Breed library

Chow Chow

Also known as Chow, Chow-Chow.

Chow Chow photograph.
Chow-chow in Tallinn.JPG - Томасина. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chow-chow_in_Tallinn.JPG. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Breed overview

The Chow Chow is a spitz-type of dog breed originally from Northern China. The Chow Chow is a sturdily built dog, square in profile, with a broad skull and small, triangular, erect ears with rounded tips. The breed is known for a very dense double coat that is either smooth or rough. The fur is particularly thick in the neck area, giving it a distinctive ruff or mane appearance. The coat may be shaded/self-red, black, blue, cinnamon/fawn, or cream.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: People's Republic of ChinaBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • The Chow Chow has been identified as a basal breed that predates the emergence of the modern breeds in the 19th century.
  • A research study has concluded that the Chow Chow dog breed originated from other indigenous dogs in central China about 8,300 years ago.
  • The ancient breed evolved and manifests both morphological and physiological features, including its dark tongue, coat of fur, and stronger build.
  • One Chinese legend mentions large war dogs from Central Asia that resembled black-tongued lions.
  • The Chinese also used Chows to pull dog sleds through swampy terrain, and this was remarked upon by Marco Polo.

Size and appearance

The Chow Chow is a sturdily built dog, square in profile, with a broad skull and small, triangular, erect ears with rounded tips. The breed is known for a very dense double coat that is either smooth or rough. The fur is particularly thick in the neck area, giving it a distinctive ruff or mane appearance. The blue-black/purple tongue gene appears to be dominant, as most mixed breed dogs that come from a Chow Chow retain that tongue color. However, the blue-black/purple tongue can also be found on the Shar Pei. This is not to say that every mixed breed dog with spots of purple on the tongue is descended from Chow Chow, as purple spots on the tongue can be found on other purebred dogs.

  • Body mass reference: 15.876 - 38.555 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 35 - 85 lb. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Body mass reference: 18.144 - 40.823 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 40 - 90 lb. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: Up to 51 cmBreed reference height. female, maximum.
  • Height reference: 46 cm or moreBreed reference height. female, minimum.
  • Height reference: 48 cm or moreBreed reference height. male, minimum.
  • Height reference: Up to 56 cmBreed reference height. male, maximum.
  • Height reference: 43.18 - 55.88 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 17 - 22 in. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Coat layers: double
  • Coat texture: curly
  • Coat texture: smooth
  • Height category: medium
  • Height category: tall
  • Weight category: large
  • Weight category: medium

Personality and behavior

Owning a Chow Chow can raise the cost of homeowners' insurance in the US because some companies consider them high-risk dogs. In a study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Chow Chow were responsible for 8 out of 238 fatalities related to dog bites from 1979 to 1998.

  • Attachment and attention seeking (C-BARQ mean): 1.63 / 4Owner-reported attachment and attention seeking factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Chasing (C-BARQ mean): 2.68 / 4Owner-reported chasing factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Dog-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 1.04 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Dog-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.53 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Energy (C-BARQ mean): 1.32 / 4Owner-reported energy factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Excitability (C-BARQ mean): 1.84 / 4Owner-reported excitability factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Familiar-dog aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.77 / 4Owner-reported familiar-dog aggression factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Non-social fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.78 / 4Owner-reported non-social fear factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Owner-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.23 / 4Owner-reported owner-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Separation-related problems (C-BARQ mean): 0.48 / 4Owner-reported separation-related problems factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Stranger-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.71 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Stranger-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 1.03 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Touch sensitivity (C-BARQ mean): 0.99 / 4Owner-reported touch sensitivity factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.
  • Trainability (C-BARQ mean): 2.15 / 4Owner-reported trainability factor mean for US reference population Chow Chow.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat layers: double
  • Coat texture: curly
  • Coat texture: smooth

Health and lifespan

A UK study found the life expectancy of the Chow Chow to be 12.1 years, just higher than the 12 year average for crossbreeds and lower than the 12.7 years average for purebreeds.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

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Breed history

The Chow Chow has been identified as a basal breed that predates the emergence of the modern breeds in the 19th century. A research study has concluded that the Chow Chow dog breed originated from other indigenous dogs in central China about 8,300 years ago. The ancient breed evolved and manifests both morphological and physiological features, including its dark tongue, coat of fur, and stronger build. One Chinese legend mentions large war dogs from Central Asia that resembled black-tongued lions. One Chinese ruler was said to own 5,000 Chows. The Chinese also used Chows to pull dog sleds through swampy terrain, and this was remarked upon by Marco Polo.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Chow Chow - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Chow Chow, revision 1368875405. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chow_Chow&action=history
  2. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  3. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  4. File:Chow-chow in Tallinn.JPGWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 3.0. Chow-chow in Tallinn.JPG - Томасина. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chow-chow_in_Tallinn.JPG. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0.
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.