History
The Chow Chow is a member of the spitz family; it has been native to China for thousands of years. The two most distinctive features of the Chow dogs are its blue-black tongue and its almost-straight hind legs, which make its walk rather stilted. This breed is alert, independent and strong-willed; it is self-willed to the point of obstinacy. To its owner and family it is friendly.Because of his thick coat it is unsuited for hot climates. A well-bred and well-socialized Chow Chow can be just that – an excellent family dog.

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.

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. Dignified, even lordly, the Chow Chow conducts itself with reserve. It is not very demonstrative, even with its family, and is somewhat suspicious of strangers. It is independent and stubborn. It can be aggressive toward other dogs but is generally good with other household pets. It is serious and protective, devoted to its family.

Coat
Black, red, blue, fawn and cream. Rough, abundant, dense and coarse with a pronounced ruff around head and neck. Smooth, has a hard dense outer coat with a soft undercoat with no ruff or feathering on its legs and tail.

Health Issues
It is prone to entropion (eye irritation caused by eyelid abnormality; this can be corrected with surgery). To minimize the risk of your Chow Chow developing any hereditary health issues, you should buy a Chow Chow puppy from a reputable breeder.

Please share this post