across various species (over 150 different kinds in humans alone), and they do not all have the same effects. Cresteds DO NOT display any of the debilitating side-effects that A.E.D causes (such as respiratory/eccrine dysfunction or skin deformity).

There IS a type of canine ectodermal dysplasia that is the same as human A.E.D. (called 'X-Linked Canine E.D')-- but it is a recessive mutation and not linked to any specific breed.

All the sources of my scientific information are linked to on my Links page.

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