Chow Chow
Encyclopedia
Chow chow is a breed
of dog
that was developed in China
, where it is referred to as Songshi Quan (Pinyin
: sōngshī quǎn 鬆獅犬), which literally means "puffy-lion dog
".
appearance. The coat may be one of five colors including red, black, blue, cinnamon/fawn, and cream.
The eyes should be deep set and almond in shape. Chows are distinguished by their unusual blue-black/purple tongue and very straight hind legs, resulting in a rather stilted gait. The bluish color extends to the chow's lips; the chow is the only dog breed with this distinctive bluish color in its lips and oral cavity (other dogs have black or a piebald pattern skin in their mouths). One other distinctive feature is the curly tail. It has thick hair and lies curled on its back. The nose should be black (except the blue which can have a solid blue or slate colored nose). Any other tone is disqualification for showing in the United States under AKC breed standard. However, FCI countries do allow for a self-colored nose in the cream.
The blue-black/purple tongue gene appears to be dominant, as almost all mixed breed dogs that come from a chow retain the tongue color. This is not to say, however, that every mixed breed dog with spots of purple on the tongue is descended from chows, as purple spots on the tongue can be found on a multitude of pure breed dogs.
. Chows can be fiercely protective of their people and property and may not be an appropriate dog for a first-time dog owner. However AKC standards consider aggressive or timid Chows to be unacceptable. The Chow Chow is considered to be suspicious of strangers and protective of family. However, others characterize the Chow Chow as having a personality similar to that of a cat.
Owning a Chow Chow can raise the cost of homeowners insurance as some companies regard them as "high risk dogs." In a study done by Vet Med Today, from 1979 to 1998, out of a total of 238 fatalities related to dog bites, Chow Chows were responsible for 8.
Chows are not a particularly active breed, meaning they can be kept in an apartment, if they are given enough opportunity for regularly scheduled physical activity each day.
, glaucoma
, juvenile cataracts, lymphoma
, hip dysplasia
, diabetes mellitus
, canine pemphigus
, and gastric cancer. Chows are a high risk breed for Major Histocompatibility Complex
(MHC) and are at a predisposition for skin melanoma
.
Due to the Chow Chow's thick coat fleas can become a problem.
. Research indicates it is one of the first primitive breeds to evolve from the wolf
, and is thought to have originated in the arid steppes of northern China
/Mongolia
. A Chinese bas-relief from 150 BC shows a hunting dog and a dog very friendly toward children similar in appearance to the Chow. Later, Chow Chows were bred as general-purpose working dog
s for hunting, herding, pulling and protection of the home. The black tongued chow was also bred for human consumption. Some scholars claim the Chow was the original ancestor of the Samoyed, Norwegian Elkhound, Pomeranian and Keeshond.
In the United States
, the Chow Chow was a highly popular pet among the rich and famous during the Roaring Twenties
. President Calvin Coolidge
and his wife owned a black chow named Timmy. Chow Chows were also popular in the 1930s and 1980s.
and his wife owned a black chow named Timmy. Sigmund Freud had a Chow Chow named Jo-Fi who attended all of his therapy sessions because he felt that dogs had a special sense that allows them to judge a person's character accurately, and admitted he depended on Jo-Fi for an assessment of a patient's mental state. Martha Stewart
had a chow named Genghis Khan that died in a kennel fire. Peri Gilpin
had a chow chow named Charlie. Janet Jackson
had a chow chow named Buckwheat. Drew Berrymore, Selena Gomez
and Matthew McConaughey
had chow-lab mixes. Manchester United winger Nani
is also an owner of a Chow Chow named Panda. Actor Madhavan
owns a chow chow named "Simba".
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
that was developed in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where it is referred to as Songshi Quan (Pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: sōngshī quǎn 鬆獅犬), which literally means "puffy-lion dog
Foo Dog
Foo Dog, Fu Dog or Lion Dog may refer to:In figurines or statues:*Chinese guardian lions *Komainu, Japanese statues*Shisa, Okinawan statuesIn dog breeds, which resemble the figurines:...
".
Appearance
The chow is a sturdily built dog, square in profile, with a broad skull and small, triangular, erect ears, which are rounded at the tips. The breed has a very dense double coat that can be either smooth or rough. The fur is particularly thick around the neck, giving the distinctive ruff or maneMane
- Biology :* mane of a horse, the line of hair along the spine of the neck* mane of a lion, found around the male mammal's neck- Places :* Mane Department, a department in the Sanmatenga Province of Burkina Faso* French communes:...
appearance. The coat may be one of five colors including red, black, blue, cinnamon/fawn, and cream.
The eyes should be deep set and almond in shape. Chows are distinguished by their unusual blue-black/purple tongue and very straight hind legs, resulting in a rather stilted gait. The bluish color extends to the chow's lips; the chow is the only dog breed with this distinctive bluish color in its lips and oral cavity (other dogs have black or a piebald pattern skin in their mouths). One other distinctive feature is the curly tail. It has thick hair and lies curled on its back. The nose should be black (except the blue which can have a solid blue or slate colored nose). Any other tone is disqualification for showing in the United States under AKC breed standard. However, FCI countries do allow for a self-colored nose in the cream.
