Although he is intelligent, he stubbornly refuses training if his master is inexperienced and inconsistent, aggressively defends family members and "kiddies" at strangers and small pets in the home.
Chow Chow is a smart, perceptive and faithful dog, an excellent guardian of the family and its property.
The most interesting physical feature of the breed is the bluish-blue tongue. The legend says that at the time of the creation of the world, when the stars were pressed into the sky, pieces of the sky fell to the ground, and only the Chow Chow was allowed to touch them. That's why he has a blue tongue.
Once a guard and hunter, today a pet.
The Chow Chow is a breed that has been around for thousands of years. China is considered its country of origin, but this dog actually comes from the steppe regions of Mongolia and Siberia. The origin of the breed is unclear, but the Chow Chow almost certainly inhabited the Earth's northern hemisphere in the past. It has some similarities with spitz-type dogs, and probably has a common origin.
In the past, these dogs had the role of guardians and hunting dogs, but the Mongols also used them as food, and their skin and hair were used to make clothes. On the other hand, these dogs were valued among Chinese nobles and were a symbol of prestige. They almost completely disappeared after the Cultural Revolution and only a small number of dogs remained in Buddhist temples in China.
The first specimens of the breed arrived in England in the 17th century. At first they were bred and exhibited in zoos, and later they were given the status of pets. They arrived in the USA in the early 19th century and became very popular. The first club for lovers of the breed was opened on July 1, 1895, under the auspices of Fodel Phillips, who had the first Chow Chow kennel and was the first to start registering dogs in pedigree books. The breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1903.
Physical characteristics of the breed
Chow Chow resembles a lion. He has an extremely thick coat, which can hinder his movement and activity and cause discomfort in warm weather. Males are 48 to 56 cm tall, and females 46 to 51 centimeters, while their weight is 25 to 32 kg (males) and 20 to 27 kg (females).
The nose mushroom is always large, wide and black, except for beige and white dogs, when it can be lighter. Blue and tan dogs have a nose mushroom in the color of the coat, but black is always preferred. The lips are black, as well as the hard palate and mucous membrane of the upper lip, and the tongue is bluish-black (blue). The eyes are dark and oval, and in blue and light brown dogs the color of the eyes is in accordance with the color of the coat. The ears are small, thick, slightly rounded at the top and raised, sloping over the eyes and towards each other. Chow Chow looks scowling at that.
Coat quality and color
Chow chow hair was once used to weave carpets. Its coat is coarse or smooth: the coarse forms a mane or collar around the neck, and "pants" on the thighs. Chow Chows are mostly monochromatic: allowed colors are black, red, blue, light brown, beige or white, often with different shades, but without patterns and admixtures of other colors.
Leo temperament
He does not like a rude and inconsistent owner. He attaches himself to one person and is completely devoted to him. Sometimes shows strong aggression towards unknown persons. Proper socialization and upbringing at an early age is of crucial importance. Otherwise, he can show aggressiveness or fear, mistrust and reticence. He is known to be stubborn and has a hard time accepting lessons in training. He needs a characterful and persistent, but gentle owner. If the owner is not up to the training of the Chow Chow, the dog will not listen to him. Due to its strong hunting instinct, it should not live with small animals.
Health and care
Chow Chow is quite lazy and doesn't like activity, but it should be taken for daily light walks. It adapts well to living in an apartment. The care of his coat is demanding: regular brushing is necessary 2-3 times a week, and during shedding (in spring and autumn) every day. It has no smell and maintains hygiene by itself.
It does not tolerate moisture and rain and does not like heat, so keep it in an air-conditioned area when it is too hot. He doesn't like to swim: don't put him in a situation where he gets into the water, because his fur will get wet and hard, so he can drown.
Although there are no particular health problems, the breed is prone to entropion, conjoined nostrils, coronary artery disease, gastric torsion, elbow dysplasia, knee dislocations, some autoimmune diseases and skin melanomas. Diabetes rarely occurs, as do cataracts and glaucoma. The average lifespan of a Chow Chow is from 8 to 12 years, but it can live up to 15.
Breed standard
Although it originates from China, the breed is patronized by England. According to the FCI classification, the Chow Chow is classified in the 5th group (Spitz type and primitive type of dogs), section 5 (Asian Spitz and related breeds). It is not subject to an on-the-job test, and standard number 205 was last revised in 2010.
