Plagued with skin problems and burdened with the strange look of his breed, the odds seemed stacked against Chinese Crested Louis. But, on the day he was to be euthanized, his luck changed. A rescue shelter saw the ill dog and decided to take him in. Just a few days later, the shelter held a seminar with a famous Dog Whisperer. Someone from the group happened to mention Louis to his wife Ilusion Millan.

At first, Ilusion was reluctant, but when she met Louis, he was so happy-go-lucky that she immediately took to him. Recently neutered and good with kids, he seemed like an easy fit for the Millan pack, but when they brought him home, they discovered their friendly pup had a problem: he was dominant with other dogs. Not only that, he was constantly eating; he inhaled food. He would eat Coco’s food and Daddy’s food. When you walked in holding anything he thought was edible, he would jump up to reach for it.

It was likely that Louis had been out on the streets and had to scavenge for food before being picked up by the pound. So the Millan family worked to show him that food would no longer be a scarcity by providing him with well-portioned meals at regular intervals every day. Now Louis understands that he is going to be fed and no longer obsesses over food. Sometimes he still jumps up, but a quick ‘tsst’ quickly calms him down.

And, as for his dominance issues, Louis is now well-tempered and a great example to other dogs! He is also therapeutic to adults and children who are afraid of him, because he is so different. Many people have misconceptions about the Chinese Crested. There is nothing wrong with him; he just doesn’t have as much hair as other dogs! The Hairless variety of Chinese Crested only has hair on the head, tail and feet.

Because they are hairless, Chinese Crested often like warmth. Louis is no exception. If you are lying down, he likes to wrap his body entirely around you like a belt. He tucks himself in completely, like he is pretending to be a snake. If you are sitting down, he always lays in such a way that his entire body is covered.

Even though Louis is an older dog, he still loves to play. He can jump as high as you when he’s happy, and one of his favorite things is hardwood floors. He loves to run at full speed and slide around.

Louis is best friends with Cesar’s oldest son Andre, and Chihuahua Coco is best friends with young Calvin. When Calvin and Andre roughhouse, the two dogs can be found roughhousing alongside them!