The exact origin of the Chow Chow is unknown although he is depicted
in Chinese art as early as 150 B.C. This dog was used as a sporting dog,
particularly for hunting pheasant. It is believed that his name comes from
European merchant seamen of the 18th century who referred to knickknacks
and other miscellaneous items they were transporting from China to the West
as "chow chow." The breed was recognized by the American Kennel
Club in 1906.
The Chow Chow has a keen intelligence, independent spirit and innate dignity.
He is very protective of his family and home.
The Chow Chow's head is large and broad with a flat skull and deep muzzle.
The width and depth of the muzzle should be the same. From the side, the
skull and muzzle should be parallel to one another. A distinct furrow in
the skin between the eyes enhances the expression. The eyes are dark brown,
deep set and set wide apart. They are almond in shape. The eye rims are
black. The nose is large and black. The ears are small and triangular in
shape with a slight rounding at the tip. They are carried erect and tilt
slightly forward. The lips are black and a solid black mouth is ideal. A
blue or black tongue is a characteristic of the breed. The bite is scissors.
The neck is strong, well muscled and arched to hold the head proudly. The
back is short and compact with a level topline. The chest is broad and deep.
The legs are straight and heavy boned. The profile of the dog will show
a square build. The tail is set high and carried close over the back. It
is well covered in coat. There are two coat types, rough and smooth. Both
are double coats. The rough coat has a soft, thick, woolly undercoat and
a dense, straight, course outercoat. There is a profuse ruff around the
neck which frames the head. There are abundant featherings on the legs.
The smooth coat, seldom seen in the West, has a definite undercoat and a
hard, dense, smooth outer coat with no obvious ruff or featherings on tail
or legs. Coat colors include solid colors of black blue, cream, red or fawn.
Average height is eighteen to twenty-two inches and average weight is between
forty-five and seventy pounds.
Name withheld by request of Ohio writes:
Not family pets.
Chows are one of the five worst breeds in biting people so seriously
that the person needs hospital treatment.
tecottle@highstream.com of Kansas writes:
Misunderstood and not properly socialized.
My first encounter with a Chow Chow was not as I would have wished upon
even my worst enemy. My mother was attacked by our friend's pet while she
was attempting to finish grooming him. I was a very young teenager and had
a hard time getting over seeing this happen. But with time I did heal and
learned not all dogs are like that one. I became a pet groomer and again
dealt with many more Chows and Chow mixes. All but a few were unruly and
mean with no real reason for their behavior. I had even met owners afraid
of their own dogs. This confused me and was, to be honest, not very comforting.
I started doing some research on the breed and found that by nature they
tend to be reserved around strangers and can be one-family or even one-person
dogs. But later learned it doesn't have to be this way.
My first real encounter with a Chow Chow was when I was working in my own
grooming shop and received a call from a show Chow owner. She needed someone
to just bathe and brush out her show dog for the upcoming show that weekend.
I told her we would give it our best shot and to bring him on in. When he
arrived he was more massive then I had seen in my younger years and looked
like a Chow should (compared to the poorly bred pets in the past). I was,
to be honest, nervous at first and then realized that this dog was more
nervous than I was. He let me do anything I needed to without much fuss.
The only thing he really didn't care for was when I wanted to trim his pads
and toenails. But even that was no more of an ordeal than other breeds (like
Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, Poodles and Terriers). I was so impressed by his temperament
and total look, I became very interested in the breed even more. I would
have never own a Chow Chow in the past until I had this chance to see how
they can be. I later purchased a puppy sired by this Chow and did all I
could to socialize her and make her as well-rounded as any breed should
be. At first she was reserved and would even bark or back off from strangers.
I kept working with her and letting her know that kind of behavior was not
acceptable. She soon became very outgoing and friendly to 99 percent of
the people she met. Every now and then she would shy away from someone,
but it was usually a person more afraid of her. She sensed that and avoided
them. I always preferred my dogs to back down rather then bark or lunge
toward someone. She was a very protective dog at home, but still would back
off if she was uncomfortable with someone. I now own another Chow Chow and
he is even more social and has a wonderful temperament.
