CAN-AM CHOWS - For The North American Chow Chow Enthusiast

The Perfect Exam ...
Elora Gorge Kennel Club, breeder Judge Dr. Gail Forsythe.
Reiku as a ten month old.

With the lack of socialization, and inexperienced handlers many exhibitors and judges have experienced the "unruly" chow. Unfortunately when an aggressive chow is brought into the ring and rewarded with points instead of withholding, the message is sent to chow exhibitors that a behaved chow isn't necessary. ANY chow showing signs of aggression, growling or baring of teeth toward animal or human should be excused from the ring. A shy chow can be a dangerous chow, but we have to take into account the nerves of the handler and the nerves of the judge. The chow is an INCREDIBLY sensitive breed, a case which demonstrates so is at a large show, most of the chows, even rock solid chows backed up from the judge. That judge came down severely ill and was pulled from judging the next day. A new handler with heightened nerves can spell disaster for a chow in the ring. Thankfully judges are going above and beyond the call of duty to make the ring experience rewarding, even if it means withholding. We can't thank you enough for this.

Chows have no peripheral vision, they cannot see above their heads or to the side. It is often the reason for the quick head turn, or backing up. They need to be approached confidently and directly from the front. If approached from the side most chows will turn to see who's coming and can easily throw off a judge and exhibitor. This is why often during an impromptu "down the line exam" the chow will protest.

Dr. Forsythe shows the perfect chow exam below!

The exam for the entire head is started and finished from the front. The unsure chow will almost always swing sideways, or balk at a judge who comes in from the side and leans in. It is far easier to have the handler show the bite from behind, chow's mouths are not made for easy navigation. While the bite is being shown, it is best to stay in front of the dog so the chow is not trying to turn around to see where the judge is.

Talking almost always seems to set the chow and handler at ease. She moves around to the corner always keeping one hand in constant contact with the chow. If the chow can feel constant contact they feel less urge to turn around. She keeps a hand close to the shoulder which is a GREAT way to anticipate any reaction from the dog, and keep yourself at arms length from an uncertain chow.

All the while coming to the back there is contact. Often if the touch is broken and then there is touching at the genital area a chow will squat.

(ignore my trying to pull the leash from under his feet).

The touch is firm, confident. Any hesitation and the chow will react twice as strongly to it.

Even while checking the rear, she keeps a hand on the dog, slides it up the side. She comes back to the front, hand keeping in contact and ending with a friendly pat on the back. The chow is bred to be aloof, indignant ... we need to approach them as such. As exhibitors we need to put confidence back in the judges that they will not be bitten. We need to inform them how an exam will help us, if and what the dog likes.

A Chow NEVER forgets, my boy was attacked by an off leash specials dog at his first show (6 months and 1 day) amazingly to me never forgot the location even a year later. All the handlers who'd watched him grow up as a puppy in all his sanction matches, ran to help, I was screaming and crying, he defecated himself. People were grabbing at him from the rear to free him. We took him in another ring and in the midst of tears and shaking, we played with him, it took a few moments but he came back. With much encouragement from Mr. Joe Walton, we brought him in the ring after we cleaned him up and he took breed over specials two days in a row.

To this day he shows concern for anyone grabbing at him, or attention on his show/rear side where he was bit several times. When I present him to a judge I have to know he would never hurt a soul. If he had ever exhibited aggressiveness, he would not be shown. He is a jovial, loving dog always playing, he lives with my other intact male and they can't stand to be separated. He is fabulous with kids, and excellent with other dogs, toys and giant breeds. (Although he will not go near the breed that attacked him - which is why you often see me rushing out of the ring!)

Many great judges know our story and have encouraged us to keep him out and keep working with him. We make it a point to go to handling and obedience classes to get both him and I over the anticipation that comes with that moment ... and it is pays off. Unlike my black boy (#1 in 2004) who would walk off with a complete stranger, this one will always be aloof to an extent with newcomers and it's my job to show him they will not hurt him after such a life changing experience for a puppy.

