Chow Chow - Dog Breed Profile

Author: Dooziedog.com

Key Facts:

Size: Small - medium

Height: 46 - 56 cm (18 - 22 inches)

Weight: 20 - 30 kg (44 - 46 lb)

Life Span: 15 years

Grooming: Demanding

Exercise: Undemanding

Feeding: Medium

Temperament: Independent but loyal

Country of Origin: China

AKC Group: Non-Sporting

Temperament:

The Chow Chow is loyal, independent, brave and noble. Chow Chows tend to be a one-person dog, but can also be good with children and family. They make good watchdogs and have a possessive attitude towards their home and family. Chow Chows can be difficult towards strangers.

Grooming:

The Chow Chow is reasonably demanding with grooming as they do require frequent brushing and its not the easiest coat to groom being so plush and thick.

Exercise:

Chow Chows don't need a great deal of exercise, but they do enjoy being outdoors. They don't tend to move at a great speed and their movement can seem stilted and stiff-legged.

History:

The Chow Chow is a member of the spitz family and is believed to have evolved from crosses with the Tibetan Mastiff and the Samoyed. Their history has been traced back to the Chinese Han Dynasty around 150 BC. One of the largest ever recorded kennels in the world, was maintained by a Chinese Emperor who reportedly had 2500 couples of hunting dogs of a Chow Chow type. Not only were these dogs bred for food (hence the English title of Chow), they were also bred for their fur. In 1880, the Chow made it to England and in 1895 a specialist club had been formed.

Physical Characteristics:

General Appearance: Compact, powerful, squarely-built and dignified.

Color: Black, red, blue, fawn, cream or white. The coat must be a solid color. Shadings of color are permitted.

Coat: There are two types of varieties. Rough variety - The outercoat is dense, straight, abundant and stands away from the body. The undercoat is soft and woolly. Smooth variety - Short, dense and abundant.

Tail: Set high and carried well over the back.

Ears: Small, thick, carried erect and slightly rounded at the tip.

Body: Deep, broad chest, short, level back, powerful loin and muscular shoulders.

Additional Comments:

The inside of a Chow Chows mouth is black and so is the tongue.

About the author: This article provided courtesy of http://www.dooziedog.com/dog_breeds/chow_chow/