I have been around many Chows in the past few years and found that those
who work with their dogs have more success with developing friendly and
happy dogs. Those who either leave them in a kennel and don't work with
them or don't get them out often have trouble getting their dogs to accept
strangers and not become aggressive. I have also met families who buy a
puppy from a breeder and have trouble with them being aggressive from early
on. I try to inform people of what to look for in any breed, like temperament,
aggressive behavior and socalization. If a puppy has not been worked with
it will show in behavior and temperament. But I still believe most dogs
can be turned around and taught to be friendly and social. It is all in
how they are raised and worked with. The Chow Chow is an independent breed
by nature and so this has to be understood and worked with. They are also
an ancient breed, so many of their behaviors are built in and can and do
show up from time to time. Never trust any dog 100 percent, if you do you
are just asking for trouble. Dogs are still animals, and can and do react
the way a normal animal would in any situation. Best advice is find a breed
that best fits your lifestyle. Do research on several different breeds until
you find one that best fits your wants and you're willing to give all that
breed requires (grooming, exercise, training, space).
The Chow Chow can be a very loving, loyal, and protective member of your
family. Just be sure you understand all that is required to socialize, groom,
train and offer this majestic breed. To be owned by a Chow is an honor.
laura_usa1@yahoo.com of Texas writes:
Great pets, but buy from a good breeder.
I had several Chows while growing up. I believe on the whole that this
breed is unfairly criticized. All were trustworthy, loyal, loving, and protective.
They can be rather dominant, but no worse than many other breeds I have
known. It is true they are VERY easy to housebreak and are well-behaved
as pups. Many people think that this means they do not need training. Like
all dogs, especially those with a possibility of aggression, these need
lots of socialization and should be obedience trained, more so that they
know you are the boss than anything. I don't think this would be a good
breed for someone who wants a dog that they can ignore or don't want to
train, especially if they have children they ignore and are untrained. Understandably,
these dogs will not take being abused or tormented by nasty children. If
ignored in the backyard or chained all the time, they can become aggressive
(but so can many other breeds). Buy from a good breeder. I have a feeling
that the bad rap these wonderful dogs got was from people with badly bred
and trained dogs. I loved them as a child and love them now. None of them
would ever have hurt me or my family. If you live in an area with ticks,
be extremely careful to check them over thoroughly and often. It can be
incredibly hard to see through that beautiful coat; our male died of Lyme
disease (this was before it was well known).
Name withheld by request of California writes:
A smart dog who is as great as you make it.
This is no chump. His judgment is impeccable. I've had German Shepherds,
Cockers and three Chows. The smartest hands-down are the Chows. The most
obstinate: again the Chows. The Cockers, however, had it all over the others
with a nasty attitude ... but I digress. Each of the Chows has a unique
personality. The female is the most territorial and protective. Both of
the males are escape artists; practically nothing can hold them in. Capable
of opening doors, squeezing through tight spaces they somehow love the challenge
of beating any barrier in their path ... and then waiting (it seems with
a smile) to be discovered ... just to prove that they are smarter than humans.
And when sheer intelligence doesn't work, brute strength is always an option.
The quietest dogs I've ever owned, they bark only when necessary. One of
the males needs a lot of affection, another wants practically none. One
of the males plays fetch, the other thinks it beneath him. All are great
guard dogs. Two are pretty terrific with kids. All are neat; though one
was a bit more difficult to housebreak than the others. All three we've
had since they were pups, trained by the same owners, yet somehow they've
come out differently. I love their differences; these are my Chows.
mopar0699@aol.com of Cleveland, OH writes:
Better than people.
I've owned my Chow for ten years. The old saying, "You can't teach
an old dog new tricks," well, that isn't true with a Chow; once you
teach them something they don't forget. Mine is housetrained. and wants
his feet wiped off when he comes in house. Chows are perfect family pets
and amazing dogs.
Name withheld by request of Las Vegas, NV writes:
Very strong willed, not for the inexperienced.
Once you have had a Chow no other breed compares. They are highly intelligent
(they believe they are your equal intellectually), undeniably dignified,
courageous, loyal, clean, protective, and very independent. The Chow is
not a low maintenance animal that you can just keep chained up and forget
about. Socialization is a must! If this is not done you will end up with
a rather dangerous dog as well as a lawsuit or two. Chows also tend to be
stubborn and dominant (establishing your alpha position immediately is a
must) as are most northern breed dogs and should not be the breed for first-time
dog owners. They need owners who are experienced with strong willed dogs.
Their loyalty is incomparable once they establish a bond. I have had four
Chows and none of them have been barkers; they will alert you only when
its necessary and their bravery is unsurpassed. Because they are generally
very well-behaved puppies people tend to get lax on their training which
is a big mistake. They need a consistently firm (not physical) reminder
as to who is actually the boss because if you are not consistent and let
them do as they please you will have problems p; give them an inch they
will take a mile. Because a lot of Chows tend to be naturally aloof (never
constantly pestering you for attention p; very cat-like) you want to
show them a lot of love with hugs and petting when they are babies so they
won't grow up antisocial or standoffish. If you take the time to take proper
care of them you will find yourself rewarded again and again being the owner
of a Chow.
