Home » Dog Breeds Chow Chow Dog Breed The Chow Chow is a curious looking breed with a scowling expression and a unique black tongue, which came to be known as the "Wild Dog of China." After spending centuries in China and England, it was brought over to America, where it is has since been greeted as a devoted and protective dog. The Chow Chow dog is a squarely built, sturdy, and powerful Arctic-type best suited for various tasks including hunting, herding, protecting, and pulling. Its coat can be of the rough or smooth variety, both of which have woolly undercoats to insulate against the cold weather. The common colors for the breed are red (light golden to deep mahogany), black, blue, cinnamon, and cream. The typical straight angulation of the Chow's rear legs account for a stilted and short gait are a well known feature in the breed. Another essential characteristic of the Chow is its black tongue and scowling expression. The stubborn and independent Chow Chow is reserved, dignified, and even regal at times.

Although it is good with household pets, it can be hostile towards other dogs or suspicious of strangers. The Chow is also devoted and protective of its human family. The Chow Chow enjoys being outdoors in cool weather, but it should be kept as an indoor pet in dry and arid, or hot and humid regions. This need to be indoors also stems from its craving for human attention and interaction. The rough coat type requires brushing every other day, or daily during periods of shedding. Meanwhile, the smooth-coated Chow only needs brushing once a week. The Chow Chow also loves short play sessions throughout the day, or casual evening or morning walks. With an average lifespan of 8 to 12 years, the Chow Chow dog breed may be prone to minor health concerns like elbow dysplasia, gastric torsion, elongated palate, stenotic flares, glaucoma, distichiasis, persistent pupilary membrane (PPM), and cataracts, or serious conditions like entropion, canine hip dysplasia (CHD), and patellar luxation.

The breed may also be susceptible to renal cortical hypoplasia. To identify some of these issues, a veterinarian may run hip, elbow, and eye exams. The Chow Chow dog breed is thought to be 2,000 years old -- perhaps even older. Because the Chow shares certain features from the Spitz -- an ancient wolf-like breed -- it is believed the Chow is either a descendant of a Spitz ancestor or a progenitor of some Spitz breeds, but the true origin of the dog may never be known. It was, however, common in China for many centuries and may have served as a hunting, pointing or birding dog for nobles. The breed's numbers and quality declined soon after the imperial hunts stopped, but some pure descendents of the early Chow were kept by the aristocracy and in monasteries. Some have also theorized that the breed provided food and fur pelts in Mongolia and Manchuria. Its black tongue is among the Chow's most unique characteristics, and many Chinese nicknames for the dog are based on this feature.

When the breed was finally introduced to England in the late 18th century, it was given the Chinese name Chow Chow. The name, which comes from a word meaning assorted curios and knick-knacks from the Oriental Empire, was applied to the breed because the dogs were written into the ship's cargo load as curios when brought to England. The breed gained much fame again when Queen Victoria took a fancy to the Chow Chow. Wholesale Blush Prom DressesAnd by 1903, it had entered the United States and was granted breed status by the American Kennel Club. Ge Automotive Light Bulb CatalogThe noble appearance of the breed attracted dog fanciers, but it was not until the 1980s that its popularity soared in America, becoming the sixth most admired breed.Used Furniture For Sale In Detroit

My Chow Chow Puppy Has a Name Today, my Chow Chow puppy is 12-weeks old - time has certainly gone by quickly - and, I am happy to share her name… In Spanish, it means fluffy or plush, as in a teddy bear. My granddaughter, Jude, picked it out, and it’s perfect. In the few weeks since she’s been with me, Peluche has been exposed to so many sights and sounds - she’s met dozens of adults and children, she’s traveled to New York City and to Skylands, my home in Maine, and she’s even flown in an airplane. This is a critical age for good, positive socialization, and I’m pleased to report, Peluche continues to be a confident, curious and stable young dog. Here are a few photos taken of her yesterday around the farm. Enjoy them and have a wonderful summer weekend. Bedford, Miscellaneous, My Farm, My Pets, Photo GalleryOne of the most ancient of dog breeds, the Chow Chow – like other ancient breeds – hails from Asia. It first originated in Mongolia before being transported and bred in China.

