Though the age of this breed is not clear, it is believed to have been developed by the Chinese in the 17th century from the bloodlines of African Hairless dogs.
Up until 1966, an elderly lady in the United States, Mrs. Ruth Harris owned the only examples of this breed in the world. She introduced 4 of these to the United Kingdom.
Nowadays, the Chinese Crested is becoming more and more popular and is being included in an increasing number of dog shows. The breed is also recognized by the British Kennel Club.