The blue-black/purple tongue gene appears to be dominant, as almost all mixed breed dogs that come from a chow retain the tongue color. This is not to say, however, that every mixed breed dog with spots of purple on the tongue is descended from chows, as purple spots on the tongue can be found on a multitude of pure breed dogs.
Temperament
The Chow Chow is most commonly kept as a petPet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
. Chows can be fiercely protective of their people and property and may not be an appropriate dog for a first-time dog owner. However AKC standards consider aggressive or timid Chows to be unacceptable. The Chow Chow is considered to be suspicious of strangers and protective of family. However, others characterize the Chow Chow as having a personality similar to that of a cat.
Owning a Chow Chow can raise the cost of homeowners insurance as some companies regard them as "high risk dogs." In a study done by Vet Med Today, from 1979 to 1998, out of a total of 238 fatalities related to dog bites, Chow Chows were responsible for 8.
Chows are not a particularly active breed, meaning they can be kept in an apartment, if they are given enough opportunity for regularly scheduled physical activity each day.
Health
The Chow Chow can suffer from entropionEntropion
Entropion is a medical condition in which the eyelid folds inward. It is very uncomfortable, as the eyelashes constantly rub against the cornea. Entropion is usually caused by genetic factors and may be congenital...
, glaucoma
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently damaging vision in the affected eye and progressing to complete blindness if untreated. It is often, but not always, associated with increased pressure of the fluid in the eye...
, juvenile cataracts, lymphoma
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
, hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is an abnormal formation of the hip socket that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is a genetic trait that is affected by environmental factors...
, diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
, canine pemphigus
Pemphigus
Pemphigus is a rare group of blistering autoimmune diseases that affect the skin and mucous membranes.In pemphigus, autoantibodies form against desmoglein. Desmoglein forms the "glue" that attaches adjacent epidermal cells via attachment points called desmosomes...
, and gastric cancer. Chows are a high risk breed for Major Histocompatibility Complex
Major histocompatibility complex
Major histocompatibility complex is a cell surface molecule encoded by a large gene family in all vertebrates. MHC molecules mediate interactions of leukocytes, also called white blood cells , which are immune cells, with other leukocytes or body cells...
(MHC) and are at a predisposition for skin melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
.
Due to the Chow Chow's thick coat fleas can become a problem.
History
Recent DNA analysis confirms that the Chow Chow is one of the oldest breeds of dogAncient dog breeds
Fourteen ancient breeds of dog have been identified through advances in DNA analysis. These breeds of domesticated dog show the fewest genetic differences from wolves...
. Research indicates it is one of the first primitive breeds to evolve from the wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, and is thought to have originated in the arid steppes of northern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
/Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. A Chinese bas-relief from 150 BC shows a hunting dog and a dog very friendly toward children similar in appearance to the Chow. Later, Chow Chows were bred as general-purpose working dog
Working dog
A working dog refers to a canine working animal, i.e., a type of dog that is not merely a pet but learns and performs tasks to assist and/or entertain its human companions, or a breed of such origin...
s for hunting, herding, pulling and protection of the home. The black tongued chow was also bred for human consumption. Some scholars claim the Chow was the original ancestor of the Samoyed, Norwegian Elkhound, Pomeranian and Keeshond.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Chow Chow was a highly popular pet among the rich and famous during the Roaring Twenties
Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties is a phrase used to describe the 1920s, principally in North America, but also in London, Berlin and Paris for a period of sustained economic prosperity. The phrase was meant to emphasize the period's social, artistic, and cultural dynamism...
. President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
and his wife owned a black chow named Timmy. Chow Chows were also popular in the 1930s and 1980s.
Famous Chow Chow Owners
President Calvin CoolidgeCalvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
and his wife owned a black chow named Timmy. Sigmund Freud had a Chow Chow named Jo-Fi who attended all of his therapy sessions because he felt that dogs had a special sense that allows them to judge a person's character accurately, and admitted he depended on Jo-Fi for an assessment of a patient's mental state. Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
had a chow named Genghis Khan that died in a kennel fire. Peri Gilpin
Peri Gilpin
Peri Gilpin is an American actress known for her role as Roz Doyle in the U.S. television series Frasier from 1993 until 2004. Along with the principal cast, Gilpin won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2000...
had a chow chow named Charlie. Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
had a chow chow named Buckwheat. Drew Berrymore, Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez is an American actress and singer best known for portraying Alex Russo in the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place...
and Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
had chow-lab mixes. Manchester United winger Nani
Nani
-People:*Nani, a Portuguese footballer who plays for Manchester United*Gianluca Nani, former technical director at West Ham United*Nanabhoy Palkhivala, nicknamed Nani, an Indian jurist and economist*Nani Roma, a Spanish rally racing driver...
is also an owner of a Chow Chow named Panda. Actor Madhavan
R. Madhavan
R. Madhavan is an Indian actor, writer, film producer and television host. Madhavan has received a Filmfare Award, an award from the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards alongside recognition and nominations from other organisations...
owns a chow chow named "Simba".