With a distinctive appearance (its name in Mandarin approximately translates as “puffy-lion dog”) full of hair and resembling a bear crossed with a dog, it’s hard to miss a Chow Chow. But what is its popularity like in the United States, and can these dogs be considered friendly roommates for you and your family? As we delve deeper into the world of Chow Chows – which is really the ancient world of dog breeds itself – we’ll find out more about what makes the Chow Chow such an interesting and unique breed. As it turns out, the rich history of this dog can be traced to working-class roots but the breed has risen to become more of a show dog and companion dog – or both, because when you have a Chow Chow as a companion, you’ll want to show it off! Here is an overview of the breed. One of the most ancient of dog breeds, the Chow Chow – like other ancient breeds – hails from Asia. Like the Pug, another ancient breed, the Chow Chow comes from Asia. Specifically, the breed originally hails from northern China or Mongolia – and its history extends back as far as thousands of years.

Even DNA analysis has confirmed that the Chow Chow is actually the oldest breed of dog in existence, its breed purity having been maintained for millennia. If that’s a little intimidating for you as a new dog owner, consider that these dogs survived so well because they made such excellent companions, and even workers, although they do have more cat-like personalities, as we’ll learn later one. In terms of tracing the dog’s history to specific dates, there are sculptures of Chow Chow-like dogs that date to the Han Dynasty, which ran from 206 B.C. to 22 A.D. Their history even comes up through the United States, as President Calvin Coolidge owned a Chow Chow. You can’t trace a pedigree of the oldest breed in the world! But it is important to remember that Chow Chow is part of the makeup of other dogs’ pedigrees. According to the American Kennel Club, “some scholars claim the Chow was the original ancestor of the Samoyed, Norwegian Elkhound, Pomeranian and Keeshond.”

Needless to say, the Chow Chow is a very northern-appearing dog, and many of its relative breeds have similar northern-like appearances. (Arctic dog breeds, for example, tend to have puffier, heavier coats.) It’s not hard to imagine a breed that descends from a Chow Chow playing in snow; in fact, it appears that the Chow Chow is well-suited for this purpose. This makes the Chow Chow an excellent companion dog for your children’s snow days and a versatile breed in general should you live in cold winter states or countries. Considering the medium stature of Chow Chows, they still don’t have to eat a whole lot, even if they appear to want to. Remember that a dog of this size will require a comparatively small diet – in other words, don’t always try to feed it human meals. Nutritious, whole foods are a must-have for just about any dog, including healthy and lean meats. The Chow Chow can, at times, be a bit frustrating to train, as it has a personality that resembles that of a cat.

The Chow Chow can, at times, be a bit frustrating to train, as it has a personality that resembles that of a cat. It is well-suited for domestic life, to be sure, but this can also mean that the dog feels so comfortable at home that it’s not always willing to listen to what you have to say. If you maintain good discipline and don’t give the dog treats for the wrong reasons, you shouldn’t have a lot of trouble. Chow Chows can be deceptively heavy, weighing in the area of 45-70 pounds, with males running on the higher end of that spectrum and females on the lower end. As stated, the Chow Chow makes for a good domestic dog with a laid-back personality that is not overly aggressive or anxious when it hasn’t moved around in a while. They don’t have much need for exercise, unlike some dogs that are better suited for wide-open country estates. Affected by a variety of joint ailments, you can expect a Chow Chow to have a relatively high likelihood of experiencing these in its lifetime.

Being sure that you acquire a healthy Chow Chow is important from the beginning, so make sure to pay scrupulous attention to detail in this regard. A lifespan of 9-15 years depending on a wide degree of variables should be expected in the Chow Chow. Chow Chows are not major exercisers; though they hail from ancient working roots, the modern Chow Chow is a companion dog and feels perfectly at home… when it’s at home. Having a Chow Chow that isn’t very fond of exercise is not all that unusual. Still, discipline should be retained and you should get out and walk your Chow Chow regularly. The Chow Chow makes for a good domestic dog with a laid-back personality. According to the American Kennel Club, “A powerful, sturdy dog of Arctic type, medium in size and muscular with heavy bone, the Chow Chow is an ancient breed of northern Chinese origin. While the breed was originally a working dog, he primarily serves as a companion today and is seen in show rings across the country.”