Chow Chows: What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em Training Chow Chows Chow Chow Health
A house is not a home
without a CHOW!

View My Guestbook
Sign My Guestbook
Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape
Chow Chow's for sale,
Chow Chow puppies for sale
Chow Chow's for sale,
Chow Chow puppies
Chow Chow's for sale,,
Chow Chow puppies
chow chow
breeder
chow chow
breeder
huzzahcreekkennels@yahoo.com
            Chow Chow Breed Standard
Non-Sporting Group
The Most Impressive breed of all.

General Appearance – Characteristics – An ancient breed of northern Chinese origin, this all-purpose dog of
China was used for hunting, herding, pulling and protection of the home.  While primarily a companion today, his
working origin must always be remembered when assessing true Chow type.  A powerful, sturdy, squarely built,
upstanding dog of Arctic type, medium in size with strong muscular development and heavy bone.  The body is
compact, short coupled, broad and deep, the tail set high and carried closely to the back, the whole supported by
four straight, strong, sound legs.  Viewed from the side, the hind legs have little apparent angulation and the hock
joint and metatarsals are directly beneath the hip joint.  It is this structure which produces the characteristic
shorter, stilted gait unique to the breed.  The large head with broad, flat skull and short, broad and deep muzzle is
proudly carried and accentuated by a ruff.  Elegance and substance must be combined into a well balanced whole,
never so massive as to outweigh his ability to be active, alert and agile.  Clothed in a smooth or an off standing
rough double coat, the Chow is a masterpiece of beauty, dignity and naturalness.  Essential to true Chow type are
his unique blue-black tongue, scowling expression and stilted gait.


Size--
The average height of adult specimens is 17 to 20 inches at the withers but in every case consideration of overall
proportions and type should take precedence over size. Proportions-- Square in profile and close coupled.
Distance from fore chest to point of buttocks equals height at the highest points of the withers. Serious Fault
Profile other than square. Distance from tip of elbow to ground is half the height at the withers. Floor of chest level
with tips of elbows. Width viewed from the front and rear is the same and must be broad. It is these proportions
that are essential to true Chow type. Weight is 45 to 70 pounds.

Substance
-
-Medium in size with strong muscular development and heavy bone. Equally objectionable are snippy, fine boned
specimens and overdone, ponderous, cloddy specimens. In comparing specimens of different sex, due allowance
must be made in favor of the bitches who may not have as much head or substance as do the males. There is an
impression of femininity in bitches as compared to an impression of masculinity in dogs.

Head
Proudly carried, large in proportion to the size of the dog but never so exaggerated as to make the dog seem top-
heavy or to result in a low carriage. Expression essentially scowling, dignified, lordly, discerning, sober and
snobbish, one of independence. The scowl is achieved by a marked brow with a padded button of skin just above
the inner, upper corner of each eye; by sufficient play of skin to form frowning brows and a distinct furrow between
the eyes beginning at the base of the muzzle and extending up the forehead; by the correct eye shape and
placement and by the correct ear shape, carriage and placement. Excessive loose skin is not desirable. Wrinkles
on the muzzle do not contribute to expression and are not required.

Eyes
dark brown, deep set and placed wide apart and obliquely, of moderate size, almond in shape. The correct
placement and shape should create an Oriental appearance. The eye rims black with lids which neither turn in nor
droop and the pupils of the eyes clearly visible. Serious Faults Entropion or ectropion, or pupils wholly or partially
obscured by loose skin.

Ears
small, moderately thick, triangular in shape with a slight rounding at the tip, carried stiffly erect but with a slight
forward tilt. Placed wide apart with the inner corner on top of the skull. An ear which flops as the dog moves is very
undesirable. Disqualifying Fault – Drop ear or ears. A drop ear is one which breaks at any point from its base to its
tip or which is not carried stiffly erect but lies parallel to the top of the skull.

