Chin Crested

The Chin Crested is a hybrid of the Japanese Chin and the Chinese Crested.  The mix is a modern designer dog intended as a companion dog and does not have a long and well-known history.  As such, owners must look at the history of the breed parents to understand the history of this hybrid. The Japanese Chin is an ancient breed that is thought to have been part of the Chinese Imperial Court, recognized as a highly prized dog.  The breed gained its name from Japan, where it was gifted to the emperor and not thought of as a dog, but as a separate being; chin in Japanese.  The Chin was bred with small Spaniel-type dogs to achieve the modern-day look of the breed.  The Japanese Chin was not known outside of Japan until the 1800s when Commodore Matthew Perry developed a trading relationship between Japan and the West.  The Japanese Chin became a status symbol of the wealthy and nobility in the West and was known as the Japanese Spaniel until 1977.  The American Kennel Club first recognized the Japanese Chin in 1888. The Chinese Crested, despite its name, is not from China and either originated from African or Mexican hairless dogs further reduced in size by the Chinese.  Chinese Crested accompanied Chinese sailors as early as 1530 as ratting dogs and were also known as Chinese Hairless, the Chinese Edible Dog, the Chinese Hip Dog, and the Chinese Royal Hairless.  The history of the Chinese Crested is not well known, and its arrival in North America is debated.  The American Kennel Club first recognized the breed in 1991, and the Chinese Crested has since become rare in China.