Unfortunately there isn't enough time in the ring for an unsure dog to warm up to someone to show them their jovial side, we just need to do our best to make our time in the ring positive, safe and fun. We need to keep the chows out, show them the rings, the people instead of bringing them fresh from the kennel into the arms of strangers with no preparation. It is not fair to judge, exhibitors or fellow dogs.

ARTICLES ON CHOW GAIT

Wine Country Chow Club

We need to encourage exhibitors to stop running their dogs to camouflage bad movement.

All too often the proper gait of the chow is mistaken for sluggishness.

The chow needs to be moved slow to show off it's stilt at it's best gait. A flashing sporting dog it is not, but to the trained eye a masterpiece at the right speed!

Canadian Chow Standard

Origin and Purpose

The Chow Chow is an ancient breed of Northern Oriental origin. As a working breed in its area of origin, the Chow Chow was used to guard and hunt. Today, the Chow is primarily a family companion dog.

General Appearance

A cobby, powerful dog of medium size, active and alert, with strong, muscular development and perfect balance. Body squares with height of leg at shoulder; head is broad and flat, with short, broad, and deep muzzle, the whole supported by straight strong legs. Tail carried well over the back. Clothed in a off-standing smooth or rough double coat, in the rough variety the head is accentuated by a ruff; dogs to look masculine. Bitches to look feminine. When comparing the different sexes, allowance be made for bitches who may not have as much head and substance. The Chow is a masterpiece of beauty, dignity, and untouched naturalness.

Temperament

Dignified, with keen intelligence, independent spirit, aloof and reserved with strangers. Aggressiveness or timidity is undesirable. Because of its deep-set eyes, the Chow has limited peripheral vision and is best approached from the front.

Size

Average size of bitches is 43 to 51 cm (17 to 20 inches) at the shoulder, of dogs, 46 to 53 cm (18 to 21 inches) at the shoulder. In every case, consideration of overall balance and type should take precedence over size.

Coat and Colour

Coat:-There are two types of coat, rough and smooth. Both are double coated.

Rough-the coat is abundant, dense, straight, and off standing; rather coarse in texture with a soft, thick, woolly undercoat. Coat and ruff generally longer in males, than in bitches. Tail well feathered. Texture and condition should be given greater emphasis than the length. There should be no obvious trimming or shaping except for the paws.

Smooth-should have a harsh, dense, smooth outer coat with a woolly undercoat, but the smooth’s outer coat is short and gives a sleek appearance. There should be no obvious ruff or feathering on legs and tail. The Smooth Chow Chow is judged by the same standard as the rough variety with the exception of coat length.

Colour

It may be any clear colour, solid throughout, with lighter shadings on ruff, tail, and breechings.

Head

The Head is large in proportion to the size of the dog. It is proudly carried, not over exaggerated as to make the dog seem top heavy, or to result in a low head carriage. Skull broad and flat: well filled under the eyes; moderate stop. Expression essentially dignified, lordly, scowling, discerning, sober, and snobbish-one of independence. Excessive loose skin is not desirable. Muzzle is short in comparison to length of skull but not less than 1/3 of head length. Broad from eyes to end of nose, and of equal depth. The lips somewhat full and overhanging, but not pendulous. Teeth strong and level, with a scissors bite; should neither be overshot, nor undershot. Nose large and broad. In blue or cream, black noses are preferred, but blues may have a slate coloured nose and creams may have a brown or liver coloured nose. In all other colours the nose must be black. Eyes dark, deep set of moderate size, and almond shaped, pupils should be visible. Ears small, thick, slightly rounded at tip, stiffly carried with a slight forward tilt, the inner corner of the ear to be in line with the outer corner of the eye. They should be placed wide apart, on top of the skull. This all contributes to the essential dignified lordly, discerning, scowling expression, one of independence. Tongue is blue-black; the tissues of the mouth should approximate black. A solid black mouth and gums are preferred.

