A Chinese Crested needs only minimal exercise--he is not a good jogging companion--but mental stimulation is important. There are many toys and puzzles designed for dogs on the market, and he can enjoy many of them.

Chinese Cresteds are generally easy to train but they have a stubborn streak, which means you need patience. Positive reinforcement is the only route, and correction needs to be handled sensitively, because the breed can be naturally timid.

Socialization is necessary, so if possible find a place that offers separate small-dog puppy classes, so your Crested can socialize with similarly sized dogs. He could be injured while playing with a larger puppy.

Crate training benefits every dog and is a kind way to ensure that your Crested doesn't have accidents in the house or get into things he shouldn't. A crate is also a place where he can retreat for a nap. Crate training at a young age will help your Crested accept confinement if he ever needs to be boarded or hospitalized.

Never stick your Chinese Crested in a crate all day long, however. It's not a jail, and he shouldn't spend more than a few hours at a time in it except when he's sleeping at night. He's a people dog, and he isn't meant to spend his life locked up in a crate or kennel.

Crate training is also helpful for housetraining, which can be one difficult area of training for the Chinese Crested (as a group, toy breeds can be tough to housetrain)--but it will all click into place eventually.

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