Chow Chow
Country of origin	China
Traits
Classification & standards FCI Group 5 Section 5 #205 standard AKC Non-sporting standard ANKC Group 7 Non-sporting standard CKC Group 6 Non-sporting standard KC (UK) Utility standard NZKC Non-sporting standard UKC Northern Breeds standard

Chow Chow, or Chow, is a breed of dog that originated in China^[1], where it is referred to as Songshi Quan (Pinyin: sōngshī quǎn 鬆獅犬), which literally means "puffy-lion dog." It is believed that the Chow Chow is one of the native dogs used as the model for the Foo dog, the traditional stone guardians found in front of Buddhist temples and palaces. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) (English, World Canine Organization), is an international Kennel Club based in Thuin, Belgium. ... © The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... The Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting excellence in breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by responsible individuals across Australia. ... The Canadian Kennel Club (or C.K.C.) is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. ... The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ... The New Zealand Kennel Club is an organisation responsible for dog pedigree registration services in New Zealand. ... The United Kennel Club (or UKC) is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... For other uses, see Lion (disambiguation). ... Categories: Fictional dogs | Stub ...

Description

Appearance

The Chow is a sturdily built dog that is square in profile with broad skull and small, triangular ears that are rounded at the tip. The breed has a very dense coat that is either smooth or rough. The fur is particularly thick around the neck, giving the distinctive ruff or mane. The coat may be one of five colors including red, black, blue, cinnamon, and cream. Individuals with patchy or multicolored coats are considered to be outside the breed standard. Chows are distinguished by their unusual blue-black/purple tongue and very straight hind legs, resulting in a rather stilted gait. The blue-black/purple tongue gene appears to be dominant, as almost all mixed breed dogs who come from a Chow retain the tongue color. This is not to say, however, that every mixed breed dog with spots of purple on the tongue are descended from chows as purple spots on the tongue can be found on a multitude of pure breed dogs. Look up mane in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Temperament

Chows of different coat colors

Today the Chow Chow is most commonly kept as a companion dog. Their keen sense of proprietorship over their homes paired with a sometimes disconcertingly serious approach to strangers can be off putting to those unfamiliar with the breed. However, displays of timidity and aggression are uncharacteristic of well-bred and well socialized specimens. The proper Chow owner will be just as willful and stubborn as the Chow they keep, thus weaker-willed individuals would be best served to evaluate their commitment in controlling an animal who is happy to take over any household. Specimens of opposite sex typically co-habitate with less tension than those of the same sex, but it is not unheard of for multiple chows of both sexes to live together peacefully in a home setting. Chows are extremely loyal to their own family and will bond tightly to their masters. The Chow typically shows affection only with those it has bonds to, so new visitors to the home should not press their physical attention upon the resident Chow as it will not immediately accept strangers in the same manner as it does members of its own "pack". Image File history File links Chowspecialen_012. ... Image File history File links Chowspecialen_012. ... This article is about animals kept for companionship. ...

Chows are not a particularly active breed. Apartment life can suit this breed, if given enough opportunity for regularly scheduled physical activity each day. The Chow Chow may appear to be independent and aloof for much of the day, keeping a comfortable distance from others while staying within earshot, or preferring to watch for strangers alone by the entrance. Owners still need to be prepared to take a Chow Chow for a brisk daily walk, even if they have a fenced yard, in order to meet their needs for mental and physical stimulation. While the Chow exhibits low energy for most of the day, it will crave routine time to explore and play to maintain a happy and content disposition.

Health

A close-up of the Chow's characteristic blue-black tongue

The chow chow is the dog race most affected by elbow dysplasia. They are also prone to hip dysplasia, patellar luxation (slipping knee caps), thyroid disease, and ocular disorders such as entropion and ectropion. The risks of such disorders increases exponentially when a chow is purchased from backyard breeders, pet stores and unscrupulous kennels that do not test their breeding stock for such genetic disorders. As such, a potential chow buyer would be best served to ask to see all health clearances for the parents of a litter up front. In the United States, these would be clearances from the Canine Eye Registration Foundation and Orthopedic Foundation for Animals; other countries will have other health testing schemes, and contacting the national canine registry association will provide that information. Reputable kennels should provide the new owner with a written and signed health warranty as well. Although there is no way to accurately predict the lifespan of an animal, one should expect the healthy chow to live between 10 to 12 years. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... This article is about hip dysplasia, a condition affecting the hip joint, which occurs in humans but is more commonly associated with animals, especially dogs (Canine hip dysplasia). ... Luxating patella, or trick knee, is a condition in which the patella, or kneecap, dislocates or moves out of its normal location. ... Entropion is a medical condition in which the eyelids fold inward. ... Ectropion is a condition of loose eyelids. ... The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals is an organisation that aims to research and prevent orthopedic and Hereditary diseases in animals. ...

History

The Chow is a unique breed of dog thought to be one of the oldest recognizable breeds. Research indicates it is one of the first primitive breeds to evolve from the wolf. Recent DNA analysis confirms that this is one of the oldest breeds of dog.^[2] From what records survive, some historians believe that the Chow was the dog described as accompanying the Mongolian armies as they invaded south into China as well as west into Europe and southwest into the Middle East during 12th Century,^{[citation needed]} although a Chinese bas-relief from 150 BC shows a hunting dog similar in appearance to the Chow. Later Chow Chows were bred as a general-purpose working dog for herding, hunting, pulling and guarding. They were especially popular in the 1930's and 1980's, eras where their glamorous disposition found them the choice of the chic. Genetic fingerprinting or DNA testing is a technique to distinguish between individuals of the same species using only samples of their DNA. Its invention by Sir Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester was announced in 1985. ... Fourteen ancient breeds of dog have recently been identified through advances in DNA analysis. ... Bas relief is a method of sculpting which entails carving or etching away the surface of a flat piece of stone or metal. ... Alexander Balas becomes ruler of the Seleucid Empire. ... For the comedy group, see Working Dog Productions. ...

In China, some farms still raise a variety of dog breeds, including Chows, for meat and hides. However, the breed is not named Chow Chow because they make good "chow", as is commonly supposed. In fact, when they were first shipped to England in the late 18th century, they arrived in the holds of ships, marked "chow chow", Chinese pidgin English for miscellaneous merchandise. The customs people simply assumed that was what they were called and the name stuck. ^[3]

References

1. ^ Quality Dogs - Chow Chow Information
2. ^ Collie or Pug? Study Finds the Genetic Code. New York Times Online. May 21, 2004. Accessed December 25, 2006.
3. ^ Are chow chows the most stupid dogs in the world? | Science | The Guardian

External links

• The Chow Chow Club, Inc.
• The Royal Belgian Chow Chow Club
• AKC Chow Chows

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Chow Chows