Chow chow owners.....?

Question

I live in a condo with my mother, and we are both looking for a dog. Since I go to college and my mother works, it has to be capable of being alone for a bit. After searching, we both took fond of the chow chow. Is this dog obedient? Aggressive? playful?

Answer 1

My first dog after moving out of my parents house was a Chow mix. He was a rescue and had been abandoned and left on a city street in the middle of January. Everybody warned me how aggressive their breed was.... how they were one person dogs and not all that friendly.

Fortunately, I wasn't working for probably the first year....... year and a half of his life so I had a lot of time to work with him. He went everywhere with me and was socialized from day one with all kinds of people and different dogs and he ended up being one of the most loving, friendly dogs and loved everybody he met. He would step aside from his food bowel and let the other dog, the cat and the birds outside finish before he would eat himself. He was just that docile. (Before anyone has a fit over letting the birds eat his food, we did NOT let him eat what they had been in .... it was just funny seeing him step back from the dish for birds) BUT when the other dog was a puppy and was jumping on him constantly and tormenting him, he'd finally get to the point where he had enough and would let the other dog know . He did it without getting rough with him and it didn't happen very often either.... for the most part, he just ignored the puppy when he started acting up like that. I think he just had an unbelievable amount of love and tolerance for every living thing he ever met.

Everyone was right though... Chows definitely need a lot of work and training but with that training, mine ended up being one of the best dogs I've ever had.

Answer 2

Like Pit Bulls, people highly over react to Chows. They are NOT super aggressive biting machines. Because of these misconceptions, many chows and chow mixes are overlooked and euthanized each year.
A Chow has more in common with a cat than with your neighbors lab. They are highly intelligent and easy to potty train and basic obedience such as walking on a leash. However, they do not take much abuse and they are less likely than other dogs to perform "circus" tricks. Due to their lower tolerance of pain and lower patience in general they are not the best dogs for small children. Chows are generally low key animals but they will bark when strangers approach. Some chows may not welcome other pets and strange people while others don't have a care in the world. Due to their cat like behavior a Chow will likely want to be left alone by strangers than attack the person, but it depends on the dog and how it was raised. Their aloof behavior is probably due to their past. Chows were once used as food and fur so developing a personality that is loving and compassionate toward humans is recent. Chows are very loyal dogs and they take disloyalty seriously. Speaking of fur, a chows fur must be brushed and groomed regularly. Chows can shed like crazy.

Answer 3

Many people love Chows, and many people dislike them. I know vets and trainers that refuse to deal with them.
I have seen Chows that are very well behaved, but they are the result of very dedicated owners since naturally Chows can be agggressive, over protective, stubborn and aloof.
I don't believe that they are the right dog for someone that is not entirely familiar with dogs in general as well as the breed.
If you are set on getting a Chow, I would recommend doing a lot of research to make sure you are ready to handle the breed.

Answer 4

I have owned Chows off and on all my life, and I love them! Having said that, they are not the breed for everyone. They are aloof, independent and protective. The good part is you can leave them alone while at work. They usually don't like to be touched by other people. I recommend socializing the pup by taking it somewhere busy ( like a bench in front of a mall) and encourage people to pet him/her. Only try this with a young pup. It will make a big difference later on. An older dog or rescue will need a special home with experienced Chow owners.

Answer 5

This type of breed is very loyal, however, does not necessarily like to be alone. Also, they may not even be allowed in your condo, many apartments and condo's ban them. They can be aggressive, but it is a common misconception. Just like any other dog, they would be lonely. Also, they are not very playful as adults, they really don't play with toys. In all actuality, maybe you should re evaluate if you should even get a dog, because that does not sound like a lifestyle a dog would enjoy. Maybe think about a cat? Good luck with whatever you choose.

Answer 6

We had Chow Chows growing up and they were very lovable to us but were skeptical of people they weren't familiar with which has led to breed bans (stupidest idea I ever heard of). They are low to medium drive dogs but are very affectionate towards their family. A word of advice, make sure you know how to groom or can afford a groomer.

Answer 7

Aggressive describes the Chow alright!!!!!!! Check your Condo rules also!!! They are banned in many!! There are alos a lot of Vets and Groomers that will not deal with them!!! They are cute as pups, but they are an aggressive breed and having company might be a problem in the future!!!!
Do a LOT more research first!!!

Answer 8

Aggressive for sure. I have only ever known 2. Both were far more aggressive than any other dog I have known. Not a good choiceunless you have a lot of time to spend on training which it does not look like you have

Answer 9

read up on a boxer they are the best dog ever!!! the have very little grooming, well mannered and loyal!!!