Neck

Strong, full, set well on the shoulders nicely arched and of sufficient length to carry the head proudly, well above the top line when standing.

Forequarters

Shoulders muscular, slightly sloping, forelegs perfectly straight, with heavy bone and upright pasterns, placed well apart and parallel. Elbow joints set well back alongside the chest wall, elbows turning neither in or out. Feet round, catlike with thick pads, standing well up on the toes both front and rear. Dewclaws may be removed.

Body

Short, compact, close coupled, strongly muscled, broad and deep. Back short, straight, and strong. Chest broad, deep, (never narrow) and muscular, with well-sprung ribs, but not a barrel. A narrow chest is a serious fault. Loins broad, deep, and powerful, and well let down in the flank giving an overall appearance of squareness. The topline is straight, strong and level from the withers to the base of the tail.

Hindquarters

Hind legs straight-hocked, muscular, and heavy boned. Rear and front bone approximately equal. Stifle shows little angulation, hock joints well let down, must be strong, well knit, never bowing or breaking forward or to the side. Hock joint and metatarsals to be in a straight line below the hip joint. Feet same as forequarters.

Tail

Set well up and carried closely to the back, following the line of spine at the start.

Gait

Completely individual to the breed. Short and stilted because of a straight stifle and straight hocks. Sound, straight moving, agile, quick and powerful, never lumbering. It is from the side that the unique stilted action is most easily viewed and 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, legs extend neither far forward nor backward. There should be no roll through the midsection. Viewed from the rear, the line of bone from the hip joint to pad remains straight as the dog moves. As speed increases, the hind legs incline slightly inward. Viewed from the front, the line of bone from shoulder joint to pad, remain straight as the dog moves. As speed increases, the forelegs may incline slightly inward but the front legs must not swing out in semi circles nor mince or show any evidence of hackney action. Somewhat lacking in speed, the Chow has excellent endurance.

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.

Disqualifications

Nose spotted or distinctly any other colour than black except in blue Chows, which may have solid blue or slate nose and in creams, which may have a brown or liver coloured nose.

Tongue red, pink or obviously spotted with red or pink.

Drop ear or ears. A drop ear is one which is stiffly carried or stiffly erect, but which breaks over at any point from its base to its tip or which lies parallel to the top of the skull.

American Chow Standard

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 offstanding 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, Proportions, Substance

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 forechest 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. In judging puppies, no allowance should be made for their failure to conform to these proportions.

Substance--Medium in size with strong muscular development and heavy bone. Equally objectionable are snipy, 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
Clear colored, solid or solid with lighter shadings in the ruff, tail and featherings. There are five colors in the Chow: red (light golden to deep mahogany), black, blue, cinnamon (light fawn to deep cinnamon) and cream. Acceptable colors to be judged on an equal basis.

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.

Here we start with a correct short straight hock.

Below ... a long hock, prone to knuckling over

Below - Left toeing in, Right - too narrow

Below both cow hocked and toeing out.
(Thank you for your photo submission)

Knuckling over is a horrible sight. Too often found on long hocked chows you can see from the actual and edited images below that we need to eliminate it from the breed!

Below - edited to show knuckling over,
Right - flat footed, walking on the weak hock.

The above dog shows how a bad hock can affect movement!
The dog also has a very high rear and low tail.

The chow has a tightly carried high set tail.
The tail should not bounce off the back during proper movement. It should be carried well above the back towards the head, not curled, corkscrew or flagging.

Below are two very low tail sets.

Below is Reiku's unedited tail set natural without shaving or sculpting. It is flat to the back, high set and straight.

Below are incorrect tail sets, loose tail sets below those, off the back while moving and not held close to the back! We are seeing far too many low tail sets on high rear chows, shaved to give the appearance of a shorter back/better tail carriage!

TOPLINES - COMING SOON!

