How long does a Chinese Crested live?

The listed lifespan for a Chinese Crested is 13–18 years.

How tall is a Chinese Crested?

The listed height for a Chinese Crested is 11–13 in.

Is a Chinese Crested good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a Chinese Crested is 3 out of 5.

When is a Chinese Crested full grown?

The growth size band for a Chinese Crested is 8–12 months.

Toy Group

Chinese Crested

Chinese Crested is a toy dog in the Toy Group. Adult weight is 8–12 lb, height is 11–13 in, and the listed lifespan is 13–18 years. AKC describes the temperament as Alert, Lively, Affectionate.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

Chinese Crested dog — Photo: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan13–18 years

Weight8–12 lb

SizeToy GroupToy Group

Height

11–13 in

Energy

3 / 5

Shedding

1 / 5

Grooming

2 / 5

Trainability

4 / 5

Good with kids

3 / 5

The breed record

Across 21 single-size toy breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 15.5 years is about 1.4 years longer than the 14.1-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 10 lb is about 1.6 lb heavier than the 8.4 lb average for those toy breeds.

The listed origin is Africa/China. The coat is described as silky, hairless, short, medium. The AKC energy score is 3 out of 5, 0.3 points below the group average of 3.3 for the Toy Group. Shedding scores 1 out of 5, so loose hair is limited. Grooming scores 2 out of 5, so home brushing covers most weeks. Trainability scores 4 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 3 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 3 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 72 in 2025.

Adult size is usually reached in 8–12 months (size-band statement (Salt et al. 2017): very small dogs reach maturity at 8-12 months). AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Patella Evaluation, Cardiac Exam, Ophthalmologist Evaluation, Primary Lens Luxation (PLL) - DNA Test, and Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Rod-Cone Dysplasia 3 (PRA-rcd3) - DNA Test. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.

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