Chinese Crested Puppy

Question
I have a full grown, Chinese Crested male dog. Some friends of mine told me to bath him in oatmeal. Others told me to use people shampoo. I don't know which to do and I'm afraid I'll hurt his skin! I don't know what to do.

Answer
Hi Liz,

Don't use shampoo on your Chinese Crested's body, instead use a human body wash or gentle face soap. Use a gentle conditioning dog shampoo on his hair. Don't put baby oil on his skin, use a hypoallergenic face lotion (lanolin free - many Chinese Crested's are allergic to lanolin) or a pure Aloe Vera moisturizer. Many Crested owners use pure Emu Oil.
Don't use baby oil, it can clog pores and cause acne.

It's okay to use an oatmeal shampoo, as long as it's formulated for dogs, and it's gentle. Dogs have a different pH to their skin than people, a human shampoo can dry a dog's skin. You may want to look for a "Hypoallergenic" dog shampoo. Though usually used for dogs with allergies, these shampoos are are usually very gentle and free of unneeded additives.

Keeping the skin clean, soft, and supple will help reduce the blackheads, but every dog is different.  It's a matter finding the right combination of how often to bathe, and which soap and shampoo will work best for your dog! Diet plays a big part in skin quality, too. Feed your dog the highest quality food you can afford.
You pretty much need to see what your dog will tolerate, and if he develops some pimples or blackheads, you'll know to cut back or be willing to try different things.

One more thing to be aware of, Chinese Crested tend to develop tooth and gum problems, and tooth loss. Your dog needs to have his teeth brushed, daily if possible. More often is better than less often!
Read about how to brush your dog's teeth here:

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/how-to-brush-your-dog-s-teeth/page1.aspx

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2089&aid=384

Best of luck,
Patti