Burrrton31@hotmail.com of Burlington, VT writes:
A cat in a dog's body p; intelligent, independent and stubborn.
Currently I own a male cinnamon Chow Chow. I must say that since he
is MY dog, I see him as wonderful, I love him p; yadda,yadda p;
but that is NOT what counts here in a review, my personal opinion is not
as important as the facts. Chows are INDEPENDENT thinkers, often described
as a cat in a dog's body. They are protective, and with bad peripheral vision,
this can be a serious danger, with a "cute" fluffy dog out in
a child populated area. Make sure that you remind people that their children
need to ask permission before approaching your Chow, just as with any other
dog, especially those known to guard their owners. Chows are a one-person
dog, territorial, and do not always do so well if they are given up to shelters
as it takes them a long time to trust and see their owners as alphas. Chows
need a strong, patient owner (like a drill sergeant) who WILL NOT HIT THE
DOG. If a Chow fears you, it will bite you p; they are very sensitive
to physical correction, if you feel your dogs should be trained this way
do NOT buy a Chow, or heaven forbid how you'll pay for the lawsuits when
others approach your "teddy bear" dog. Avoid making your Chow
a lap dog, they will take every opportunity they can to walk all over you,
as they are extremely intelligent and know a sucker when they see one. Chows
need to be brushed frequently or their coat becomes matted, especially as
puppies when they begin to get their adult coat. Proper grooming as a puppy
will lead to a fuller coat, due to removal of puppy hairs that could mat,
but buyer beware: THIS IS EXTREMELY TIME-CONSUMING, they have one HUGE shedding
period during the summer every year, so befriend your vaccuum. Chows do
well in apartments and country life but are not meant to be tied outdoors,
they do not fare well with temperature changes/extremes. Personally I live
in an apartment p; my dog is not a barker, and in the house remains
low-key, but he definitely needs his exercise. Chows were NOT meant to be
off leash, they go where they want to go, whether you think you have them
under voice command or not and in a crowded place they CAN be animal aggressive.
On a side note: beware that many insurance companies have labeled Chows
as dangerous dogs p; this will cause you to lose coverage or not be
eligible for insurance in select companies, plus, if your dog bites anyone
it pretty much entitles them to sue the panties off of you (also on this
list are the misunderstood Pitbull, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Huskies,
Malamutes, Dalmatians (NEVER buy a Dalmatian if you own children), Shar-Pei,
Dobermans, and in some cases Great Danes p; the list continues to grow
too p; fight this legislation). All in all though, if you are looking
for a dog that can think for itself, who is EXTREMELY clean (thought by
some to be the cleanest dog, it will never do its business where it sleeps
and is extremely easy to toilet train), who will protect you without any
training (DO NOT train your Chow as a guard dog p; it is unnecessary),
and who has a really winning smile and wagging tail with an often low-key
bravado, then the Chow may be for you. Just do your research, if you want
to fool around and buy a dog on a whim jump on the yuppie bandwagon and
get a Lab or a Golden, something needy that requires minimal training. Otherwise
be prepared for a large commitment both in socialization and with grooming.
scwolf5@aol.com of New York State writes on 1/18/00:
Special consideretion needed (love of vacuuming a plus).
We have had two Chows in the past 15 years. They are NOT for everyone. If
you want a dog that instantly does what you say, it's not a Chow. Their
veiw of the world: I see it; I own it. Sweet ,loving, , very protective.
That means they might bite strangers. My first Chow thought that anyone
not living at our house when he joined us was a stranger! The one we have
now, is slightly easier going,but I wouldn't walk into this house if he
didn't know me and no one was home. They have a very big Chow bark. My dog
has never has been too agressive, but I wouldn't push him. I adore the breed.
I will have one for the rest of my life. I love all dogs. Every puppy is
love in a waggy bundle,but when I see Chow puppy, I just know that I'm right;
there are wonderful. They are pretty healthy dogs. Thankfully. Shed all
year,no season to it. Love of vacuuming is a plus. Ours is a house dog.
They really don't like tempeture extremes. They eat quite a bit,we feed
him twice a day. Morning and evening. He is very clean in the home,never
had an "accident".Wonderful dogs.