Chow-chow — a guard dog, companion, one of the the oldest breeds of dogs.
By their origin, the chow chow belong to the group of spitz, but there is an assumption that they have an admixture of the blood of the Tibetan Great Dane (mastiff).
History of the name
The breed in different periods of its existence was called differently: Tibetan mastiff, Tatar dog, barbarian dog, but for almost a century it has been called chow-chow. There are many different versions of the origin of the name "chow-chow": from the name of the place on the ship for cargo transportation — "chow-chow" — to the slang form "edible" — "chow" (from whale. 雜 — ‘mixed'). But only two of them seem real. According to one, the chow chow got its name from the ancient dog "chu" [to clarify], according to the other, this name was given to the breed by English merchants who traded in oriental spices and called all the Chinese living in England chow and chink (kit. N or 晉).
History of the breed
The Chow chow is considered one of the oldest dog breeds, and DNA analysis confirms this[1]. The study shows that it is one of the first primitive breeds that evolved from the wolf, as it is believed, in the arid steppes of northern China and Mongolia. A Chinese bas-relief of 150 BC depicts a lion hunt with a dog, similar in appearance to a chow chow. Later, the chow chow began to be used as dogs for hunting, reindeer husbandry, protection and even as sled dogs.
Chow chow has been known in China for more than 2 thousand years.
The purebred chow-chow line was maintained in Buddhist monasteries, where they were engaged in breeding the breed and kept special journals, in essence, chow-chow pedigree books. Blood refreshment was carried out by exchanging producers between monasteries.
The first description of chow chow was brought to Europe by the Italian traveler Marco Polo, who lived for a long time in Tibet. Due to the closeness of the Chinese state from the outside world, the next news about chow chow came to Europe only in 1785 from a book on natural history by Gilbert White.
The first chow chows appeared in England in the 1830s. Then they drew the attention of English dog breeders, who began to improve this breed. The proud and regal chow chow we see today is more a product of British breeding than the ancient Chinese chow.
Currently, the breed is rather decorative, although it can easily cope with its ancient "work".
According to research conducted by scientists from the University of British Columbia led by Stanley Koren, chow chows have the lowest degree of perception for learning and the lowest level of mastering/executing commands (77th out of 80 breeds).
Personality
Chow chows are kept most often as pets. Famous chow owners include Sigmund Freud, Don Bluth, Walt Disney, Elvis Presley, Clark Gable, Lil Dagover, Martha Stewart. His keen sense of home ownership, combined with a sometimes too serious approach to strangers, can be an unpleasant surprise for those who are unfamiliar with the breed. Nevertheless, the manifestation of timidity and aggression is not characteristic of a well-mannered chow-chow. He is very loyal to his family and is closely related to his master. Chow, as a rule, shows his love only to those with whom he has a close connection, so new visitors to the house should not physically insist on chow's attention, since he will immediately be mistaken for a stranger in the same manner as members of his own pack.
Inexperienced dog owners should beware of the collision of chow chow with those whom they perceive as strangers. Such notoriety of the breed has led to the fact that many homeowners' insurance does not apply to chow chow. Males and females usually live together with less stress than breeds of other dogs, but this does not guarantee peaceful cohabitation of dogs of both sexes at home.
The Chow Chow is not a particularly active breed. Apartment life, if they get enough opportunities for daily physical activity, suits them. Chow chow can seem independent and aloof all day, keeping a comfortable distance from others, but staying within earshot, or prefer to observe new guests at the entrance. Owners need to be prepared for brisk daily walks with chow chow, even if they have a fenced yard, to meet the needs of the dog in mental and physical development. Although chow Chows are weakly energetic dogs for most of the day, he will crave walking time for research and play to stay contented and happy. Many chows stand out in positive strengthening training methods, such as "Clicker Training", where chow chows solve natural problems and do not get endlessly repetitive tasks. Chow chows often show stubbornness in training, not wanting to regularly perform the same exercise.
