Chow Chow Dog Breed Information
- Origin: China
- Lifespan: 9-15
- Height: Male: 48–56 cm, Female: 46–51 cm
- Weight: Male: 25–32 kg, Female: 20–27 kg
- Temperament: Aloof, Loyal, Independent, Quiet
- Length of fur: Long-haired
- Colors: Black, Red, Blue, Cinnamon, White Or Cream
- Group: For Protection, Sentry, Decorative
- Price: $600-1200
Characteristics and temperament of Chow chow dog
Like other dog breeds from the far east, the chow chow also has a fiercely reserved nature. He is very wary of strangers. it is a patient dog, but it could be affected by the lack of regularity in the schedules.
Habitual, he loves the presence of at least one member of the family very much. It is a breed that has a tendency to choose a person from the family as the leader of the pack. If he fails to identify it, he will propose himself as a leader. It needs consistency and good socialization in order to interact with other animals as well.
Affection for the family
Anyone looking for a very affectionate dog, always eager for pampering and attention from its owner, should choose another breed. The Chow Chow is a rather reserved dog in the effusions, which is very attached to “his” person and to the closest members of his family but does not tend to express his affection in an explicit way. This is a particular characteristic of this breed, which must be respected.
Friendly with children
The Chow Chow does not particularly like children and is not very patient. All dogs can be used to babies if they live with them from an early age, but if you intend to adopt an adult Chow Chow or already have one and are about to have a baby, this dog may not be a perfect playmate, at least. not for small children. It will certainly get along better with older children who don’t expect great playfulness but a tender friendship.
Relationship with strangers
This dog breed is known to be unfriendly to strangers. It tends to welcome them by barking and standing aside in their presence. If the stranger has an attitude that could pose a danger, he will defend his family and territory. Obviously, however, a well-socialized dog as a child will have a much more positive attitude towards people he doesn’t know.
Social with other dogs
Just as it does not like human strangers, the Chow Chow does not take great interest in other dogs. It is a territorial dog, which can perceive other dogs as adversaries. He also likes to be on his own and doesn’t particularly crave company. Again, this is a peculiar character trait, which can be blunted at a young age but which is very typical of this breed. However, he lives in a positive way the life of a couple with a fellow of the opposite sex.
Adaptability
They have fantastic adaptations for apartment families, the Chow Chow is a dog that could live well even in an apartment and that would not be happy locked in an outdoor enclosure, especially in the summer (it suffers a lot from the heat). However, it is not a dog that adapts to a too sedentary life. It needs to exercise every day, but that doesn’t mean it requires very long walks: 60-90 minutes of walking a day are enough – divided into several walks. and they like to live alone. They do not have the best sensitivity level, but they listen to their owners very often.
Tolerance of being alone
Some people compare the character of the Chow Chow to that of a cat because this dog tolerates loneliness enough. However, it can be left alone for no longer than three to four hours. It is a medium-sized breed that can live in an apartment and, given its low propensity for barking, does not create particular problems with its neighbors.
Suitable as a first dog
The Chow Chow is a reserved, somewhat stubborn, and very proud dog. It may become dominant in the face of an indecisive or erratic owner, and in general, it is not a trainable dog, because it has a tendency to make its own decisions. Not ideal for beginners. However, it is a calm dog.
Tolerance to cold temperatures
The beautiful and abundant coat of this dog protects it very effectively in the cold season. Its leonine mane and abundant coat are perfect for cold temperatures. The short-haired variety also tolerates the cold well. However, this dog should not be left to sleep outdoors unless provided in a dry and temperate place.
Tolerance to hot temperatures
The Chow Chow is a dog that can’t stand the heat, as it is easy to understand just by looking at it. Its long and abundant coat is absolutely not suitable for high temperatures and even the short-haired version still has many problems of tolerance to heat. In the summer, this dog must be kept indoors and must be moved only in the coolest hours.
Health Grooming
The Chow Chow has a strong seasonal shedding, spring, and autumn called molt, during which it can leave a lot of hair in the house. To avoid this, the longhaired variety requires brushing frequently, about twice a week, to keep the coat in good condition and clean at all times. The short-haired variety needs less grooming but still needs to be brushed at least once a week.
Salivation and drool containment
This dog breed drools moderately and not very abundantly. However, drool is generally not a problem in the home, because it is not in significant quantities. Rather, we must take care of the throat which can get particularly wet while the dog is drinking. It will need to be kept dry to avoid inflammation and skin infections.
Ease of cleaning
As you can imagine, the Chow Chow requires frequent and thorough cleaning to always have a nice and neat coat. If brushed frequently (about twice a week) this dog stays clean and odorless. If not brushed properly, the hair can become dirty and knotted. It usually needs a bath once every three to four months, or as needed.
Health and disease
This dog is generally in good health and is quite long-lived. The breed has no particular pathologies. As with all deep-chested dogs, great attention must be paid to stomach dilation and eyes, which are particularly sensitive. In summer, as we have already said, it can suffer a lot from the heat and must be treated very carefully to avoid heatstroke.
Tendency to gain weight
This breed has no tendency to gain weight as it is a very frugal and non-greedy dog. However, he must move every day. Attention to obesity should be reserved for sterilized individuals.
Training
The Chow Chow is an intelligent dog, which is perfectly capable of learning and teaching. However, it has a not very malleable character. The Chow Chow is an educable dog, even if he is already very polite of his own, and is not trainable. Its owner must be firm, but never use violence (which moreover should not be used with any dog), because with this very proud breed it would not have positive effects.
