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Chow Chow Description

The Chow Chow enjoys many unique traits: his scowling expression, large head with his broad flat skull and broad deep muzzle, accentuated by his dramatic profuse ruff, his blue black tongue, and his stilted gait.  Correctly the Chow Chow is squarely built, not longer than tall, and has hind legs that show little angulations, with the hock joint and metatarsals directly beneath the kip joint, which thereby produce the breed's characteristic short, stilted gait.  Two varieties of the Chow are recognized, the Rough and the Smooth, both of which are double coated; quality and texture should outweigh length.  The rough coat is abundant, straight and off-standing, rather coarse to the touch; the smooth is hard, and dense, without ruff or feathering.  The Chow's head is large in proportion to the dog and carried proudly, but never makes the dog look top heavy; skin not too loose.  The ears are necessarily small and moderately thick triangles which round at the tips, erect and tilting forward.  Drop ears disqualify.  Nose must be large and black in color; tongue must be solid blue-black; spotted noses or other than black (excluding blue Chows) noses as well as pink or spotted tongues disqualify.  In color the Chow can be red (light gold to deep mahogany), black, blue, cinnamon (light fawn to cinnamon), and cream.  The average adult Chow stands 17 to 20 inches at the withers.  The Chow is well proportioned, medium in size with muscular heavy bone development; cloddy, overdone dogs and snipy, fine-bonded dogs are not desirable.

The scowling Chow Chow of yesteryear may not be the easygoing, affectionate Chow of today.  Many breeders have successfully convinced the Chow that people are trustworthy and good willed.  We believe that ill-tempered Chows are, for the most part, not a product of heredity but a victim of lack of training and socialization.  They have had reputations of willful disobedience and impenetrable aloofness.  Many Chows today are biddable and huggable, all the while maintaining their fuzzy nobility.  Before purchasing this breed, be sure you spend a little time talking with a breeder and learn more about the Chow Chow.

Chow Chow Breeders

• BJ Chow Chow - KY

• Lanzui Kennels - TX