Chow Chow

Also known as: Chow, Songshi Quan

The Chow Chow is one of the oldest known dog types, originating in China and used as a hunter, guard dog, and puller, historically also raised for meat in some regions. The breed carries a distinctive blue-black tongue, a rare trait shared with only one or two other breeds worldwide, along with straight rear legs that give it a stiff, almost bear-like gait. The dense, long double coat, alongside a rarer smooth variety, forms a lion-like mane around the neck, and a male can reach 32 kilograms. It is known for an independent, sometimes almost cat-like temperament, rarely showing the demonstrative friendliness toward strangers that many breeds do. Coat care demands a real, ongoing time investment in brushing. Life expectancy runs 8 to 12 years.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

Chow Chow: how old in human years?

46–56 cmHeight
20–32 kgWeight
8–12 yrsLife expectancy

Basenji

FCI group: Spitz and Nordic/Ancient-type Dogs
FCI section: Section 5: Asian Spitz and related breeds
FCI: 205
Country of origin: China

Energy level

2/5
Trainability

2/5
Family friendly

3/5
Grooming need

5/5

At a glance

Height

Males 48–56 cm

Females 46–51 cm

Weight

Males 25–32 kg

Females 20–27 kg

Life expectancy

8–12 yrs

Coat

double coat, rough long outer coat (also smooth variety) (long)

Temperament & Family Life

Chow Chow's average temperament and family-life score for this breed is low.

Family friendly 3/5
Good with children 2/5
Good with other dogs 2/5
Friendly with strangers 1/5
Intelligence 3/5
Trainability 2/5

Exercise, Energy & Space

Chow Chow's energy and exercise needs are low.

Energy level 2/5
Exercise need 2/5
Apartment friendly 3/5
Prey drive 2/5
Hunting instinct 1/5

Guarding & Alertness

Chow Chow's guarding and alertness traits are moderate.

Guarding instinct 4/5
Watchfulness 4/5
Barking level 2/5

Grooming & Care

Chow Chow's grooming needs are moderate.

Shedding 5/5
Drooling 1/5
Grooming need 5/5

Living with the Chow Chow

Some dogs greet you at the door in a frenzy of bouncing; a Chow lifts his head from his spot, looks you over and decides all is in order. He is calm, dignified and independent, and plenty of owners compare him to a cat. He does need to move, but not marathons: two moderate walks a day and some time to sniff suit him fine, which is why he copes well in a flat. Only on a hot summer day does that heavy coat become a burden, so walk early or late and give him shade.

Training a Chow takes patience and respect. He understands what you want but first considers whether it is worth it, and he remembers harshness for a long time. Short, calm lessons, treats and clear, consistent rules work best. Socialisation really matters here: introduce him to all sorts of people, places and dogs from puppyhood, because by nature he is suspicious of strangers and not keen on dogs he doesn't know.

With his own people the Chow is devoted without being clingy: he wants to be in the same room, not on your lap. He makes a watchful guardian who barks rarely but means it when he does, and takes the boundaries of his home seriously. He does better with older children who understand that a dog isn't for hugging and tugging; his patience with the noise of toddlers can be short. If you like a quiet, self-possessed companion with opinions of his own, you will struggle to find a better fit.

Grooming and coat

A Chow's coat is his crown and your weekly project. Rough-coated Chows have long, stand-off guard hairs over a thick, woolly undercoat, while smooth Chows wear it shorter but just as dense; either way there will be plenty of hair, and when the undercoat changes there is enough for a second dog. Brush several times a week, layer by layer right down to the skin, especially behind the ears, under the armpits, on the trousers and the tail, where mats form first. Don't shave this coat: it protects against sun as well as cold, and after a bath it must be dried all the way through, or damp trapped underneath irritates the skin.

Brushing shows you the skin, so part the coat and check for redness, flakes or damp, smelly patches. Look inside the small upright ears once a week to see that they are clean and odour-free. Check the eyes more often than you would in many dogs: deep-set eyes with skin folds around them mean watering, redness or squinting are worth catching straight away. Chows don't always love being handled, so get yours used to the brush, nail trims and having his paws touched from puppyhood, in short, calm sessions.

How to do it:

By age:

Health and possible conditions

A blue-black tongue, a lion's ruff and a stilted gait you wouldn't mistake for any other dog's: the Chow Chow stands out in more ways than looks. The breed's health list covers joints, eyes, hormones and the stomach, so it pays to know which signs should catch your attention. A dense coat and a reserved temperament can hide when something is wrong, which makes regular vet check-ups especially worthwhile here.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.

Hip dysplasia

A developmental problem of the hip joint in which the head of the thigh bone doesn't sit properly in the socket, so the joint wears over time. Because a Chow's hind legs are fairly straight and the gait is unusual anyway, changes are easy to miss: watch for a dog that gets up more slowly, avoids stairs or shortens walks. Ask the breeder about the parents' health testing, and show any lameness or stiffness to your vet.
Elbow dysplasia

A developmental problem of the elbow joint in the front legs: as the dog grows, the parts of the joint form imprecisely and rub where they shouldn't. You might notice a young dog limping on a front leg, especially after resting, or nodding his head as he walks. For a sturdy, heavy-boned Chow it is worth knowing about from puppyhood, so ask the breeder about the parents' health testing and talk to your vet about any limp.
Patellar luxation (slipping kneecap)

The kneecap is a small bone at the front of the knee that should glide in its groove; when it luxates, it pops out to the side. The dog may run a few steps holding up a back leg, then carry on as if nothing happened. In a Chow it can be harder to spot under all that coat and at that unhurried pace, so an odd skip or a leg that is sometimes held up is worth showing to your vet.
Hypothyroidism

When the thyroid gland makes too little hormone, metabolism slows and the dog becomes more sluggish. In a calm Chow it is hard to tell temperament from illness, but the signals are weight gain with no clear reason, avoiding the cold, a thinning or dull coat, and hair that is slow to grow back after clipping. If you notice several of these together, your vet can check with a blood test.
Diabetes mellitus

With diabetes the body can no longer properly control the amount of sugar in the blood. The first thing you notice is the water: the bowl empties much faster, the dog pees more, perhaps with accidents indoors, and may lose weight despite eating well. Don't put changes like these down to age in your Chow; tell your vet, who can find out the cause.
Eye problems

An umbrella term for several eye troubles, from eyelid problems to damage to the cornea. A Chow's deep-set eyes and the folds of skin around the face mean the eyelids can roll inwards so that the lashes rub the eye: the dog blinks, waters, rubs his face or keeps an eye half-shut. Look into his eyes every week, and show any redness, cloudiness or squinting to your vet.
Cancer

In this breed the concern is tumours of the stomach, which develop quietly and give no clear signs for a long time. An older Chow may start vomiting for no obvious reason, lose his appetite, lose weight or seem duller, and under all that coat weight loss is easy to miss. So run your hands over his ribs regularly, and talk to your vet promptly about repeated vomiting or a fading appetite.
Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus)

The stomach fills with gas and can twist, cutting off its blood supply, and that is life-threatening. The dog turns restless, tries to vomit with nothing coming up, drools, and the belly swells and goes hard. As a deep-chested dog the Chow is at risk, so if you see these signs he needs a vet immediately.

Food for large breeds — cheapest per kg

This list is chosen by the breed's weight (32 kg) rather than the breed itself: shops label food by dog size, so every breed of the same size gets the same list. Prices are updated daily.

≈ 340 g of dry food a day, from €18,63 a month For a neutered, normally active 26 kg dog. Calculate for your dog