Dog Breed Guide

Chow Chow

Profile

Size

Medium

Country of origin

China

Origin

Ancient

Bred for

Watchdog, Hunting, Sled pulling

Height

male 48 - 56cm (19 - 22in), female 46 - 51cm (18 - 20in)

Weight

20 - 32kg (44 - 71lb)

Life span

8 - 12 years

A thick coat like a lion's mane, a scowling expression and a blue-black tongue are its hallmarks. The coat may be rough (long) or smooth (short), and colors are red, black, blue, cinnamon and cream. Puppies' tongues are pink and turn blue-black as they grow.

The angle of its hind leg joints is nearly straight, giving it a slightly stiff, stilted gait all its own.

Calm and proud, the Chow shows deep loyalty to its family, especially to one person. It is aloof with strangers and has a cat-like independence, seldom clingy or demonstrative. It is sensitive to heat, and its thick coat needs frequent brushing.

Good to know

Sigmund Freud, the Austrian founder of psychoanalysis, adored Chow Chows. His dog Jofi sat in on his sessions with patients every day. She lay close by when a patient was calm and moved to the far side of the room when a patient was tense, so Freud is said to have sometimes judged his patients' state by watching her. It is also said that when the hour was up, Jofi would get up and walk to the door. She could be called a pioneer of therapy dogs.

It is an ancient breed kept in China for more than 2,000 years, and in Chinese it is called songshi quan, "puffy lion dog." The English name Chow Chow is said to come from a term used for the assorted goods shipped from the Orient to England in the 18th century. Queen Victoria was among the breed's admirers.