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Chinese Crested History
Although the Chinese
Crested breed is both fully coated and hairless it is the
hairless dog that we think of when the Chinese Crested is
mentioned. History is filled with the mention of the
hairless dog which most likely is the Ancestor of
the Chinese Crested hairless dog as well as several other
hairless breeds we know today.
The
first Official AKC record of the Chinese Crested being shown is
in the spring of 1885 although many books written as far back as
1700's have been found which include drawings and photos of the
hairless dog. In the mid 30's Mrs Debra Woods took an interest
in the Crested as a breed and started the first registry . For
40 years she was dedicated to the development of the breed.
In the 50's the famous burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee
started collecting Crested and her collection included
dogs from all over the world. My first Crested Came from a Gypsy
Rose Lee Bitch named Hell on Wheels. The breed as we now
know it in the United States owes much thanks to the
efforts of these two ladies.
It is
believed that the first hairless dog to arrive in China was
during the Han Dynasty about 200 BC to 220 AD . Because the lack
of hair meant lack of fleas. The Chinese Merchants used
them as ratters on shipping vessels in an effort to control the
plague that was carried by fleas... In this way the
Chinese Merchants transported the hairless dogs around the globe
and traded the offspring for other goods at ports they entered.
This is the reason they are refereed to as Chinese Cresteds
and does not reflect the fact that China was their origin.
Through archaeological references we find that the hairless dog
was a spiritual familiar for the Aztec the Toltec and also the
Incas and because their belief was that you became what you ate
they often consumed the hairless dog as a ritual of becoming.
There are many hairless dogs in Mexico and they are very similar
to the Chinese Crested and are called Mexican hairless.
There is Archaeological
evidence that the hairless dog existed as far back as 2000 BC
and that they existed all over the world. The tombs of the
Egyptian Pharaohs were also decorated with the images of the
hairless dog and because of their magical powers they were
mummified to guide the Pharaoh on his journey across the river
sticks.. It is also believed that they were used as
temple dogs to guard the treasures of the Gods.
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