Skull
The top skull is broad and flat from side to side and front to back. Coat and loose skin cannot substitute for the
correct bone structure. Viewed in profile, the toplines of the muzzle and skull are approximately parallel, joined by a
moderate stop. The padding of the brows may make the stop appear steeper than it is. The muzzle is short in
comparison to the length of the top skull but never less than one-third of the head length. The muzzle is broad and
well filled out under the eyes, its width and depth are equal and both dimensions should appear to be the same
from its base to its tip. This square appearance is achieved by correct bone structure plus padding of the muzzle
and full cushioned lips. The muzzle should never be so padded or cushioned as to make it appear other than
square in shape. The upper lips completely cover the lower lips when the mouth is closed but should not be
pendulous.

Nose large, broad and black in color with well opened nostrils.  Disqualifying Fault – Nose spotted or distinctly
other color than black, except in blue Chows which may have solid blue or slate noses.

Mouth and Tongue – Edges of the lips black, tissues of the mouth mostly black, gums preferably black.  A solid
black mouth is ideal.  The top surface and edges of the tongue a solid blue-black, the darker the better.  
Disqualifying Fault – The top surface or edges of the tongue red or pink or with one or more spots of red or pink.  
Teeth strong and even with a scissors bite.

Neck, Topline, Body
Neck strong, full, well muscled, nicely arched and of sufficient length to carry the head proudly above the topline
when standing at attention. Topline straight, strong and level from the withers to the root of the tail.

Body short, compact, close coupled, strongly muscled, broad, deep and well let down in the flank. The body, back,
coupling and croup must all be short to give the required square build. Chest broad, deep and muscular, never
narrow or slab-sided. The ribs close together and well sprung, not barrel. The spring of the front ribs is somewhat
narrowed at their lower ends to permit the shoulder and upper arm to fit smoothly against the chest wall. The floor
of the chest is broad and deep extending down to the tips of the elbows. The point of sternum slightly in front of
the shoulder points. Serious Faults Labored or abdominal breathing (not to include normal panting), narrow or
slab-sided chest. Loin well muscled, strong, short, broad and deep. Croup short and broad with powerful rump and
thigh muscles giving a level croup. Tail set high and carried closely to the back at all times, following the line of the
spine at the start.

Forequarters  
Shoulders strong, well muscled, the tips of the shoulder blades moderately close together; the spine of the
shoulder forms an angle approximately 55 degrees with the horizontal and forms an angle with the upper arm
approximately 110 degrees.  Length of upper arm never less than length of shoulder blade.  Elbow joints set well
back alongside the chest wall, elbows turning neither in nor out.  Forelegs perfectly straight from elbow to foot with
heavy bone which must be in proportion to the rest of the dog.  Viewed from the front, the forelegs are parallel and
widely spaced commensurate with the broad chest.  Pasterns short and upright.  Wrists shall not knuckle over.  
The dewclaws may be removed.  Feet round, compact, catlike, standing well upon the thick toe pads.

Hindquarters
The rear assembly broad, powerful, and well muscled in the hips and thighs, heavy in bone with rear and front
bone approximately equal. Viewed from the rear, the legs are straight, parallel and widely spaced commensurate
with the broad pelvis. Stifle Joint shows little angulation, is well knit and stable, points straight forward and the
bones of the joint should be clean and sharp. Hock Joint well let down and appears almost straight. The hock joint
must be strong, well knit and firm, never bowing or breaking forward or to either side. The hock joint and
metatarsals lie in a straight line below the hip joint. Serious Faults Unsound stifle or hock joints. Metatarsals short
and perpendicular to the ground. The dewclaws may be removed. Feet same as front.

Coat
There are two types of coat; rough and smooth. Both are double coated. Rough In the rough coat, the outer coat
is abundant, dense, straight and offstanding, rather coarse in texture; the undercoat soft, thick and wooly. Puppy
coat soft, thick and wooly overall. The coat forms a profuse ruff around the head and neck, framing the head. The
coat and ruff generally longer in dogs than in bitches. Tail well feathered. The coat length varies markedly on
different Chows and thickness, texture and condition should be given greater emphasis than length. Obvious
trimming or shaping is undesirable. Trimming of the whiskers, feet and metatarsals optional. Smooth The smooth
coated Chow is judged by the same standard as the rough coated Chow except that references to the quantity and
distribution of the outer coat are not applicable to the smooth coated Chow, which has a hard, dense, smooth
outer coat with a definite undercoat. There should be no obvious ruff or feathering on the legs or tail.

