Chow chow
The chow dog is native to China and is probably one of the most popular breeds of dogs in the world. It should be noted that the most striking feature of Chow Chow is the color of his tongue, which is violet. But why does chow chow have a purple tongue? This peculiarity is mainly due to the genetics of the dog, although there are some myths and legends of why … If you want to know more, be sure to check the article to find out!
- In this sheet we will show you everything you need to know about the chow-cho race.
- Remembering its history and origin.
- The most outstanding physical characteristics.
- Possible health problems.
- Details about its upbringing and also what the temperament of the chow chow is like.
- If you are thinking of adopting a chow chow or if you already have one.
- Continue reading this complete folder with the chow chow folder and thus you will take all your doubts and find useful information prepared by specialists in the sector.
The history of chow begins in northern China and is estimated to have begun to repeat itself about 2000 or 3000 years ago. Although no study really demonstrates this longevity, we can say that it is one of the oldest dog breeds, according to a recent study. The name chow chow means “sweet and fluffy lion”, probably for its physical characteristics. An ancient Chinese legend even refers to a powerful war animal, described as a black-tongued lion, details of its morphology that remind us of the ancestor to the current chow chow.
It is unknown the evolution of the breed, although it is suspected that after the origin of the chow chow dogs in the Arctic region of Asia, it would eventually have migrated to Siberia, Mongolia and finally China. Its physical attributes resemble a breed of Nordic dog, perhaps due to a cross with a type of doge dog.
The history of the dog chow chow depicts him as an excellent guard dog of sacred temples and some houses, but he is also credited with other works, such as hunting and breeding. They were also used as food and their skins were used as a shelter. In addition, a writing by Marco Polo reveals that they also worked on the sled trailer. Without a doubt, it is a very versatile breed. The origin of the chow chow dog is somewhat uncertain, especially since in the past China has maintained strict “closed doors” policies.
During the early years of the 19th century, the chow chow began to appear in other countries, such as England, where it was not even highlighted, it was even exhibited at London Zoo in the 1820s as a “Chinese wild dog”. While the species was still traveling the world, Queen Victoria decided to buy one and it was at this time that the breed became very popular in the UK.
The breed was officially exhibited in 1890 and admitted to the AKC (American Kennel Club) in 1903. Today, food is one of the best known in the world although it does not stand out because it is already common.
The chow chow is considered a medium-sized dog and has a compact and well-proportioned body. Of course, the physical characteristics of the chow-chow dog remind us of a small lion, especially for its fur, which forms a kind of mane around its face. Its head is broad and its skull is flat. Nasofrontal depression (stop) is not pronounced. The nose is black in almost all dogs, but can be lighter in light-colored dogs or in the fur of blue dogs or faucets. The bluish black tongue is characteristic of the breed. The eyes are dark, oval and medium. The ears are small, thick, upright and with slightly rounded ends.
The body is compact, the back and lower back are short. The chest is wide and deep. The tail is high insertion and folds into the back. The right angulation of the hind legs takes a small step in the chow chow, almost without lifting the hind legs. Their hairs can be long or short, in dogs with long hair, the outer layer is abundant, dense, rough, straight and not excessively long, while the inside is soft. In short-haired dogs, the fur is short, dense, smooth and soft. The color of the dog should be unique, although there may be different shades: chow chow black, white, red, blue, gold, chow chow cream.
Characteristics of the breed indicate a crossing height in males between 48 and 56 cm, while females measure between 46 and 51 centimeters. The approximate weight of the males is about 25 and 32 kilograms and that of females of 20 and 25 kilos.
For more information on the characteristics of purebred dog food, be sure to compare the official standard of a dog association with your dog or go directly to a food club for an experienced judge or owner to guide you.
Generally, the character of the chow chow breed is quiet, quiet, independent and quiet. He does not distinguish himself as an exercise enthusiast, on the contrary, prefers to take short surveillance walks in his territory and rest making sure that no stranger or human approaches. These features have probably made it an excellent watchdog in the past.
In addition to being calm, the character of the dog chow is distinguished by its loyalty and loyalty to its guardian, with whom it will forge a unique and different bond and therefore tends to be reserved for foreigners. In this sense, it is important to note that chow chow may end up showing a super protective attitude, so it is advisable never to reinforce protective or possessive behaviors, as this can trigger the appearance of more aggressive behaviors. Given its reserved character, hunter instincts and tendency to overprotection, special attention should be paid to the socialization of the dog, a topic that we will discuss in more detail in the education section.
