Chow Chows?

Question

How many people out in yahoo answer land have chow chow's? If so what do you like most about the breed?

I respect everyone's opinion on breeds that are like and disliked... but I must say I disagree from my own personal experience... Like I stated my own experience. I am also a vet tech and a groomer and a proud chow owner... I have 2 males... I have had also come across the 'bad' chow... but in all in all.... Do you blame the breed for its reputation or the owner?

Answer 1

I think a lot of times Chow Chows are just misunderstood. I completely disagree with breed specific laws, and breed specific characterizations. It's okay to "understand" that "this particular breed" is more likely to do this, or act like that, etc. But I think people should look at each individual dog personality before they make a decision about any dog.
I am the director at our local humane society, and we've had plenty of "bad" chows come through, but we've had just as many "good" chows. Same with the pits. I think it's only fair to give each individual dog their own individual chance. But that's just my opinion.

Answer 2

Having worked for vets, Chows are one breed I would avoid. Sorry, but they are not trustworthy dogs & bite without displaying the typical warning behavior (growling, standing stiffly with hair on back up, showing teeth) and without provocation - even sometimes members of their own family. If you like the looks of the Chow, some much nicer breeds I would reccomend you check into are the Norwegian Elkhound: http://www.akc.org/breeds/norwegian_elkhound/index.cfm and the Keeshound: http://www.akc.org/breeds/keeshond/index.cfm

p.s. My own mother had a Chow Chow as a child & told me it bit everyone in the family at least once, & many neighbors.

p.p.s. If you are groomer & vet tech and have only come across a FEW Chows that were 'bad', you are a very lucky rare exception (as you can gather from people here). I rarely came across a nice one - I distinctly remember one very sweet black female I met that actually wagged her tail at me- one, in many years. And most of the owners were perfectly normal, nice people that were appaled their cute little puppy grew into a dog they could not trust & had to lock away when company came - even though they had been to puppy kindergarten, etc., like the vets I worked for recommended. I felt sorry for them, but that is why it is so important to research a breed (& breeder) before the purchase.

Answer 3

To be honest they are a very tricky breed to own. My mom had two of them...a golden brown one and a black one...she loved them but the golden one was a bitter and even bit the mobile vet when she tried to tend to it...in fact she bit my mom so bad (the dog was ill at the time and she was trying to feed her so that is understandable to a degree) that she had to go and get stitches and the dog ultimately had to be quarantined.
The black male was not nearly as touchy and did not bite anyone but my sister in law got rid of the poor thing when it was a puppy because it killed a rabbit. The rabbit should not have been out in the first place so I never understood why she blamed the poor puppy.
Unless you understand a Chow Chow completely then I do not recommend you own one...they are by and large good dogs but not the best to have around children.

Answer 4

i have a chow and she is attached to me more that the other 5 people who i live with. she is a great dog. some people found her in the woods in the back of there house and she had oil spilt on her and 21 ticks. and that was when she was 1 1/2 yrs old and now shes 7. shes the best. we also used to have 2 sister chows when i was like 2 yrs old and they were great together. one got hit and the other we had to give away(or ran away). but shes protective. and she lives with a pit bull. and hes 4yrs old. and she the dominate one. i like there personalities. i just like everything about the breed. and nothing/no one will change my minds about them. she is the best thing that happened to our life. she saved people in our family. my nanas husband was on a hill and cinnamon(my chow) was with him and cinnamon knew somthing was coming and she turned around to face the woods and the bear came out and kenny saw it and ran while the chow tried to keep it away from getting him. the show aslo saved him another time while coming up the road. he was walking to the house and cinnamon was with him and there was a bear running right behind him and she stopped and chased him away. u know what my pit also saved lives with the chow. we had another pit before the one we had now and him and cinnamon were the best of teams. i love chows and pit always and forever.

Answer 5

They are the ONE breed I would have to be held at gunpoint to own. I would have a pit first. I like NOTHING about them and have worked with enough to know what I am talking about!!!!!

17 years as a vet tech, 5 years grooming, and three years at a shelter.........I have seen ENOUGH of them!!!!!!!

I am sure that they are like pits in that VERY FEW people should own the breed. But unlike pits, who you can generally tell which are going to be a problem, Chows you really can't. After a couple, I was safer assuming that they were ALL going to be a problem!!!! And they were!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They are too cute as puppies, and too many people get them and think they are just big teddy bears!!!!!!

Answer 6

I agree with Torbay 100%. I've been grooming for 15 years and also have prior experience in working with boarding kennels, SPCA and a vet. I have only come across ONE Chow that didn;t have an aggression issue.
I don't even accept them in for grooming..I won't touch them. They are way too unpredictable.