Chows are becoming horrible in the topline region. Our short strong square bodies are being taken over by pendulous mid sections, high rears and sagging toplines.

multi group winner and placer (am / can)
BISS / BOSS / AOM / 10 x MBPIG
AM / CAN Ch. Cejam's Kiki Jiki at W'inc

I decided to use a my own boy as an example for a more visual aide to help judges unfamiliar with our standard, and some of the comment issues that plague our breed. Owner handled, Reiku and I have done remarkably well in the show ring under heavy competition in the US and in Canada, so I don't mind using him as a "in the middle of the road" example for the breed in both countries. In these photos he is a year and a half old.

Above and below are profile pictures of Reiku that show many great qualities. I have overlaid the images from our standard onto him to show he is very very close!

Being a graphic designer, I am able to create and edit images, and have done so with my own dog
(to extremes) below to assist!

Above ... long - off square.

No neck, excessive mane can give the illusion
of no neck, be sure to get a hands on feel.

Low on leg and long

Off balance, too much leg.

Too much neck. While some may see elegance,
it throws the chow out of balance.

Both images below are too long.
(Thank you for your photo submissions)

Below is a headshot of Reiku - unedited, drool and all.
I have used my editing programs to distort the poor boy
to show extreme examples of what is incorrect.

The eyes should be far apart, dark, almond, deep set
inside ear corner meeting outside eye corner.
Filled in under the eyes, tight lips, not pendulous.
Clean clear, dry eyes.

Below Correct forward tilting upright strong ears.

Below Low earsets

Below I pinched held, and folded Reiku's ears down
(how patient he is) to show below ...
Low broken ears

Below Broken tip

Below Broken tip

Below downed ear.

Below - Earset too high

Below - too high
(I'm pinching his ears up ignore my fingers)

Below - drop / broken ear

Below very low floppy ears

Below are more very low or broken ear sets
(Thank you for your photo submissions)

Again, we start with a good image of Reiku - unedited

Below - droopy eyelids

Below - edited to show eyes too close together

Below - edited to show incorrect light coloured eyes

Below - edited to show incorrect round eyes

The sight of a wet eyes chow break anyone's heart
It's the sign of ectropion/entropion and a great
source of discomfort to the chow. We are seeing FAR too many wet eyed chows in our breed!

Below incorrect pigmentation of the gums, nose and tongue.
Hopefully you never see a chow such as this, but
the chow is losing our stilt and our pigment and if we lose that, we lose what makes the breed unique.

Below I will show examples of incorrect structure.
The chow has wonderful tight cat paws as seen below!
They are up on their toes which are held tightly together.

Below I distorted the images to show splayed
flat incorrect feet

Below are low, floppy feet and weak/soft pasterns a very common problem in our breed.

Again we start with the correct foot and structure

Below too narrow, and on the right, too wide.
We find these bulldog fronted chows becoming quite popular. Most of them have very narrow weak rears, and movement is a mixture of wrist snapping and paddling. The chow that is too wide is often very pigeon toed. Please keep in mind these are examples and some are submitted photographs. Reiku was stretched, bent and held in many positions to help give visual aide.

A bow legged or too wide chow cannot move properly!

Since the chow has a profuse mane
it only accentuates a narrow front.

Below bowlegged and pigeon toed,
resulting in bad movement.

Below - horrible toeing out in front and in the rear.
(thank you for the photo submission)

Below is the well let down, short croup.
Chows are being sculpted to the point where they are showing a tuck up. Chows do not have a tuck up, they are not slab sided, they have a well sprung ribs.

Below show (with some holding) incorrect tuck ups.

Long in body, and a very incorrect tuck up
(Thank you for your photo submission)

Hocks far too long, toeing in, incorrect tuck up.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

By Eve Adamson

Casey, a young red Chow Chow with an impressive ruff of fur and an even more impressive dose of self-confidence, leaned into his collar, dug his nails into the ground and pulled to the left. His owner, Vicki DeGruy, braced herself and held on to the leash. Unable to move her, Casey sat on the sidewalk near their Janesville, Wis., home and refused to budge. DeGruy would give a little slack on the leash. Off Casey would go in his direction. When DeGruy told him "No," he sat down again.