Finally, we emphasize that the character of chow chow with children is generally very positive, especially if the two have lived together since childhood, since the dog will tend to protect, monitor and care for him, in addition to being patient during their interactions. . This is not to say that the dog “should accept” inappropriate behavior on the part of children, remember that it is important to be careful between children and an animal because many times, due to the negative behaviors of children, some dogs react less positively. That’s why we advise you to always monitor the interaction between the two and the educated properly so that they relate positively.
When we talk about chow chow care, one of the most important aspects is hair care, especially in long-haired dogs. How should we take care of a chow chow’s hair? To begin with, we will pay special attention to the hair not being too long, as it can cause knots and tangles. It is advisable to visit a pet shop regularly to cut the ends of the hair and bathe, but if you do not want to cut, it is advisable to brush the hairs of the chow chow about four times a week. However, during the period of change of fur, which is in spring and summer, it is necessary to increase the brushing time of the dog’s fur for five or six days a week. This will also help prevent parasites and other common skin problems in chow chow dogs.
It is also advisable to bathe regularly to avoid dirt build-up.The frequency of chow chow baths can range from one month to three months.Keep in mind that excessive bathing damages your skin and fur, as well as reducing your defenses, so it’s more advisable to spend more time brushing your teeth and less bathing.Don’t forget to apply a specific shampoo for dogs, never a shampoo for human use.
Another important aspect to keep in mind when learning to care for a chow dog chow is to learn physical exercises and walk. Although it is a quiet dog with little predisposition to exercise, it will be essential to dedicate time to exercise, even if it is moderate, to avoid overweight and obesity, as well as the possible appearance of behavioral problems. How to walk a chow chow? Ideally, they would recommend 3 to 4 walks per day, lasting about 20 minutes. During the walks, it is necessary to allow you to feel, socialize with other dogs and perform a relaxed and exclusive activity.
On the other hand, and as we have already said, the exercise of chow chow should be moderate, so good suggestions are to take it swimming to the beach or teach it to look and bring the ball, for example. Of course, do not force your dog to exercise excessively during the warmer months, as this can predispose him to a heat stroke due to his thick and dense fur. These dogs can live outdoors in cold and temperate climates, but do not tolerate warm climates well. In any case, it is better for them to be able to live indoors and easily adapt to apartment living if they can walk and exercise enough.
The diet of chow chow dogs should be complete and nutritionally balanced. You can choose to buy high-quality foods, regularly combining it with wet foods to enrich your diet or starting with homemade diets, whether raw or semi-cooked (called BARF). In any case, the Chow Chow power supply should be based on high quality products.
The best age to adopt chow chow is between 8 and 12 weeks, as staying with your mother and siblings will help you learn the canine language, the limits of the game, control the bite force, etc. From there and after receiving with the first vaccinations, the dog should start socializing with all kinds of people, animals and environments, always making sure to have a positive social contact with them. The socialization of the dog is especially important, since it will depend on it in the future being a balanced dog and showing behaviors related to fear or aggression. When it is still chow chow, we will have to educate the dog in different aspects, but in addition to socializing, the most important thing will be to teach him to urinate in the right place, indispensable routine for each dog.
Afterwards, we can start practicing chow chow training, which should always be done through a positive education. Clicker training can work well with the race, but any other positive training variant works. It is important to train this dog from puppy, to overcome to some extent its natural independence. Find out what the basic commands are and how to start practicing them.
These dogs don’t bark much and usually don’t do much damage (when they’ve gone through adolescence, of course). However, the main problem of behavior is aggression if they have not been properly socialized or trained. It is not an easy dog to educate because sometimes it can be very stubborn and because it has a very independent personality, however, with patience and determination, it is possible to make the chow chow react perfectly to the orders of obedience and that he lives very well. .
As with many other breeds of dogs, there are very common health problems with a high incidence in the breed. It is essential that each owner knows at least the most common ones, so here is a list of the most common diseases of chow chow, naturally we talk about congenital diseases:
It is important to note that the chow chow dog tends to suffer from autoimmune diseases as well as skin cancer. For all these reasons, be sure to visit the veterinarian every 6 to 12 months, follow the schedule of vaccination and periodic deworming. With good care and preventive medications, the life expectancy of chow chow is between 9 and 15 years.