Chow Chow

The fuzzy, adorable Chow Chow puppy becomes a powerful and independent dog in a few short months. The Chow is highly intelligent and extremely loyal to his owner, but is for an experienced dog owner. He is serious, dignified, and proud.
 

Chow Chow breed facts

The Chow Chow is one of the oldest recognisable types of dog (Dating back more than 2000 years).

The Chow Chow possesses the rare characteristic of having a blue-black tongue.

The Chow Chow was used for hunting, herding, pulling and protection of the home in China. Today, the Chow Chow is primarily a companion dog.

Information you should know before owning a Chow Chow

The Chow Chow's coat will require at least weekly grooming.

The Chow Chow is a possessive dog who endears his family and their possessions to him.

The Chow Chow is a wonderful companion for adults who will take the time to care for them properly.

The Chow Chow is more than 2,000 years old as a breed and many authorities believe it may date back much farther. The breed probably originated, as one popular theory states, as a result of crossing the old Mastiff of Tibet and the Samoyed, a breed originating from the northern parts of Siberia. Refutation of this theory lies in the fact that the Chow possesses a blue-black tongue, leading some to maintain that the Chow is the basic breed behind the ancestors of the Samoyed, the Norwegian Elkhound, the Keeshond and the Pomeranian.

While today the Chow is a fashionable pet and guard dog, in the early development of the breed it functioned as a sporting dog. Indeed, a bas-relief was discovered not so very long ago from the Han Dynasty (about 150 B.C.) period that depicts the Chow as a hunting dog. Throughout history this one breed of dog's uses have run the gamut of work done by nearly all other recognized breeds. Credited with great scenting powers, with staunchness on point and with cleverness in hunting tactics, the Chow has been used frequently on Mongolian pheasant and on the francolin of Yunnan, and on both, has received great praise for his speed and stamina.

Undoubtedly the Chow Chow is of far northern origin, but he has always been found in greatest number in the south of China, particularly in the district centering about Canton, where he is considered indigenous. The name "Chow Chow" has little basis for its origin in China; it is believed that expression evolved from the pidgin-English term for articles brought from any part of the Oriental Empire during the latter part of the 18th century. It meant knick-knacks or bric-a-brac, including curios such as porcelain and ivory figurines, and finally what is described today as "mixed pickles", whether of the edible variety or not. (It is an unfortunate fact of the Chow's history that the breed was often used as food in China, with the coat of the long-haired variety sometimes being used as clothing.) It was far easier for the master of a sailing vessel to write "chow chow" than it was to describe all the various items of his cargo. So, in time, the expression came to include the dog.

The importation of Chows into England began about 1880 and the breed started toward its present popularity after Queen Victoria took an interest in this "Wild Dog of China," as it was called when on display in the London Zoo. The first specialty club was formed in England in 1895. The breed was exhibited for the first time in the United States in 1890. The American Kennel Club officially recognized the breed in 1903. The Chow Chow Club of America was admitted as an AKC member club in 1906.

The Chow Chow is aloof and standoffish in general, but with the human members of his family, he is extremely protective and loyal, although he does have a tendency to be a one-man dog.

Is this a vulnerable breed? Yes, No	No
What size is this dog? Small, Medium, Large	Large
How much excercise is required? 30 mins a day, 1 hour a day, Over 2 hours a day	1 hour a day
How long is this dog's coat? Short, Medium, Long	Medium
How much grooming is required? Once a week, More than once a week, Every day	Every day
Does this dog shed? Does shed, Does not shed	Does shed
What area is this dog best suited to? Town, Country, Either	Either
What size house is required for this breed? Flat/Apartment, Small House, Large House	Small House
What size of garden is required? Small Garden, Large Garden, No Garden	Small garden

	General Appearance Active, compact, short-coupled and essentially well balanced, leonine in appearance, proud, dignified bearing; well knit frame; tail carried well over back.
	Characteristics Quiet dog, good guard, bluish-black tongue; unique in its stilted gait.
	Temperament Independent, loyal, yet aloof.
	Eyes Dark, oval shaped, medium sized and clean. A matching coloured eye permissible in blues and fawns. Clean eye, free from entropion, never being penalised for sake of mere size.
	Mouth Teeth strong and level, jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Tongue bluish black. Roof of mouth and flews black (blue black), gums preferably black.
	Neck Strong, full, not short, set well on shoulders and slightly arched.
	Forequarters Shoulders muscular and sloping. Forelegs perfectly straight, of moderate length, with good bone.
	Body Chest broad and deep. Ribs well sprung but not barrelled. Back short, level and strong. Loins powerful.
	Hindquarters Hindlegs muscular, hocks well let down, with minimal angulation, essential to produce characteristic stilted gait. From hocks downwards to appear straight, hocks never flexing forward.
	Feet Small, round, cat-like, standing well on toes.
	Tail Set high, carried well over back.
	Gait / Movement Active, compact, short-coupled and essentially well balanced, leonine in appearance, proud, dignified bearing; well knit frame; tail carried well over back.
	Coat Either rough or smooth. Rough: profuse, abundant, dense, straight and stand-off. Outer coat rather coarse in texture, with soft woolly undercoat. Especially thick round neck forming mane or ruff and with good culottes or breechings on back of thighs. Smooth: coat short, abundant, dense, straight, upstanding, not flat, plush-like in texture. Any artificial shortening of the coat which alters the natural outline or expression should be penalised.
	Colour Whole coloured black, red, blue, fawn, cream or white, frequently shaded but not in patches or parti-coloured (underpart of tail and back of thighs frequently of a lighter colour).
	Size Dogs: 48-56 cms (19-22 ins) at shoulder. Bitches: 46-51 cms (18-20 ins) at shoulder.