I am the proud owner of a female Chow Chow named Moshi. She's a Cinnamon/Cream mix, although looks predominately Cinnamon. I'll be adding more pictures of her soon.
A close-up of Moshi when she was a puppyIf you don't know about Chows, you might be surprised when you meet one. They aren't a typical dog and may not even be a dog! Archaeological finds have unearthed prehistoric canines that bear strong resemblance to the Chow Chow. It is widely accepted that Chows are probably one of the most ancient dog breeds, dating back thousands of years. Chow-like dogs have been found among the bones of prehistoric cavemen. (By comparison, many dog breeds have appeared only in the past few hundred years as a result of selective breeding.) What is not widely understood is if the Chow Chow is a dog at all. You see, Chows have several features unique to their kind. The most noticeable is their blue/black tongue which is not seen in any other dog breed (although some mixed breed dogs have partially black tongues). The blue/black tongue is seen in only one other mammal that I know of, the black tongued bear. Like the bear, the Chow Chow has 44 teeth as a puppy. Dogs only have 42 teeth. The Chow Chow loses its two extra teeth before adulthood. Also, Chows have a peculiar gait, which is caused by their unique rear legs. The rear legs are kept stiff and swing back and forth like a pendulum when the dog is walking. When a Chow Chow is bred with another dog, the offspring often have stiff rear legs with limited mobility.
Besides several physical differences, the other most noticeable difference is the Chow Chows personality! Chows have a very strong personality that many people find unsettling in a dog. Chows are very intelligent, but aloof and independent. They are sometimes compared more to cats than dogs. Some scientists have concluded that the Chow Chow is actually descended from a prehistoric animal (lamicyon) that differs from the dog, although it has the same ancestor as the dog and bear.
Well, despite the uniqueness of the Chow Chow, it is still considered a dog by the AKC, and so is one of the recognized breeds of the AKC. Moshi is officially Moshi II according to the AKC records. I would like to have seen the first Moshi Chow Chow.
Ann Landers recently ran a series of columns on dogs and Chow Chows in particular. She labeled the Chow Chow as being on her list of "do not get" dogs. This is because many people do not understand the unique nature of the Chow Chow and thus have mistakenly placed the Chow Chow in the "viscous animal category". The US Centers for Disease Control lists the Chow Chow as a potentially dangerous animal as well, supposedly due to a history of Chow Chow attacks on humans. It is sad that the Chow Chow is so misunderstood. Perhaps it is better that the Chow Chow is given this reputation since it will prevent people who are not acutely aware of the breed from owning one. Chows will typically bond to only one human and are better off in houses without children. They demand dignified treatment and their own personal space. They are very protective of their masters and their homes, but will almost never attack another dog or human unless threatened or provoked. I have seen far more "dog fights" occur with so-called "good house dogs" than with Chow Chows.
The Chow Chow has its origins in Asia. The Chow was kept as a multi-purpose dog in the palaces of Chinese emperors. There the Chows served as guardians, sport hunters, and herders - defying the categorization applied to modern day AKC dogs. I believe that the familiar lion guardian statues seen at the entrance to many Chinese buildings are actually not lions at all. The statues have a thick mane, thus they are usually thought of as lions. However, the mane is probably the grand ruff of the Chow, and not of the noble lion. Furthermore, the short square shape of the statues is more like that of a Chow than the long lean shape of a lion. They bear stronger resemblance to Chow Chows and even mimic the familiar stance of a Chow Chow guarding the front door of its home. Chow Chows would have been far more common a guardian than lions in ancient China.
The links below will take you to Chow Chow sites on the Internet. You can return to Jay Kapur's home page by clicking here