Color























































































Gait  
Proper movement is the crucial test of proper conformation and soundness.  It must be sound, straight moving,
agile, brief, quick, and powerful, never lumbering.  The rear gait shorter and stilted because of the straighter rear
assembly. It is from the side that the unique stilted action is most easily assessed. The rear leg moves up and
forward from the hip in a straight, stilted pendulum-like line with a slight bounce in the rump, the legs extend
neither far forward nor far backward. The hind foot has a strong thrust which transfers power to the body in an
almost straight line due to the minimal rear leg angulation. To transmit this power efficiently to the front assembly,
the coupling must be short and there should be no roll through the midsection. Viewed from the rear, the line of
bone from hip joint to pad remains straight as the dog moves. As the speed increases the hind legs incline slightly
inward. The stifle joints must point in the line of travel, not outward resulting in a bowlegged appearance nor
hitching in under the dog. Viewed from the front, the line of bone from shoulder joint to pad remains straight as the
dog moves. As the speed increases, the forelegs do not move in exact parallel planes, rather, incline slightly
inward. The front legs must not swing out in semicircles nor mince or show any evidence of hackney action. The
front and rear assemblies must be in dynamic equilibrium. Somewhat lacking in speed, the Chow has excellent
endurance because the sound, straight rear leg provides direct, usable power efficiently.

Temperament
Keen intelligence, an independent spirit and innate dignity give the Chow an aura of aloofness.  It is a Chow’s
nature to be reserved and discerning with strangers.  Displays of aggression or timidity are unacceptable.  
Because of its deep set eyes the Chow has limited peripheral vision and is best approached from the front.

Summary
Faults shall be penalized in proportion to their deviation from the standard. In judging the Chow, the overall picture
is of primary consideration. Exaggeration of any characteristic at the expense of balance or soundness shall be
severely penalized.

Type should include general appearance, temperament, the harmony of all parts, and soundness especially as
seen when the dog is in motion. There should be proper emphasis on movement which is the final test of the
Chow's conformation, balance and soundness.

Disqualifications
Drop ear or ears. A drop ear is one which breaks at any point from its base to its tip or which is not carried stiffly
erect but lies parallel to the top of the skull.
Nose spotted or distinctly other color than black, except in blue Chows which may have solid blue or slate noses.
The top surface or edges of the tongue red or pink or with one or more spots of red or pink.

Life Expectancy
15 years

Health Problems
beware of hip dysplasia, They are prone to suffer eye irritations, this could be a sign of Wet Eye or a more sever
problem called Entropion. Other than that they are normally healthy

Click here to find out about Eye Problems

Living Conditions
The Chow Chow will do OK in apartment life if it is sufficiently exercised. It is relatively inactive indoors and a small
yard is sufficient. They are very Sensitive to heat, but can live outdoors with proper shelter and care. Please make
sure you exercise your Chow regularly, for good health,


Chows come in five colors: red, cinnamon, black, blue, and cream. They are no such colors as silver, lilac
lavender chocolate white, or silver. None of the chow colors are rare or more valuable
than any of the other. They are to be judged on an equal basis.

RED: can be from a deep solid mahogany red to a light golden
red with nearly white shadings on the tail. Red puppies are
born a mousy brown color sometimes with a black mask.












CINNAMON:
is probably the most misunderstood chow color and
the hardest to describe. In England this color is called fawn.
Cinnamon ranges from a light with a grey or even pinkish cast to
a darker shade that is not red.













BLACK: is self explanatory some black chows have some silver
breeching's in their tails. Black chow puppies are born black.















BLUE: is a steel gray color they can range from a very dark bluish
grey to a light silvery bluish color.



.








CREAM: is almost ivory, nearly white, some adults have a
butterscotch color to their coat. They are cream from birth.
Cream puppies do not have a dark mask.