Exercise
Chow chow has low intensity, and they also do not need the right amount of use. They have the lousy potential for playfulness, and that is why they are not suitable as dogs for kids.
Generally quiet and a lover of home life, the Chow Chow is not a great runner. It can be an excellent companion for beautiful walks, but it does not need sports-type exercise. If you love running or playing, this dog may not be for you. If, on the other hand, you want a dog that does not ask you to run for hours every day, but a good company on a walk, the Chow Chow could be suitable.
Vigorousness
The Chow Chow has a great predisposition to pull on a leash. It is in fact a cart dog. The education lessons will not change this propensity which is inherent in the breed. When he is not agitated for some reason (perhaps because there is a stranger nearby or another dog has entered his territory), the Chow Chow has a mild temper. This is why it is a dog suitable for people who know how to keep its dominant tendencies under control.
You need to exercise
The Chow Chow needs to walk a couple of hours a day, in several walks. In short, to make him happy and keep him healthy, just let him walk when you take him out for the need, without the need for treks. Its diet must be adapted to the number of activities it carries out.
Tendency to play
This breed does not particularly like play. If you want a dog that will play with you for a long time and entertain you with its wild runs in pursuit of a ball, then bet on another breed. The Chow is too austere and proud for these plebeian activities. Obviously, we joke, but the “seriousness” of this dog is considered by many to be haughty. Obviously, there is nothing snobbish about him, it’s just his character that is like that!
Size
They have a height of 17 to 20 inches at the shoulder, and they have a weight of around 40 to 70 pounds. They are heavy, but they need proper care as well as routine exercise.
History
The Chow Chow breed (sometimes called Chao Chao) has an appearance that makes it difficult to confuse it with another dog. Few people know, but recent studies have shown that these dogs come from Mongolia and northern China, and the breed is over 2000 years old. At least, this is evidenced by images on pottery dating from 200-260 BC. Their closest relatives are wolves.
However, it is not possible to establish the exact age of the origin of the breed today, and scientists believe that the Chow Chow may have a much older history. There are also opinions that these dogs have the blood of the Tibetan Mastiff. In ancient China, the Chow Chow breed was used as guard dogs, as well as for hunting.
There is even a legend according to which one of the Chinese emperors kept a huge flock of 2500 individuals. A whole army of dogs, you must agree. However, according to the same legend, these dogs were used not for military purposes, but only for hunting, although it will probably be difficult for us to imagine what kind of hunting with 2500 dogs it is. But do not think that the Chow Chow’s use was limited only to hunting and guard functions – this breed has thick, lush fur, which was used to decorate clothes. Moreover, their meat was considered a real delicacy. Horror – to be sure.
By the way, in China the breed had completely different names – bear dog (Xiang go), black-tongue dog (hei shi-tu), wolf dog (lang go), and canton dog (Guangdong go). The breed acquired its present name at the end of the 17th century, when British merchants began to take along with other cargo and dogs, which, by the way, they called “bear”. For some reason, Chinese cargo (according to other sources – a place for cargo) was called chow-chow, and, at first, this did not specifically concern dogs.
However, later the name stuck, and already in 1781 the scientist naturalist Gilbert White described these dogs in the book “The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne”, and he named them in the book as the Chow Chow. However, stable supplies from China and a natural population arose much later, only during the time of Queen Victoria.
The Chow Chow Dog Club of Great Britain was founded in 1895. It is worth noting that the dogs described by Gilbert White two hundred years ago are practically no different from those of today. And according to a Chinese legend, dogs have a dark blue tongue: when the Gods created the world, they painted the sky blue – thick drops of paint fell from the firmament, and the Chow Chow caught them with his hairy mouth.
Interesting facts
2. Sigmund Freud’s Chow Chow, nicknamed Yofi, was present at all of his therapy sessions. Sigmund said it helped him assess the mental health of his patients.
3. Famous Chow Chow Owners: Calvin Coolidge, Elvis Presley, and Martha Stewart, whose Chow is often featured on her morning TV show.
4. It was rumored that one emperor, in the Tang Dynasty, had 5,000 Chow Chow dogs and had a dedicated staff more than double to take care of them.
5. In 1865, Queen Victoria was presented with a Chow Chow.
6. In the 7th century, the Emperor of China owned 2500 Chow Chow dogs, which he used exclusively for hunting.
7. A bas-relief depicting the Chow Chow has been found dating back to the Han Dynasty (150-200 BC), which definitely marks the breed as a hunting dog during this period in China.
Some information related to chow dog breed
Chow chow is very independent and loves to live alone. They need an owner that appreciates their beauty but does not let them change. But chow needs great socialization because they do not like strangers and can act very badly in front of them. They are not suitable for new dogs and new people.
They need much care because they need very extreme cutting of the groom. They have a large groom on their bodies, and it gets required to clean it extremely. They need regular exercise because they can gain weight very often and also they are very lazy. Regular exercise will help them in living an active life; otherwise, they will get obese. They have deep-set eyes that help them in keeping the peripheral vision, and they have a comfy body that provides a cuddling mood. They do not bark much, and that is why apartment families consider them as first preference while purchasing. They have excellent health, but they can get health-related problems.
They have two coat types and that are rough as well as smooth. The rough coat is very thick and abundant in volume, which stands like a parka. It also consists of beneath the skin that is very smooth and thick. The hair around the head is a ruff, and the tail has fur very thickly. But the glossy coat is harsh, dense, and soft. These dogs have longer hair on the tail, legs, and body.
Sonal is a Visual Artist and Social Media enthusiast. She is also a community manager of Picovico and enjoys writing and painting in her free time.