Chow Chow
The Chow-Chow is a dog breed originally from northern China, where it is referred to as Songshi-Quan, which translates to "puffy-lion dog".
History
The Chow-Chow has been identified as a basal breed that predates the emergence of the modern breeds in the 19th Century. One writer proposed that the Chow-Chow originated in China 2,000 years ago or possibly originated in Arctic Asia 3,000 years ago and then migrated to Mongolia, Siberia, then to China.One Chinese legend mentions large war dogs from Central Asia that resembled black-tongued lions. One Chinese ruler was said to own 5,000 Chows. The Chinese also used Chows to pull dog-sleds, and this was remarked upon by Marco Polo. One author states that the Chow-Chow was also bred for human consumption.
Today, the American Kennel Club registers approximately 10,000 Chow-Chows a year. The Canadian Kennel Club registers approximately 350.
Appearance
The Chow-Chow is a sturdily built dog, square in profile, with a broad skull and small, triangular, erect ears with rounded tips. The breed is known for a very dense double coat that is either smooth or rough. The fur is particularly thick in the neck area, giving it a distinctive ruff or :wikt:mane|mane appearance. The coat may be shaded/self-red, black, blue, cinnamon/fawn, or cream.Not all these color varieties are recognized as valid in all countries. Individuals with patchy or multicolored coats are considered to be outside the breed standard.
Chow-Chow eyes are typically deep set and almond shaped. The breed is unique by their purple/blue-black tongue which no other breed has except Shar Pei, and has very straight hind legs, resulting in a rather stilted gait. The bluish color extends to the Chow-Chow's lips; this is the only dog breed with this distinctive bluish color in its lips and oral cavity. Another distinctive feature is the curly tail. It has thick hair and lies curled on its back. The nose should be black, but blue-coated Chow-Chow can have a solid blue or slate-colored nose. According to the American Kennel Club breed standards, any other tone is not acceptable for contests. FCI countries, however, do allow a self-colored nose in the cream.
The blue-black/purple tongue gene appears to be dominant, as most mixed breed dogs that come from a Chow-Chow retain that tongue colour. However, the blue-black/purple tongue can also be found on the Shar Pei. This is not to say that every mixed breed dog with spots of purple on the tongue is descended from Chow-Chow, as purple spots on the tongue can be found on other purebred dogs.
Temperament
Most commonly kept as pets, Chow-Chows tend to display discernment of strangers and can become fiercely protective of their owners and property. The American Kennel Club standards, however, consider an all-too aggressive or all-too timid Chow-Chow to be unacceptable. For that reason, some owners have attributed a cat-like personality to the Chow-Chow.Chow-Chow are not excessively active, meaning that they can be housed in an apartment. However, a Chow-Chow living in an apartment will need daily exercise to prevent restlessness and boredom. Upon realizing that exercise is a daily occurrence, Chow-Chow will tend to be more assertive with owners in anticipation of such activities.
This breed of dog has many strong loyal bonds with friends and family, but the Chow-Chow dog is usually overly protective of one or two main family members. It is in the breed's nature to be quiet and well-behaved, but it is also resistant to training. Chow-Chows become very stubborn and attach to certain individuals as they age. This makes training them when they are puppies crucial, because they gain respect for those who care for them.
To avoid aggression and over-protectiveness as an adult, continuous socialization as early as possible could allow the dog to adjust. When a Chow-Chow reaches adolescence it rejects authority from any owner who failed to earn its admiration. Aggression can be one distinctive behavioural characteristic in this breed, though while some are of an aggressive nature, many are known to be easy-going in nature – sometimes adopting an aloof disposition to individuals other than their owners. Aggression when it does appear is often towards other dogs of the same gender, especially Chows. Due to their strong hunting instincts, it is recommended that these dogs stay fenced, leashed, and away from cats and small dogs. This is why it is crucial that they are socialized early and consistently to act appropriately with strangers.
At first, chow-chows are very hesitant in interacting with strangers. However, this problem can be avoided if the owners train the chow-chow at a young age.
Owning a Chow-Chow can raise the cost of homeowners insurance because some companies consider them high-risk dogs. In a study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Chow-Chow were responsible for 8 out of 238 fatalities related to dog bites from 1979 to 1998.
Colours
Health
The Chow-Chow can suffer from entropion, glaucoma, juvenile cataracts, lymphoma, hip dysplasia, diabetes mellitus, canine pemphigus, and gastric cancer. Chow-Chows are a high risk breed for autoimmune disease and are at a predisposition for skin melanoma.Notable owners
an Austrian zoologist, ethologist, and ornithologist, winner of the 1973 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine who is often regarded as one of the founders of modern ethology, had a Chow-Chow mix named Stasi. He wrote about his dogs in his book King Solomon's Ring.Georgia O'Keeffe, an American artist, owned at least 6 chow chows in her lifetime. O’Keeffe wrote about her dogs in letters to friends and family, took photographs of them, and sketched them. She was a member of The Chow Chow Club, Inc. and kept various veterinary papers, club notifications, feeding schedules, and correspondence relating to her dogs.
Sigmund Freud had a Chow-Chow named Jo-Fi Ling who attended all of his therapy sessions because he felt that dogs had a special sense that allows them to judge a person's character accurately, and admitted he depended on Jo-Fi for an assessment of a patient's mental state.
U.S. Navy admiral George Dewey acquired a Chow-Chow in Hong Kong in 1898 and named it Bob. Bob rarely left the admiral's side and had the run of the cruiser. Bob died in 1899 due to eating chocolates given to Dewey by well-wishers upon Olympias arrival in New York City.
Martha Stewart owns several chows, which are frequently seen on Martha's shows. One of them is named Genghis Khan.
President Calvin Coolidge and his wife owned a black Chow named Timmy.
Elvis Presley and his girlfriend Linda Thompson had a Chow-Chow named Getlow.
Vanna Bonta has a cream Chow-Chow named Sky, a blue Chow-Chow named Seraph, and a red Chow-Chow named Beowulf, who was immortalized as a fictional dog in the book ‘’Flight’’.
Janet Jackson had a Chow-Chow named Buckwheat.
Italian footballer Mario Balotelli bought his girlfriend two Chow-Chow puppies in the UK.