Chow Chow - description of the breed and character of the dog

This breed has existed for a very long time. Its history goes back several thousand years. Representatives of the Chinese nobility loved chow-chow. During the existence of the breed appeared a lot of legends and traditions associated with it. Appearance in dogs is quite unusual. In addition, they have a strange character. Therefore, their owners appeared different thoughts and fantasies associated with chow-chow. People believed that the breed originated from lions, bears or polar wolves. Among the aristocrats there were many who wanted to have such a dog. And some poor people ate them, believing that the meat of a dog is able to heal from diseases.

Many experiments have been conducted on the breed, but many of the chow chow puzzles have never been solved. Why do these dogs have a blue tongue? For what reason are they so neat and calm?

Story

To date, it is impossible to track the pedigree of the breed, as it appeared a long time ago.One of the Chinese rulers quarreled with scientists, after which he destroyed almost all the books and records in the country. Books about dog breeds and their lineage have also been destroyed. The only thing that testifies to the existence of a breed at that time is a figurine of a dog, similar to a representative of the breed, made of clay.

Scientists, studying the history of the breed, suggested that the first representatives appeared in China during the invasions of the Tatar-Mongols. Barbarians used them for military purposes. The dog attacked the enemy and knocked him down. When an armistice was concluded between the warring parties, the barbarians presented the four-legged warriors to the Chinese ruler. The emperor liked the gift, the Chinese aristocrats also liked these dogs very much. After that, China began to actively breed these dogs. It was discovered that they are excellent hunters. It is known that the ruler of the Tang dynasty had a kennel, which contained about 5 thousand dogs, which were similar to chow-chow. These dogs are very appreciated. Among the upper classes, they were considered a valuable gift, which spoke of appreciation and a special attitude.

There is a legend associated with the Chow, which says that at the time of the birth of the world there were these sacred dogs. The gods allowed one of the dogs to lick the edge of the sky. So people explained why a Chow Chow language has a blue color. Interestingly, the chow-chow are born with a pink-colored language, and only then it becomes dark.

When the times of great wars and hunts passed, the Chow Chows ceased to be privileged dogs. There were a lot of them, and the quality was getting worse. The rich no longer wanted to keep the secret of the breed. Chow chow spread throughout the country. Now they could belong not only to the rich. Poor people often became their masters. But it was very difficult for a poor man to feed such a big dog. Therefore, they kept only the smallest dogs and ate the rest.

Peasants in China used chow-chow as labor. They had to learn a lot. They were good hunters, guarded huts and things. With their help, transported various loads, watched the sheep in the pasture.

When the chow-chow fell into the hands of the poor, there was no one to take care of the purity of the breed. People only tried as much as possible to use dogs for their economic purposes. If the dog was not smart enough to do the work, it was simply eaten.This dish was considered a delicacy, as the Chinese were sure that by using them, they were healed from diseases.

It was very hard for poor people in China to feed themselves, so many of them contained special farms for raising dogs for human consumption. Every year there was a celebration where the Chinese ate the dishes of their dogs. But for eating it was bred more than a cross. Sometimes purebred dogs served for this purpose. Of them not only cooked food, but also used their good fur. So that he possesses good characteristics, the dogs were fed vegetarian food.

Despite all the difficulties experienced by the breed, they were still considered valuable. The meat and skin of purebreds could be expensive to sell. If in the Chinese village there was a wedding, then the newlyweds were given a gift - 6 pairs of chow-chows.

origin of name
There are a lot of controversies about this, as there are a lot of versions. It is believed that the name comes from the Chinese word "chow-chow." In translation, it means "delicious." Also, some people think that the name came from the fact that the Europeans had corrupted the word “chao-chao”,which can be translated as "hunting dog." But there is another version that many researchers have recognized. The fact is that the first representatives of the breed were transported on commodity ships. They were the commodity premises, which were called "chow-chow". Interestingly, in Chinese the name sounds different.

Delicacies
At the end of the 19th century there were a lot of restaurants serving dishes from dogs. In 1915, this was banned. These delicacies can not be bought and sold. But they do not always comply with this law.

Chinese temples
The breed exists nowadays due to the fact that Buddhist monks are engaged in it. For many centuries in Tibet and northern China chow-chow bred. Dog breeders kept records about pedigrees. They did not eat dogs because they were afraid of the wrath of the gods.

These dogs were considered sacred. They were used as guards for temples, as well as for hunting. Due to the fact that the dogs spent a lot of time in the darkness of the temple, the sun did not affect the coat. Therefore, the color is preserved. To update the livestock, the monks exchanged dogs.

One person who came from England to China on business described his meeting with the dog guarding the temple.It was in the middle of the 20th century. Foreigners were on good terms with the monks, so they were allowed to visit their territory. The expedition drove past the temple by car. As soon as the gates were open, beautiful-colored dogs ran up to the car of the stasa. They barked and growled at strangers. The appearance of the dogs very surprised the British.

