Chinese Crested vs Xoloitzcuintli

A Chinese Crested
Photo: Tommy Gildseth
A Xoloitzcuintli
Photo: Canarian

Side by side

Chinese Crested
Xoloitzcuintli
Adult weight
3.6–5.4 kg (8–12 lb) (breed club figure)1
4.5–25 kg (10–55 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
No sourced figure
Males 25–62 cm; females 25–62 cm3
Lifespan
Median 13.4 years4
No sourced figure
Fully grown
10 months, both sexes5
Group
Companion & toy6
Spitz & primitive3
Coat
Hairless variety or long coat6
Hairless variety or short coat3
Exercise
A modest amount
A moderate amount
Health
Skin melanoma (much more likely)7
No sourced figure
Class
Lap dog
Companion

Which suits you

Size
The Xoloitzcuintli comes in a wide range of sizes, 4.5–25 kg (10–55 lb) as an adult, against 3.6–5.4 kg (8–12 lb) for the Chinese Crested.
Exercise
Plan for a moderate amount of exercise with the Xoloitzcuintli, and a modest amount with the Chinese Crested.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Chinese Crested: a lap or leaning dog; Xoloitzcuintli: affectionate on its own terms) and on independence (Chinese Crested: keen to work with you; Xoloitzcuintli: cooperative, with its own ideas).
Alike
Both are rated the same on loyalty: sticks close to its people.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Chinese Crested
Companion & toy · Toy

The breed is affectionate, alert and lively, and it forms close bonds with its household. It is gentle and playful at home, and often reserved with strangers.

Xoloitzcuintli
Spitz & primitive · Medium

The Xolo is calm, alert and loyal. It forms close bonds with its family and is reserved with strangers, which makes it a watchful guard.

The Chinese Crested page →The Xoloitzcuintli page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Chinese Crested
Xoloitzcuintli
Activity
Differs
Happy with modest walks
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Suits a first-time owner
Needs steady training
With people
Chinese Crested
Xoloitzcuintli
Affection
Differs
A lap or leaning dog
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Sticks close to its people
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Differs
Keen to work with you
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Chinese Crested
Xoloitzcuintli
Sensitivity
Needs a calm, predictable home
Needs a calm, predictable home
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Differs
Usually fine with small pets
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour8. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home9,10.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The Xoloitzcuintli grows to the heavier adult, about 15 kg against the Chinese Crested's 4.5 kg.
Chinese Crested
Xoloitzcuintli
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More comparisons

Compare the Chinese Crested with
Peruvian Inca Orchid vs XoloitzcuintliAmerican Hairless Terrier vs XoloitzcuintliChihuahua vs XoloitzcuintliPharaoh Hound vs XoloitzcuintliChinese Crested vs MalteseAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·