Chow Chow
The Chow Chow is loved for its lion's-mane ruff, blue-black tongue and dignified, cat-like independence; the AKC says owners call it the cleanest of dogs, easy to housebreak, nearly odorless and happy in city life with no special exercise needs. It is a reserved, protective breed that does not want to be fussed over, so the best adopter is a calm, confident person who respects a dog that loves on its own terms.
Medium: 17-20 in and 45-70 lb per AKC; VCA gives 50 to 75 lb
8-12 years (AKC and VCA)
Several short walks a day plus grooming time and calm company; VCA says a trained adult is fine home alone
Low to moderate: AKC rates barking 1 of 5, but VCA says a Chow will offer a barking commentary on anyone passing the house
Apartment or house both work (AKC says Chows happily take to city life); VCA prefers a fenced yard or access to one; air conditioning is a must in summer; crate as a den
Profuse rough or smooth double coat; thorough brushing at least twice a week, more in the seasonal shed; VCA rates grooming high-maintenance
Low to moderate: AKC rates energy 3 of 5 and says no special exercise needs; VCA says low, happy with short walks or play
Non-Sporting Group
Temperament
The AKC describes the Chow as dignified, serious-minded and aloof, an aristocrat with an air of inscrutable timelessness, and says well-socialized Chows are never fierce or intractable but always refined and dignified, aloof with strangers and eternally loyal to loved ones. It rates affection with family 4 of 5, openness to strangers 2 of 5 and protective nature 5 of 5. VCA calls the Chow a reserved, dignified individual who does not particularly enjoy being petted, cuddled or fussed over, especially by children, but who is generally easy to live with: quiet, clean and usually very well-behaved. VCA also says the breed is more protective and territorial than most and that anyone passing the house will draw a barking commentary. Trainability is a middle 3 of 5 on the AKC scale; the AKC calls the Chow very intelligent but stubborn, and VCA says trainers need to respect its innate independence. This is a dog that chooses its people and then keeps its own counsel.
“Well-socialized Chows are never fierce or intractable, but always refined and dignified. They are aloof with strangers and eternally loyal to loved ones.”
American Kennel Club
Daily needs and attention
This is one of the easiest profiles for a working household. The AKC says the Chow has moderate exercise needs, requiring daily walks and moderate play with toys with minimal rough play or high-impact exercise, and suggests a moderate-paced walk four or more times a day; VCA rates exercise low and the ideal owner's activity level as low, with a full-time but no overtime schedule. VCA says a trained adult Chow is fine home alone, which fits a breed the AKC describes as serene and adaptable. What the dog needs from you is grooming time, several short outings, and calm, consistent training rather than hours of running. Heat changes the schedule: the AKC says to avoid exercise during hot periods because the breed does not tolerate heat or humidity well, so summer walks move to dawn and dusk. Daycare is usually a poor fit for a reserved, territorial dog that VCA says does best with somewhat submissive dogs of the opposite sex; a walker introduced properly is better.
“A moderate-paced walk four or more times a day will help to keep Chow and owner happy and healthy, and doing activities together enhances the human-canine bond.”
American Kennel Club
Health and lifespan
Both the AKC and VCA give 8-12 years. The AKC lists eyelid entropion, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, allergies and thyroid function as breed health issues, and recommends patella, hip, elbow, ophthalmologist and thyroid evaluations. VCA's list is similar: hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, entropion, in which the eyelids turn inward, and hypothyroidism, with breeding parents expected to have OFA and CERF clearances. Two points matter for adopters. VCA says that like any short-nosed breed the Chow does not tolerate anesthesia well and vets need to account for it in any procedure, so choose a vet who knows the breed. And heat is a health issue, not just a comfort one: VCA says the Chow does not do well in heat and should never be left outdoors in warm weather, and Humane World for Animals warns that high humidity hampers a dog's ability to cool itself by panting and that a temperature over 104 degrees means heat stroke. A rescue Chow should get a baseline eye exam for entropion, a thyroid panel and a look at hips and elbows.
“In addition, like any short-nosed breed, the Chow Chow does not tolerate anesthesia well.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
Habits and behavior
The AKC passes on what owners say: Chows are the cleanest of dogs, they housebreak easily, have little doggy odor and are as fastidious as cats. VCA agrees the Chow is quiet, clean and usually very well-behaved even as a puppy. The habits to plan around are guarding and grooming. VCA says the breed is more protective and territorial than most, and a Chow will announce every passer-by; the AKC's 1-of-5 barking score describes a dog that is otherwise silent. Grooming is a serious weekly commitment: the AKC calls for thorough brushing at least twice a week and a monthly bath, warns that the puppy coat and the coat around the head mat badly if neglected, and recommends a cool-air dryer after baths; VCA rates grooming high-maintenance. The AKC rates drooling 3 of 5. Expect a stiff-legged gait, a scowling expression that is just the face, and a dog that would rather lie near you than on you.