From Tibet to Europe
But in Europe about this breed have learned before. A famous Italian traveler named Marco Polo lived in Tibet for a while. So he repeatedly encountered the predecessors of the breed. It was still in the 13th century. The traveler was surprised by the nature of the dogs and their hunting abilities. He described one interesting story about how one of the dogs was sold to Nepal. The dog only got used to its new owner and setting only in two months.

Another mention of the chow-chow occurred in 1780. Two representatives of the breed were brought to London. They became the inhabitants of the city zoo, where the dogs were shown as wild, which are found in China.

The breed became better known to Europeans after 1865. This happened when Queen Victoria was given a gift. It was a chow chow from Tibet.The Queen really liked the puppy, he looked like a bear cub. She did not settle him in the nursery, and left him.

After this incident, the Chow Chow began to be actively imported from China. In 1882 they participated in the exhibition. They were introduced as foreign dogs. Already in 1887, English dog breeders were actively engaged in the breed. And after 8 years, the breed standard was defined.

The dog breeders did a great job, so the Chows became like their wild ancestors. They had a former nobility and a lion's appearance. For all the time of existence, the breed has undergone many tests. The Chow were both valuable friends of the Chinese aristocrats, and slaves for the poor, and Tibetan hermits. But in the hands of English breeders, they became restrained by English lords and good friends to their masters.

After the Chows became known in England, they appeared in America, and then in Germany and other European countries. Not everyone can buy a puppy, as they are still very expensive.

Appearance

Males weigh 25-32 kg, and females - an average of 5 kg less. Height - 46-56 cm. Color may be different.Black, red, blue, cream. There are representatives with long and short hair.

Dogs are of medium size. Their skull is flat. Males have a larger size and weight. The Chow Chow has a big black nose. If the dog is light, then the nose can be light. The tongue should be blue-black. If it is just black or has a deep blue tint, this is a big disadvantage. Their lips and gums are black. The jaw is powerful, the muzzle is wide, medium in length. The eyes are oval in shape, medium in size. The ears are small and thick, planted at a distance from each other. They have rounded tips. Due to the fact that the ears are bent forward, the Chow Chows look gloomy.

Dogs have a powerful neck, short back. The chest is also wide and powerful. The tail is set high. Long-haired Chows have straight and long hair. There is a mane. Behind the hips, the coat is also elongated.

Care

These dogs, though they have a thick coat, but it does not fall down and is cleaned by itself. Therefore, the dog can live in the apartment and on the street. You can bathe them only occasionally. Every week chow-chow combed out a rare comb. After the walk you need to wash your paws.When bathing shampoo can be applied several times. The dog must shake first. After that, her wool can be combed and dried. Chow chows should walk a few hours a day. The dog must get used to the collar since childhood.

It is necessary to monitor the state of the dog, as you may not notice the disease by behavior.

Fact! Still small puppies of chow-chow differ in cleanliness. They are shy, so they like to go to the toilet alone. Even in adulthood, they retain this feature.

They really don't like mud and rain. In this weather, they will not want to go for a walk, because they do not like wet grass and puddles.

Nutrition

Chow chows need to choose one type of feed. It should be either only store food, or homemade food. You do not need to mix them. This can make the dog sick. In any case, choose a high quality food.

Training

Modern chow-chows are considered decorative pets. But the past makes itself felt. They are independent, committed to only one person. Character is phlegmatic and alienated. They like to sleep and take a walk. But even during games they do not make any sound. Barking chow can be heard rarely.

They rarely show feelings, but sometimes a rebel wakes up in them. If the Chow is offended by the owner, he can refuse to eat and have fun.

Scientists are convinced that this breed is difficult to train. This is due to the stubborn character of the breed. They do not want to repeat the same actions that are required of them. Because of this, chow-chow training is conducted according to specially designed programs. Only very patient trainers can achieve success.

But when the owner is in danger, the Chow Chow forgets about his whims. Once in Moscow, a case occurred when a chow-chow dog rescued its owner after an explosion due to a gas leak. The woman was walking with a dog who suddenly refused to take the road that they always chose to walk. A few minutes later the wall of the house fell on this path.

In a Russian village, a woman went to a forest to pick up mushrooms. When she was about to go home, a dog appeared who called her behind her. It was a chow. The woman followed her. Reaching the road, she found a man who was crushed by a cart. The woman pushed her aside and the man survived.

Dog breeders say that chow-chows have special wisdom that not everyone can comprehend.

Price

The cheapest dogs cost about 3-5 thousand rubles. But they will not have documents. If you want to buy a dog for breeding, then it will cost more - 12-20 thousand.

Video: Chow Chow Dog Breed