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Chow Chow

INTERESTING AND FUN FACTS ABOUT CHOW CHOW

This teddy-bear-like canine surely knows how to entice someone with its cute and endearing looks. Chow Chows are definitely a very distinctive looking breed of canines that are widely adored for their fluffy appearance and sweet expressions. Despite being a bit aloof and reserved, these canines are very loyal to their owners and family members and are known to make pretty decent family companions.

There are millions of people out there who are ardent admirers of this breed and they want to know every single detail and tidbit about this panda-looking canine. So, below are some fun and amusing facts about the Chow Chows that most of the fans of this breed will find highly enlightening.

General Facts about Chow Chow

  • Name:

    Around the 18th century, the Chinese started trading with the British. It is believed that the British merchants used to bring a whole lot of miscellaneous items back with them from China. And, along with different items, the British also took some of the puffy-looking canines from China into their ships. And, the whole cargo that was brought back from China was referred to as “Chow Chow”. Since the dogs were also the part of ship cargo, they were also given the name Chow Chow. This name is supposed to come from a mangled English term that roughly means “knick-knacks”.

  • Purpose:

    The Chows were used as working canines by the Chinese. These dogs were trained to perform several different kinds of task like pulling sleds, guarding, herding cattle, and primarily, hunting.

  • Alternate Names:

    Chow Chows have a lot of different names especially in China. This breed is also called as ‘Songshi Quan’ in several parts of China which means a puffy-lion dog. Apart from this, they are also known as Lang Gou (Wolf Dog) and Xiong Gou (Bear Dog).

Facts about Chow Chow’s Body

  • Coat:

    The Chow Chows can be found in two different kinds of coat: Smooth and Rough. The Rough-coated Chows are furrier and have longer strands of hair than the Smooth-coated Chow Chows.

  • Tongue:

    Chow Chows are born with a pink-colored tongue, just like any other breed. But because of the presence of a specific gene, the color of the tongue changes from Pink to Blue/Black when the Chow Chow puppies are about nine weeks old. Another famous breed that has this same gene and therefore a dark-colored tongue is the Chinese Shar-Pei.

  • Teeth:

    While most other breeds out there have 42 teeth inside their mouths, the Chow Chows, on the other hand, have two extra teeth firmly placed in their jaws making their total teeth count to be 44.

  • Legs:

    Chow Chow’s hind legs are completely straight, which is also quite uncommon in the canine world. And, their straight back-legs are the reason behind the somewhat stilted manner of walking that is commonly seen in the Chow Chows.

Historical Facts about Chow Chow

  • Origin:

    Chow Chow is a pretty ancient breed that is probably around 2000-3000 years old. Many people believe that these canines are a mix of Tibetan Mastiffs and Samoyeds. But, this theory is contradicted by the fact that Chows have a special colored tongue that neither of these two breeds have. Hence, it is also speculated that the Chow Chow is probably one of the few original breeds that are alive today.

  • AKC Recognition:

    It is believed that Chow Chows first appeared in the United States in 1890. And, 13 years later, they were recognized by the American Kennel Club as a distinct breed.

  • 5000 Chow Chows:

    During the T’ang Dynasty, it is reported that one Chinese emperor admired this breed so much that he had over 5000 Chow Chows. He used them for hunting purposes and he even trained 10000 men to accompany these dogs to their hunting expeditions.

Temperamental Facts about Chow Chow

  • Bad Reputation:

    Chow Chows are definitely not meant for everybody. These dogs, as a puppy, require a good amount of training and handling from their owners so that they become a well-behaved canine when they grow up. But, if we set aside proper training as well, then also the Chow Chows tend to be a little aloof and reserved with most people. They are not very warm with strangers, cats, and even other canines. They are more independent and headstrong in nature when compared to most other canine breeds. But, they also got a bad reputation of being overly aggressive and ferocious towards others. That is not totally true, as the Chows who are properly trained and well-socialized with others are fairly normal with other people and are not at all a danger to them. All they need is proper handling, guidance and plenty of exercise from their owners to become a refined version of themselves.

  • Loyal and Protective:

    Establishing a strong bond with a Chow is not very easy, but once these dogs start trusting someone, then they can be immensely loyal and faithful to them. These dogs also are highly protective of their loved ones and will courageously protect them from any potential harm.

Miscellaneous Facts about Chow Chow

  • Colorful coat:

    Many people used to believe that these dogs only come in a Red colored coat. But, according to AKC, Chow Chows can also have four other colors which are Blue, Black, Cream, and

  • Poor Swimmers:

    The fluffy coat of these dogs can become very heavy after going into the swimming pool as it tends to absorb a lot of water. And, because of this, Chow Chows are unable to swim efficiently, unlike many other breeds.

  • Disney Movie:

    Once, Walt Disney gifted his wife a Chow Chow on the occasion of Christmas. He presented this pooch inside a hat box to his wife who was a bit disappointed when she first saw the box, but after realizing there was a puppy inside it, her disappointment turned into sheer joy and happiness. Taking inspiration from this incident, Walt decided to put this in one of his very famous movies “Lady and the Tramp”.

  • Celebrity Owners:

    Over the years, some Chow Chows have also resided in certain houses that belonged to exceptionally gifted and famous celebrities like Walt Disney, Elvis Presley, Martha Stewart et cetera. Famous psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud also had a Chow Chow who he frequently used in his sessions especially the ones involving children so that they could feel more comfortable and relaxed with such a furry and cute presence in the room.