Have you ever seen a Chinese Crested Dog? Those hairless dogs with only a small tuft of fur on their heads? They look like mutants, scientific experiments gone wrong… but AWWWWWW SOOOOOOO cute! It just makes me want to hug them and mush them to bits. Those gangly, awkward, gremlin-like dogs. They were selling one the other day at the pet store for about $800 and I was seriously considering buying one if I can get the money and when I move out of my “no pet’s allowed” apartment complex. Hmmm…Should I get a mutant Chinese Crested Dog, a Bug-eyed Chihuahua, or a Wrinkly Shar-Pei?
Go with the bug eyed Chihuahua. They have all their teeth and they’re not so likely to sink them into you.
-Rue.
~~Yes, the Chihuahua…
They make good attack dogs…
Well, I’m with you on the “mush them to bits” part.
a colleague had one here in Shanghai, and it ran away. They do look like mutants. The skin is really hot. The thing creeped me out.
I can only tell you about the Shar-pei. I have one, and she’s a sweet, lovable, gentle, friendly, intelligent, protective dog. But she smells like a sackful of assholes. She’s the only one I know, but others have told me they’re all stinky. Something to do with an oil in the fur that their skin secretes, IIRC. I dunno. Something to think about if you have a sensitive snout, anyway.
Now why did I think this was gonna be about Mary-Kate and Ashley 
sandalwood
The Chinese Cresteds require a lot of skin care. You have to put ointment on them so they don’t dry out. This makes them feel tacky all the time. Consider what kind of environment you live in: humid or dry, cold winter weather, really hot summers, lots of sun. All dogs are a huge commitment, but I think the Chinese Cresteds are an “above and beyond” kind of breed.
Get a pug.
There are powderpuff Chinese Crested, which have hair all over their bodies. These dogs are actually pretty cute. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/chinesecrested.htm Scroll about halfway down for some pictures.
Get a dog from the pound.
Do not get a dog from a pet store.
You might feel like you are rescuing it, but you are really perpetuating a terribly abusive cyle. Read all the dog books and talk to any dog people and soon you’ll see what a huge committment a dog is; how much like your child it will be. Just like infants, puppies need certain stimulus at certain ages, contact with their mothers or other nurturing beings, peace and quiet, warmth and love–and they can’t get the right amounts of these things, if at all, at a pet store. They usually come from puppy mills which are just so horrible I don’t even want to get started…
Just remember that you aren’t buying an accessory, a toy, or even a fish. Dogs are animals with definite opinions, feelings, behaviour patterns. You’ve got to do it “right” if you’re going to do it at all, otherwise you’ll end up frustrated and heartbroken and yet another “purebred” will be poundbound.
If you’ve really fallen in love with the breed, find out all you can about it, and general dog behaviour & owner resonsibility, and find a breeder who will match you up with the right individual dog for you.
Also check out this thread for more dog-picking advice on the small dog side.
Good luck, whatever you decide, and sorry for the lecture/rant/unsolicited etc., but the thought of dogs stuck in a pet store like so many feeder mice makes me very sad and angry.
[sub]I got my dog in a pet store, and he is very well-behaved and he has a good home.[/sub]
http://www.wissendesign.com/starburst/health_questions.html
Bathing Blues"
We have a male Shar-pei who is 10 months old now. He has a problem with a bad odor. We give him baths every week and it is still there. Can you give any suggestions on how to get rid of it. Thanks. Let me know.
RESPONSE:
Welcome to the world of Shar-pei. Strange odors are a part of the breed that most new owners complain about. There are a variety of reasons that a Shar-pei can smell:
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Ears: build-up of wax or yeast can create not only painful ears, but a strong odor. Clean the ears with a product that reduces odors as well as dries out ear canals
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Slime: the protein in Shar-pei slobber has a distinctly different smell to it. Wipe away slime and any food particles caught in the folds of the mouth regularly.
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Bad breath: either due to teeth problems or what the dog is fed. Too much protein can create a stronger smell if not digested properly, also if your dog regurgitates anytime. Bad breath is also associated with the breed’s health problems of Swollen Hock Syndrome and Amyloidosis. Brush the teeth thoroughly every week. Learn more about SHS at Amyloidosis
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Mucin odor: the substance that creates the folds and wrinkles in Shar-pei skin can seep through the pores and cause odor. Mucin can be released during stress like hormones, which also smell. Use a Betadine rinse (50/50 mix with distilled water) after bathing to eliminate topical germs. Neutering a male also helps to eliminate body odors.
better yet, get a cat.
Get one of each (at least one) and crossbreed them. After a couple generations you’d end up with a dog that was nothing more than a small, wrinkled, sack of skin with a tuft of hair. You could name your dog Scrotum!
Are you nuts?
It’s in the bag!
Hmmm… makes me think of all the things I could say…
“Looks like little scrotums needs a bath!!”
“I need to take my scrotum to the Vet!”
“Stop drinking from the toilet Scrotum!!”
“Here Scrotum!! Heeeeerrreeeee Scrotum!!”
And others…
Right. That’s it, you’re sacked!