The
two most distinctive features of the Chow
Chow are its blue-black tongue and its almost
straight hind legs, which makes it walk
rather stilted. Its dense furry coat is
profuse and comes in two varieties, smooth
coat and rough coat. The most common colors
are solid red, black, blue, cinnamon and
cream, but it can also come in tan, gray,
or (rarely) white. The coat sometimes
has lighter or darker shades, but is never
parti-colored. The ears are small and rounded
and there is a huge ruff behind the head,
which gives it a lion like appearance. Its
head is broad and its skull is flat. The
muzzle is broad near the eyes and narrows
toward a black nose without becoming pointed.
The chest is broad and deep and the kidney
area is short and strong. The tail is thickly
covered with hair and is carried over its
back.
Temperament
The
Chow Chow is usually well-mannered, but
can be willful and protective. Bossy,
serious and very independent. They are self-willed
to the point of obstinacy. Often a one-person
dog, very loyal to his family, though he
may act reserved, even with them. If
strangers push themselves on this dog, he
may become aggressive. This very dominant
breed requires a dominant owner. The owner
of this breed of dog should be a calm person
who is naturally fair and firm. With such
a handler, the Chow Chow can develop well.
Don't expect great obedience from them.
They are born stubborn and with minds of
their own. The dogs can learn because they
are certainly not stupid, but they must
see the point of your command. Be consistent
at all times. Some experts claim the short-haired
Chow is more active and learns faster than
its longer-haired family member. One owner
told me that their Chow can do tricks, and
learns them quite easily at that. Here is
a quote from the owner who has three children
and three cats:
"My 8 year
old white Chow performs a variety of "tricks,"
ranging from dancing on her hind legs
on command to rolling over, and jumping
from her hind legs into the air on command.
She even knows the difference between
"shake hands" and "shake," as in shake
her mane to dry or fluff after a bath/brushing.
After the first "trick" was learned at
a very early age, she usually learns new
activities through a process of three
examples from her human friends, then
she readily attempts the feats until successful.
Her eagerness to learn from and please
her two masters comes from her love of
people. She loves being around people,
even strangers. When threatened, or unsure
of the circumstances she is facing, she
quickly shows what is considered typical
Chow behavioral tendencies: aggressive
protection of her family and home."
So it all
depends on whether or not your particular
Chow wants to learn. This breed can be
quite a handful, but it is otherwise polite
and patient. Some do not accept leashes
and collars easily, while others do not
seem to mind. Most Chow Chows like to
dominate other dogs, but in contrast,
they are quite good with children. If
they get to know cats and other household
animals when they are young, they will
get along with them when they are adults.
They must be extensively socialized when
very young to combat potential over-protectiveness
as an adult. They need firm training right
from the start. Their personality is mainly
due to their past treatment. In China
the Chow Chow was used for guarding things
and for pulling carts. Its flesh was eaten
and there was a market for its fur. This
sad history, plus the lack of a single
master (due to being a working dog) has
dampened the personality of this extremely
beautiful dog. It thus sometimes appears
introverted, detached, and indifferent. Breeders
have been working very hard to breed a
Chow with a "family" temperament and with
some success too. A well-bred and well-socialized
Chow Chow can be just that - an excellent
family dog.
Beware
of hip dysplasia. They are prone to suffer
eye irritation called entropion, caused
by eyelid abnormality; this can be corrected
with surgery. Other than that they are generally
healthy.
Living
Conditions
The
Chow Chow will do okay in an apartment if
it is sufficiently exercised. It is relatively
inactive indoors and a small yard is sufficient.
Sensitive to heat, but can live in or outdoors.
Exercise
Chow
Chows can be lazy, but need to be taken
for a daily walk. Dogs who do not
get to go on daily walks are more likely
to display a wide array of behavior problems.
Life
Expectancy
About
15 years
Grooming
Regular
brushings of the long coat is important
to maintain the lifted, standing-out look.
This breed is a seasonal heavy shedder and
extra care is needed when the dog is shedding
its dense undercoat. Dry shampoo when necessary.
Origin
The
Chow Chow's structure is very similar to
that of the oldest known fossilized dog
remains, dated to several million years
ago. The Chow has been known for thousands
of years in China, where the breed was put
to work as a hunter, cart puller and boat
guard. One Emperor is said to have kept
2500 Chow pairs. One was given to the Prince
of Wales, the future Edward Val. Over history,
the Chow has been used to hunt wolves, sable
and pheasant, and to pull sleds. His fur
was used to trim coats. The flesh of these
dogs was considered a delicacy in China.
Dog is still eaten in China today. This
beautiful dog was first brought to England
by merchants in the late 1800's. The name
probably originated from the pidgin English
word "chow-chow," a term used to describe
all sorts of miscellaneous stuff brought
back from the Far East. The Chow has become
very popular in the United States as a companion
dog. Some of the Chow Chow's talents
are watchdog and guarding.
