The Chow Chow To-day                                                                                     

 The Chow is essentially a companion dog to-day.

A distinctly beautiful and very unique breed, quite unlike any other, however it is most definitely not a breed for everyone, requiring an equally strong willed  and consistant owner who is committed to the proper care and socialization of the Chow for the Chows lifetime, which can be anything from ten to fifteen years.    Ongoing positive socialization from puppyhood is essential for this breed, which is naturally wary of those he does not know and takes the protection of his family and territory seriously.

 The Chow is an extremely strong willed, stubborn, aristocratic and proud breed, very similar to the cat in demeanor.     Many Chows actually wash their face after a meal like a cat, and are an exceptionally clean breed, puppies housebreaking themselves at only weeks of age providing they have free access outside to grassed areas.  The adult Chow usually has to answer natures call as far away from the house as possible, often behind bushes etc where no-one can see him.  

Also like a cat they will not necessarily obey commands they see no sense in. It is said that a Chow will readily give his life for his family or chosen person but will not necessarily obey him.   Chows generally do not do well at obedience training and those who do not know the breed have at times labelled the Chow as 'dumb', however the Chow is a very intelligent and independent thinking dog who see's no sense in the repititious obedience commands, or the mundane and demeaning tricks some humans seem to think are amusing.        The Chow is a naturally well behaved, dignified breed which, when treated as an integral part of the family with firm and fair discipline as one would a child, they naturally learn basic commands, although will still always obey in their own time.  This breed should be an 'inside' dog, living with the family as a companion, never left alone in the backyard, (which must be securely fenced,) and never ever tied up, which destroys the whole character of the breed.  This breed has worked with and for humans throughout their entire existance; it is essential that your Chow is involved in, and forms an essential part of your life as much as possible.                            

Although their appearance can suggest otherwise, the Chow is not an aggressive breed.  We were a registered Foster family for more than twenty years with many young children with enormous problems sharing the house with six to eight Chows and never ever had a problem.   The new Chow owner must understand that this breed is totally different in demeanor to that of the easy going Cocker Spaniel or Labrador and will not tolerate being pulled about, hugged or teased by children, and most particularly by those he doesn't know. As with all breeds, children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult when the Chow and children are together. The Chow is essentially a one family or one person dog, bestowing his loyalty and affection on the one he feels has earnt his respect.  The Chow will generally remove himself to a quiet out of the way spot after approving of any guests to the house. He should be then left alone by guests and their children.

 Regular grooming is an essential part of owning a Chow, which has a double coat, a thick woolly undercoat and course outer guard hairs.  There are two types of coat in the Chow breed, the rough which is the one most often seen, and the smooth or short coat with again a double coat but with short guard hairs.   The Chow drops coat twice a year when their undercoat literally falls out in handfuls and regular grooming is essential at this time for everyones comfort.  Regular thorough brushing right to the skin with a good pin brush and a steel comb for the featherings, petticoats and around the head several times a week can keep the Chow looking presentable and comfortable. If regular grooming isn't possible,then a Chow isn't for you. Ungroomed his coat will matt badly, leading to skin problems such as hot spots, rashes and provide an ideal haven for fleas and parasites, resulting in a very unhappy Chow.

We do not recommend shaving or clipping the coat as many veterinarians and well meaning people advise. The Chows coat, with regular grooming, is an insulation against the heat as well as the cold. The coat never grows back the same and after successive clips, the coat will grow back much thicker and tend to matt, becoming almost impossible to groom and to keep looking nice.

 Hip Dysplasia, Entropian and Hypothyroidism  and Elongated Soft Palate are found in the Chow breed, making it particularly important to source a puppy from a reputable registered breeder who has done all the necessary health checks to lessen the incidence of these problems. The Chow is also a Bracycephalic breed, prone to heat stress and must have access to a cool shady area  with a good air flow and with lots of cool clean water  during the summer months. During heatwaves and particularly excessive humid conditions keeping the Chow in airconditioning may be necessary.                                                                                             

 The Chow is also a poor anaesthetic risk and wherever possible, the Isoflurane anaesethia should always be used and the Chow monitered closely at all times.

The Chow puppy is one of the most beautiful puppys looking for all the world like a cuddly little teddy bear and its no wonder people find it hard to resist them when seen in a petshop.  Unfortunately the puppy is bought on impulse by people who have no idea about the breed  and not having the benefit of a reputable breeder to ask for advice or help,  the Chow is almost without exception surrendered, or abandoned before it is four years old, unsocialised, unhappy, chronic skin conditions due to lack of grooming, and often behavioural problems. Together with the fact that this breed does not rehome well, many of these Chows have to be euthanised because suitable understanding Chow homes are not readily available.

Adding a Chow to your family requires much thought and you need to know as much about the breed as possible.

Contact the state Canine Councils or the Master Dog Breeders & Associates www.mdba.net.au for the names of Chow breeders in your area and make appointments to visit them and their dogs. Don't necessarily go with the first breeder you meet, shop around, ask lots of questions, most breeders are happy to talk about their beloved dogs and are more than happy to answer your questions. You will need to be prepared to answer lots of questions about yourself also, reputable breeders need to know that their puppy  is going to a genuine loving forever home, and  they should provide advice and support after you take the puppy home. 

Many breeders require you to sign a contract on the purchase of a puppy. This puts everything in writing as to how the breeder expects you to care for the puppy and what you can expect of the breeder in the way of after sales service and care .  Most reputable breeders will either take the puppy back should you be unable to keep it for whatever reason or help you rehome the chow to a mutually suitable acceptable home.