Chow Chow

The breed standard was published in 1987 by the International Cytological Federation (ICF). It is a race classified in Group 5, that of “Spitz.”

General aspects of the Chow-Chow

The Chow-Chow is a compact dog with short loins, and well-proportioned. It has a leonine appearance with a curled tail carried over its back, like the other races of the Spitz group. It has a short, stilted gait.

HEAD

• Skull: flat and wide.
• Stop: little or not pronounced.
• Nose: large and wide. Black, except among cream-colored or nearly white dogs, who may have a lighter nose. For blue and fawn dogs, nose colors that are the same as their coat are allowed. Black noses are, however, preferable.
• Muzzle: moderately long, wide from the eyes until the tip.
• Lips: black, just like its palate and tongue. A dark blue tongue is preferable. Dilution is stronger in white and cream-colored dogs.
• Jaws and teeth: strong jaws, articulated in perfect scissors. Strong and tidy rows of teeth.
• Eyes: dark and oval. Average height. With blue and fawn dogs, eye colors that are the same as their coat are allowed.
• Ears: small, thick, slightly rounded at the tip. They are carried upright, rigidly, and well-apart. They point toward over the eyes and are slightly convergent. They give the dog a characteristic “scowling” expression.

NECK

Strong, full, but not short. It is well set in the shoulders and slightly rounded. It must be of sufficient length to allow the head to be proudly carried above the line of the back.

BODY

• Back: short, horizontal and strong.
• Loins: powerful.
• Chest: broad and deep. The ribs are well sprung, but are not barrel-shaped.
• Tail: high-set and carried over the back
• Shoulders: muscled and oblique.
• Elbows: equidistant between the withers and the ground.
• Thighs: well-developed.
• Legs: well-developed.
• Hocks: far down. The hocks should be straight and strong, never bent forward.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERA

Non-disqualifying
Any discrepancy from the descriptions set forth above will be considered a defect which will be penalized according to the seriousness and consequences which they have on the dog’s health.

Disqualifying
Aggressive or scared dog.
Physical and behavioral abnormalities.
Males should have two normal-looking, well-descended testes in the scrotum.

Walt Disney supposedly offered a Chow-Chow puppy to his wife Lillian for Christmas. He packed it in a box and placed it under the tree. This was apparently his inspiration for the famous scene in the Lady and the Tramp, when Jim Darling gave his wife Darling a puppy.

Coat of the Chow-Chow

Chow-Chows can have either long or short hair.

Long hair: it is abundant, dense, straight, and stands up. It has a rough texture with a soft, woolly undercoat. The hair is particularly dense around the head where it forms a kind of mane. It also forms bags at the back of the thighs.

Short hair: it is abundant, dense and straight. It is not flat, and stands up. It has a fluffy texture. And artificial shortening of the hair, thus modifying the Chow-Chow’s natural silhouette will be penalized.

Color of the Chow-Chow

There are different coat colors.

Single-colored coat: black, red, blue, fawn, cream, or white.

Single-colored coats are often nuanced but not spotted nor multicolors (the underside of the tail and the rear parts of the thighs are often lighter in color).

Care for the Chow-Chow

Chow-Chows need very regular care. Brushing should be done almost daily for long hairs to avoid the formation of knots. For short hair, a quick brushing once a week is sufficient.