“Owners say Chows are the cleanest of dogs: They housebreak easily, have little doggy odor, and are known to be as fastidious as cats.”
American Kennel Club
Housing: apartment, house, yard and crate
The AKC says Chows are serene and adaptable, with no special exercise needs, and happily take to city life, which makes them one of the better medium-sized breeds for an apartment. VCA's ideal home is a fenced yard or access to one, useful for a dog that prefers to patrol and rest outside in cool weather, but not a requirement. Whatever the home, cooling is the housing issue: VCA says the best hot-weather haven is an air-conditioned place with a cool, tiled floor, and that a Chow should never be left outdoors in warm weather. Humane World for Animals adds that fans do not cool dogs as effectively as people and that a dog should never be left in a parked car. Apartment dwellers should think about the barking commentary VCA describes at hallway noise and plan to manage it with training and window film. A crate works as a den for a breed this fastidious; Humane World for Animals says to leave the door open when you are home so the dog can use it as a safe space.
“He should never be left outdoors in warm weather; for him, the best hot-weather haven is an air-conditioned place with a cool, tiled floor.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
Challenges
Plan for a dog that is not a cuddler and does not want to be handled by strangers. VCA says the Chow does not enjoy being petted, cuddled or fussed over, especially by children, and lists the breed's challenge as a dominant breed not ideal for more timid owners, with experience definitely preferred. Plan for socialization and patient training: the AKC says early socialization and puppy classes help the Chow grow into a well-mannered companion, that harsh methods must be avoided to build trust, and that patience, praise and regular practice are the tools; VCA says confidence, consistency and a positive approach earn the Chow's respect. Plan for the guarding, both the barking at passers-by and the territorial reserve with visitors. Plan for grooming hours every week and a groomer who knows the coat. Plan for heat, air conditioning and no midday summer walks. Plan for the anesthesia caution VCA raises and for entropion surgery if the eyelids turn in. And plan for care with other animals, since VCA says the Chow may view cats and tiny dogs as prey.
“The Chow Chow is a very intelligent dog but can be stubborn. Harsh training methods are to be avoided in order to develop a trusting relationship.”
American Kennel Club
The fun part
A Chow is a dog for people who like cats. VCA nicknames the breed Miss Manners and describes a housemate that is quiet, clean and well-behaved from puppyhood, and the AKC says owners find them easy to housebreak and nearly odorless. There is real charm in a dog that greets you with dignity, keeps its own schedule, and then chooses to lie down at your feet. The look is unlike anything else: the AKC's lion's-mane ruff, blue-black tongue, deep-set almond eyes and scowling, snobbish expression, in rough or smooth coats of red, black, blue, cinnamon or cream. Grooming, for people who enjoy it, becomes a weekly ritual and a bonding time. The breed is ancient; VCA says recognizable ancestors appear on Chinese pottery from around 200 B.C., and the AKC notes a Chow lived in the White House with Calvin Coolidge. City life suits them, per the AKC, so an apartment dweller can have a striking, low-exercise companion that turns heads on every walk.
“Serene and adaptable, with no special exercise needs, Chows happily take to city life.”
American Kennel Club
Living with kids, cats and other dogs
The AKC rates the Chow a middle 3 of 5 for good with young children, and VCA says older kids, fine if raised with them, and specifically that the Chow does not enjoy being fussed over by children. The honest fit is a home with older children who understand that this dog wants respect and space, not hugs, and where an adult supervises visiting kids. With other dogs the AKC rating is 2 of 5, and VCA says care is needed in introductions, with the Chow doing best with somewhat submissive dogs of the opposite sex; same-sex pairings and pushy dogs are a poor bet. Cats are a real concern: VCA says the Chow may view cats and tiny dogs as prey, so a Chow without a proven cat history should be placed in a cat-free home, and even a cat-tested Chow needs gates and supervision at first. A rescue Chow that has lived peacefully with another animal is worth more than any general breed assurance.
What to ask the rescue
Ask how the dog reacts to strangers in the home and to being touched by people it does not know, since VCA describes a breed that dislikes being fussed over and is territorial. Ask about its history with children, cats and other dogs, and whether it has shown the prey response toward cats or tiny dogs that VCA warns about. Ask about eyes: any squinting, tearing or prior entropion surgery, which both the AKC and VCA list for the breed. Ask for thyroid, hip and elbow records. Ask whether the dog has had anesthesia and how it went, given VCA's caution for short-nosed breeds. Ask about heat: where it spends summer days and whether it has ever overheated. Ask about coat condition, matting and whether it tolerates brushing and a dryer, because grooming is weekly work. Ask how it does alone and whether it barks at hallway or street noise. And ask what training approach the foster uses; a Chow handled harshly will need a patient, positive reset.