Chow Chow

The Chow Chow is a strong dog.

They come from China. These dogs have very thick fur. It looks like a big mane around their necks.

Their fur can be red, black, or cream. They have small ears that stand up. Their tails are curly and sit on their backs. One very special thing is their tongue. It is a dark blue or purple color.

These dogs are very unique.

The Chow Chow is a strong dog from China.

These dogs come from a very old breed. Some studies say they started 8,300 years ago.

They have a thick coat of fur. This fur can be smooth or rough. It is very thick around the neck. This makes them look like they have a mane. Their fur can be red, black, blue, or cream.

One very special part is their tongue. It is a dark blue or purple color. Their lips are also this color. This is the only dog breed with these colored lips. They have small ears that stand up. Their tails are curly and sit on their backs. In the past, people used them to pull sleds. A famous traveler named Marco Polo saw them. Today, many people still love this breed. The American Kennel Club registers about 10,000 of them each year.

The Chow Chow is a sturdy dog breed from Northern China.

These dogs have a square shape and a broad skull. They are known for having a very thick double coat. This fur can feel smooth or it can feel rough. The hair is extra thick around the neck area. This gives the dog a look like a lion's mane.

Their coats come in colors like red, black, blue, and cream. Some people also see cinnamon or fawn colors.

Many things make the Chow Chow look unique. They have small, triangular ears that stand straight up. Their eyes are almond shaped and sit deep in their heads. One very special feature is their tongue. The tongue is a dark purple or blue-black color. This same color also shows up on their lips.

They are the only dog breed with these colored lips. Their tails are curly and rest on their backs. Their back legs are very straight too.

This breed has a very long history. Scientists believe these dogs came from other dogs in central China. This happened about 8,300 years ago. A Chinese legend even talks about war dogs that looked like lions. One ruler was said to own 5,000 of these dogs. The traveler Marco Polo wrote about them. He saw them pulling sleds through swampy ground.

Today, many people still keep Chow Chows as pets. The American Kennel Club registers about 10,000 of them every year. In Canada, the Kennel Club registers about 350 each year. These dogs can face some health challenges. Some may have problems with their hips or elbows. A study found many have elbow dysplasia. They can also have issues with their eyes or skin.

Even famous people have had a connection to this breed. A man named Sigmund Freud had a dog named Jo-Fi Ling. He used the dog during his therapy sessions. He believed the dog could judge a person's character. This shows how much people value the breed. You might see them in many different countries today. They remain a very distinct type of dog.

The Chow Chow is a sturdy spitz-type dog breed. It originally comes from Northern China. This breed is known for its square profile and broad skull.

It also has a very dense double coat. This coat can be smooth or rough in texture. The fur is extra thick around the neck. This creates a ruff that looks like a mane. This distinctive appearance is one of the breed's most famous traits.

Many physical features make the Chow Chow unique. The ears are small, triangular, and stand erect with rounded tips. Their eyes are almond-shaped and sit deep in the skull.

One of the most striking features is the color of the mouth. The tongue is a deep purple or blue-black color. This dark pigment also covers the lips. The Chow Chow is the only dog breed with this specific bluish color in the oral cavity. Other dogs usually have black or piebald skin in their mouths.

Coat color and tail shape are also important characteristics. The coat can be shaded or self-red, black, blue, cinnamon, or cream. However, not all colors are recognized in every country. For example, the American Kennel Club does not consider fawn, white, or merle to be standard. The tail is also very distinct. It is a curly tail with thick hair. It lies curled upward on the dog's back. The hind legs are very straight. This straightness results in a stilted gait when the dog walks.

Research shows the Chow Chow is a very ancient breed. It is considered a basal breed. This means it existed before the modern breeds that emerged in the 19th century. A study concluded the breed originated from indigenous dogs in central China. This happened about 8,300 years ago. Chinese legends even describe large war dogs from Central Asia. These legends say the dogs resembled black-tongued lions. One Chinese ruler was even said to own 5,000 Chows. The traveler Marco Polo also noted that Chows were used to pull sleds through swampy terrain.

Today, the breed is registered by several different organizations. The American Kennel Club registers approximately 10,000 Chow Chows every year. In contrast, the Canadian Kennel Club registers about 350 per year. While they are beloved, they can be seen as high-risk by some. In the United States, owning one can sometimes raise homeowners' insurance costs. A study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association looked at dog bite fatalities. Between 1979 and 1998, Chow Chows were responsible for 8 out of 238 recorded fatalities.

Health is an important topic for this breed. A UK study found the life expectancy is 12.1 years. This is slightly higher than the 12-year average for crossbreeds. However, it is lower than the 12.7-year average for purebreds. Chow Chows are prone to several skeletal conditions. A North American study found 6.44% of the breed has hip dysplasia. They also face issues with the cranial cruciate ligament. Most notably, they have a high rate of elbow dysplasia. One study found 48.6% of dogs over age two had this condition.

Other medical concerns include eye and skin issues. The breed has the third highest prevalence of glaucoma at 4.7%. They are also predisposed to dermatological conditions. These include alopecia X and atopic dermatitis. Some Chows have a mutation called tyrosinase deficiency. This causes leukotrichia, which affects hair color. They may also face gastrointestinal or neoplastic conditions. This includes stomach cancer and oral melanoma. They are also considered a high-risk breed for autoimmune diseases.

Famous figures have interacted with this breed in interesting ways. Sigmund Freud owned a Chow Chow named Jo-Fi Ling. This dog actually attended his therapy sessions. Freud believed dogs had a special sense. He felt they could judge a person's character accurately. He admitted he relied on Jo-Fi to help assess a patient's mental state. This connection shows the deep bond people can have with these unique dogs. They remain a very distinct part of the canine world.