History of origin
Chow Chows have been living next to humans for more than two thousand years, and according to the results of a genetic examination, they are considered one of the oldest dog breeds on earth. These dogs descended from a wild wolf that lived in the steppes of Mongolia and on the territory of modern China. Gradually they were domesticated by the steppe nomads, who began to use the ancient ancestors of the Chow Chow for hunting and guarding their camps. And purposeful breeding of powerful dogs with golden hair was taken up by Buddhist monks. Almost every monastery had a book that described in detail all the puppies born within its walls over the millennia. To improve the breed, the monasteries exchanged puppies among themselves. Thanks to the “monastery kennels”, chow-chow dogs became very popular in China – they settled in the imperial palaces and in the homes of high-ranking officials.
The famous traveler Marco Polo also fell under the spell of “lion dogs” and brought several Chow Chows to Venice from China, but exotic dogs did not start a boom in the new breed. Therefore, until the beginning of the 1830th century, these amazing dogs were not known in Europe, since it was forbidden to carry these dogs outside the Great Wall of China. And only in the XNUMXs the first chow-chows appeared in Great Britain. English dog lovers were amazed by the beauty and calm nature of the majestic animals and began to purposefully breed them.
Gradually, Chow Chows took on their current form, which is somewhat different from the appearance of their Chinese ancestors. In 1925, several Chow Chow dogs were presented at a dog show. And in 1957, the International Cynological Federation officially registered the Chow Chow as a separate breed and approved its standards. Now chow-chow dogs are popular all over the world, they have practically lost their original roles as a hunting and guard dog, turning into a complaisant and devoted companion of a person.
Breed description
A Chow Chow dog of medium size, with strong bones, a straight back and a broad chest. Head with broad and flat skull, sharp transition from forehead to muzzle. The muzzle is broad, with a large wide nose. The ears are small, thick, rounded at the ends, set wide apart and tilted forward. The eyes are of medium size, oval and dark (color eyes are allowed in blue and cinnamon dogs). The jaws are powerful, the teeth are even with a scissor-like taste. The tail is set high, close to the back. The fore and hind limbs are muscular, well developed, ending in rounded cat feet with good support on the fingers.
According to the type of coat, Chow Chows are divided into long-haired and short-haired. In long-haired dogs, the coat is thick, luxuriant, with coarse guest hair and soft undercoat, forming a mane around the head and noticeable feathering on the back of the thighs. In short-haired – dense straight coat creates the effect of “plush”. Chow Chows are recognized in five colors: red, black, cinnamon, blue, beige or white.
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Character
“Each dog, of course, has its own character, but if we talk about the character of the Chow Chow breed in general, we can say that this is a dog with the character of a cat,” says Irina Rybak, head of the Zvezda Tavrida kennel. – They are completely self-sufficient, live on their own, they certainly become attached to the owners, but are in no hurry to violently express their feelings. If the owner of the chow-chow has not been at home for a long time, the dog will certainly be delighted, but will not rush to lick him from head to toe, will come up, happily wag his tail several times, considering that this is enough for a joyful greeting.
Best of all, Chow Chow dogs are suitable for calm people with a measured lifestyle, because these beautiful animals prefer this way of life. Maybe their Buddhist upbringing had an effect, but it seems that these beauties spend most of their lives in meditation and comprehending the foundations of everything that exists.
“Chow-chows are not at all aggressive, but at the same time they do not like familiarity,” says Irina Rybak. – And if they still tolerate it from the owners, then they will obviously not allow themselves to be squeezed by guests and outsiders. If the Chow Chow does not like something, they will report it with a single bark or simply step aside. This breed of dog respects foreign territory and requires people to respect the boundaries of what is permitted. At the same time, Chow Chows are infinitely devoted to their owners, affectionate and sensitive, they are simply sure that people already understand this.
Care and maintenance
“Caring for Chow Chow hair is not difficult,” explains Irina Rybak. – Puppies up to a year, while their coat is changing, need to be combed out once a week, and adult dogs should be combed out once every two weeks. Chow Chows are very neat dogs, they themselves try to bypass puddles, not to step into the mud, but after each walk you still need to wipe their paws, and if they have soiled their hair somewhere, just wipe it with a soft cloth. Bathing Chow Chow often is not necessary – bath procedures twice a year are enough. It is necessary to use only special shampoos, and wipe the coat well with a towel and comb it until it dries completely.
When feeding Chow Chow dogs with natural food, it is difficult to achieve a balanced diet, and if the owners have chosen this way of eating, then additional vitamins must be given to the pet. Therefore, it is easier to use industrial feed, which includes all the minerals and vitamins necessary for the animal.
– Puppies after each feeding should be taken outside if the owners do not want to wipe puddles at home, – says Irina Rybak. – And after six months, chow-chow puppies are walked three times a day. When the dog is one year old, it is enough to take her for a walk twice a day: up to 40 minutes in the morning and an hour in the evening. Chow Chows are not sports dogs, they do not need intensive walks with running and overcoming obstacles, a calm exercise will be enough.
Education and training
– Chow Chows are dogs with a well-developed intellect, they can be easily controlled with the help of ordinary words: “come”, “do not do this” – they perfectly understand what the owner wants and pick up the intonations of his voice, explains Irina Rybak. – Chow Chows are not service dogs, so they can be stubborn and not immediately follow commands, but if a person has established interaction with a pet, then he will become an ideal companion. But children need to be immediately explained that a dog is also a person, and does not like being hurt or left alone for a long time. Then the chow-chow and the child will also become best friends. These are calm and balanced animals, willingly observing the rules of behavior adopted in the family, if they are treated with love and respect.
Health and disease
“Like many native breeds, chow chows have quite strong immunity, they have good health, are quite hardy and unpretentious,” says Irina Rybak. – The only problem with chow chows is allergies to insect bites. If the dog has started to scratch its skin in several places, it is most likely not a nutritional problem, but exposure to fleas, ticks or other insects. Therefore, Chow Chow needs additional protection. I advise products that are applied to the withers and additional treatment with sprays. Then the dog will feel great, without giving the owners any reason to worry.
Like any dog, chow chows need to be vaccinated against infections and rabies annually, anthelmintic therapy should be carried out, and the condition of their eyes and ears should be monitored. And with any changes in behavior, deterioration of health, temperature, seek advice from a veterinarian. If you create the necessary conditions for life, these “domestic lions” will live next to a person for a long time, making his life more interesting and beautiful.
Popular questions and answers
We talked about the Chow Chow breed with biologist, cynologist, author of a book on raising dogs Irina Makarenkova.