What is life like with a Chow Chow?

Question

So many choices to choose from. I love all dogs, but have always wanted a cute Chow Chow with its black tongue. Any tips from owners?

Answer 1

I love mine. IMO - this is the best breed I have ever had. But if you decide to get one, please do a LOT of research. Having a chow live with you is not the same as having other breeds. While having my babies has been a wonderful gift, there are many things to think of when looking to have one of these ancient breeds.

The pros to living with a chow:
VERY loyal to their family - a chow is a life long friend. They will usually gravitate towards one person more than another, but love the entire family.

A great family pet. With the proper training and the right owner, your chow will be a wonderful addition to your family. As long as he is around kids from the time he is a pup, he will be very gently with them and a good friend to them.

Very smart - scary smart sometimes :)

Independent nature - for some this is a positive, for others it is not. Chows are a lot like cats in this respect. While he needs love and attention, he does not need it constantly like some other breeds. He is always happy to have your love.

Quiet - chows have a very distinctive bark - they don't generally have a full voiced bark like most dogs. They "uff". It's a quiet sound. However, if they suspect danger, they can let loose with a pretty ferocious full voiced bark. They don't bark often, they seem to be silent observers until they have assessed the situation and determine if their family is in danger. The biggest bonus to this is that you know if your chow is barking, you need to investigate.

Protective - when trained properly, he will be protective without being aggressive.

Beautiful. Properly groomed, they are gorgeous! They have the look (and the heart!) of a lion.


Cons
HAIR - hair everywhere. I have found hair in the oddest places! The grooming is expensive (around $60 - $80 a visit once a month with regular brushings by you in between) and very time consuming or if you decide to do this yourself, average of about 4 hours a session once a week. If they are not properly groomed, they develop terrible mats and more importantly hot spots. These are sores that will develop on their skin that are painful to the dog. The one bonus is that they shed in clumps so there is not a million single pieces of hair floating around.

One of the ways to deal with this issue though is to go with the smooth coated chow. Their hair is much shorter, but they still have the undercoat to deal with. As far as any other differences with this variation, I can not help you as I do not have any experience with them.

Medical problems - chows are prone to eye, ear and hip problems. The eye problem, called entropion, is caused by an eyelid abnormality where their eyelids can turn in. This will usually require surgery to repair; the ears require long term medication. Otherwise, they are a healthy, hardy dog

Behavior issues - Chows must be socialized from day one, and they require lifelong socialization. They are an aloof, dominant dog, and without the proper socialization, they may become territorial. They are very suspicious of strangers, and may take quite a bit to warm up to new people. From day one, take your puppy as many places as possible and constantly introduce new people, places and things. (This is usually pretty easy as they are adorable pups and most people will gravitate toward them)

Chows are stubborn and strong willed. While very smart and able to learn commands and tricks, they are not like other dogs that are always eager to please their people. Some days, your chow may not feel like doing his tricks, and he won't :) Other days, he will perform to perfection. Just like most of us, some days he just doesn’t feel like working lol

I don’t want to dissuade you from getting one of these great dogs, but I also want you to be aware of what you are getting into. I could go on for hours about the pros and cons of living with chows. I love them. But I have seen so many dogs come through rescues because someone got that cute puppy that looks like a cute little bear, and then he grows up and is now a strong willed dog and the person doesn’t know how to handle them.

Please remember that for thousands of years, these dogs were bred to guard the royal palaces of China and to hunt. Breeders are now trying to breed some of the dominant traits out of them, but they have all those years that have already been bred into them to contend with

Make sure if you decide to get a chow, that you do your homework on the breeder. Make sure that the parents have been certified and are registered. Make sure they have been temperament tested. Also, if the breeder does not grill you to the point where you almost want to say forget it, then I would be concerned. Any responsible breeder knows how badly things can go with these dogs in the wrong hands. The owner needs to be more strong willed and stubborn than the dog, so they are going to want to make sure that their dog is going home with someone who will be able to handle them.

Answer 2

My grandmother owns show quality chow chows and they are fabulous! A lot of people say they are unpredictable and can be vicious, but I think it really depends on how you raise them. Each dog has it's own personality. One dog may be timid, while the other friendly.

If you want a good quality dog you should buy one from the mainland, chows from Hawaii (that aren't bought from the mainland) are not good quality.

Some chows have long coats, which requires brushing. If you do not like that you should buy a short coat chow. My grandmothers long haired chow's chest are always wet from when they try to drink water and it's a little gross.

If you plan to breed keep in mind the mothers are very protective and may bite people they are unsure of.

Other than that, go ahead! They are great dogs.

Answer 3

I have a Chow Chow crossed with a German Shepard and she is the most loyal dog that I have ever had, she is a great watch dog very protective of her territory and her people but she is not aggressive. She loves children and old people we volunteer at an old age home and she loves it and is never happier than when she has a bunch of kids gathered around to pet her, pretty smart to she can do quite a few tricks with not a whole lot of training. She does shed quite a bit come spring time but a trip to the groomers sorts that out easily enough. Also she lives with three cats and has always gotten along with them ,however she does chase the strays that wonder onto our property. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

The Chow Chow is usually well-mannered, but can be willful and protective. Bossy, serious and very independent. They are self-willed to the point of obstinacy. Often a one-person dog, very loyal to his family, though he may act reserved, even with them. If strangers push themselves on this dog, he may become aggressive. This very dominant breed requires a dominant owner. The owner of this breed of dog should be a calm person who is naturally fair and firm. With such a handler, the Chow Chow can develop well. Don't expect great obedience from them. They are born stubborn and with minds of their own. The dogs can learn because they are certainly not stupid, but they must see the point of your command. Be consistent at all times.
Most Chow Chows like to dominate other dogs, but in contrast, they are quite good with children. If they get to know cats and other household animals when they are young, they will get along with them when they are adults. They must be extensively socialized when very young to combat potential over-protectiveness as an adult.

Answer 5

The only chow that I have known personally, rather than just out at shows, was dog aggressive, very aloof/wary and was not at all demonstrative in his affections for his owners. I think if a ball fell into his lap he wouldn't have even looked at it- try as they might he just wasn't interested (of course there are probably chows who do like to play but this one did not). I personally find them too independent (I like having a dog that relies on me) but if that's what you like then they could be perfect for you. If this makes sense they just don't seem to have a sense of humour- that's the best way I can describe it )but everyone is different).

Answer 6

I have one chow chow and she is the sweetest well behaved dog i have ever had. They like to sleep and they love getting attention from you. They are very affectionate, and as long as you treat it with kindness and respect it is the best dog. When you are first getting to know it, make sure you know that it is going to be ok with kids, other animals,etc. overall, they are fantastic dogs and i would really recommend getting one!!!

Answer 7

My sister had one, he was to big to be cute, he grew up to be 75 bl, no kidding. He was a great dog expect he did not like any males around any of us girls. The vet said it was becasue my sisters x use to hit her. They become very protective.

Answer 8

I have owned two and they have a very good manner. They do become family protective after time though.

Answer 9

You know I always thought they were mean growing up.

But I see that Martha Stewart has one.

haha

They must not be that bad. They are cute dogs also.

Answer 10

I don't have one, but that's my favorite Dog.