Chow Chow: appearance, coat and temperament of the breed

The Chow Chow attracts strong opinions and about as much inaccurate information. This guide relies on the official FCI breed standard, which in this case is unusually direct about welfare.

Origin: China, more than two thousand years

The standard attributes the Chow’s ancestry to China, where it was kept as a guard dog and also used for hunting. It has been known there for upwards of 2,000 years and is related to Nordic-type spitz dogs, with something of the mastiff in its build.

Because of China’s closed-door policy, Chows did not appear in other countries until around 1800. They reached England and later gained wide notice there, with dogs shown at Crufts in 1925.

Under the FCI, the breed is in Group 5 (Spitz and primitive types), Section 5, Asian Spitz and related breeds, with guard dog and companion as its stated uses. The American Kennel Club places it in the Non-Sporting Group.

Appearance and size

Trait	FCI standard
Height — males	48 to 56 cm
Height — females	46 to 51 cm

The general picture is of an active, compact, well-balanced, lion-like dog with a proud bearing and the tail carried well over the back. The bluish-black tongue is a defining trait of the breed.

The two coats

• Rough: abundant, dense, straight and standing off the body, but not excessive in length. A coarse outer coat over a soft, woolly undercoat, especially thick around the neck, forming a ruff.
• Smooth: short, dense, straight, upstanding, not flat, plush-like in texture.

The standard explicitly forbids any artificial shortening of the coat that alters the natural outline.

The warning the standard makes a point of recording

One sentence of the official document deals directly with suffering:

The dog must be able to move freely and must not have so much coat as to impede activity or cause distress in hot weather.

It is rare for a breed standard to be this explicit. Read plainly: a Chow Chow with an excessive coat in a hot climate is a welfare problem, not a show-ring merit. Shade and water at all times, exercise in the cooler hours, regular brushing that keeps the undercoat aired and extra attention on hot, humid days are part of owning one.

Temperament: aloof, not aggressive

The standard says: quiet dog, good guard; independent, loyal, yet aloof. That combination explains much of the breed’s reputation. An independent, reserved dog does not greet strangers with a party, and that is often misread as hostility. The standard, however, lists an aggressive or overly shy dog as a disqualifying fault, along with any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities.

What the breed needs is socialisation from puppyhood, reward-based training (independence responds poorly to force) and an owner who does not expect an effusive dog.

The characteristic gait

The standard describes relatively short strides, with the hind feet not lifted much, giving a stilted, pendulum-like action seen from the side. It should still be free, never heavy, with good endurance.

Who the breed suits

People who want a naturally discreet guardian, are comfortable with independence and will keep up with frequent brushing and careful heat management. It is not the right breed for someone who wants an effusive dog, for families who will not socialise the puppy or for exercise routines under strong sun. See also how to choose a dog breed.