After a half-hour battle of wills without an inch of progress in either direction, DeGruy gave up and dragged Casey's 175 pounds of muscle and fur home. "He would have sat there all day if I would have let him," she said.

Some may call Chows stubborn, but this striking, blue-tongued breed comes by its strong will honestly. As a sporting dog of Chinese royalty, Chows needed independent minds and extreme self-confidence to match their proud owners'. "This breed is not emotionally dependent on people as most dogs are," DeGruy said. "You must earn his respect and his trust. He chooses to make you his [owner], and your relationship with him is based on mutual respect."

Chows often mystify their owners with their self-possession. "They truly don't act like people expect a dog to act," said Charlene Grayson, a breeder in Lakeside, Calif. "They are much more like a cat than a Labrador Retriever, and they are highly intelligent."

Foxie, a small black Chow belonging to Love Banghart, a breeder and judge in Santa Ana Heights, Calif., hunted groundhogs with breathtaking logic. "Most of the groundhogs had two or three holes in their tunnel system," Banghart said. "Foxie would take sticks and drop them down all but one of the holes, then she would stand by the third hole. When one of the sticks would move, she would know to run there and wait for the gopher to come up. It was almost eerie."

The Chow's excellent memory makes it a devoted companion. When Earl Palm was in failing health, his wife, Mae Palm of Helenville, Wis., brought home a Chow puppy named Bobby. "He spent a lot of time in his recliner holding Bobby on his lap and playing with him," Palm said. When Earl died, 6-month-old Bobby would sit by the recliner, occasionally peering over the arm, looking for him. Ten years later, Bobby still seems to remember. "He knows he's not allowed on the furniture, but he still jumps in that recliner now and then," Palm said.

Casey's mother, Kai, was exceptionally attached to her breeders even after coming to live with DeGruy. While in the yard for a potty break during labor, Kai suddenly dashed to the street, barking and wagging her tail. DeGruy didn't recognize the new car until Kai's breeders stepped out. "Everyone knows dogs can recognize the sound of their owners' cars, but she had never seen this car," said DeGruy, mystified at Kai's uncanny perception, especially mid-labor. "Somehow, from way down the street, she knew who it was."

Despite their loving, loyal natures, Chows have a reputation for being aggressive. "Probably the biggest surprise to a first-time Chow owner will be the amount of negativism they encounter from the public about their chosen dog," DeGruy said. As chair of the national Chow Chow Club's Welfare Committee, she receives countless e-mails from owners worried their friendly puppies will turn on them or attack the children.

DeGruy herself has encountered Chow prejudice. She took a puppy and an adult Chow to a shopping center so passersby could help her socialize the pup by petting the dogs. "A woman marched up to us and said, 'How dare you raise such vicious dogs!'" DeGruy said. "I was so shocked, I didn't know what to say."

The reputation of Chow viciousness may have started with its flat face - to some it looks as if the dog is scowling in anger. Their face also gives Chows tunnel vision - they see poorly above or to the sides - making sudden peripheral movements, such as a hand coming down to pet them, startling. To be safe, always approach a Chow from the front.

Unscrupulous breeders hoping to cash in on puppy sales during peaks in Chow popularity added to the problem by breeding without regard for temperament and creating aggressive dogs. Fortunately for the breed, it no longer ranks among the top 10 in American Kennel Club registrations - it was 52nd in numbers registered in 2001 - and breeders have made progress in eliminating aggressive dogs from breeding. When buying or adopting a Chow, ask to see the parents to make sure your pup comes from a line with good temperaments.

Because Chows are protective, owners must properly socialize and train puppies early. "It doesn't take a physically strong person, but it does take a strong-willed person to live with a Chow," said Mary Wuest of Mason, Ohio, who shows Chows and judges conformation. As soon as possible, begin to hold and gently pet your new puppy. Once it has received its first set of vaccinations, take it with you wherever possible to meet new people, especially children. Let people hold and pet your Chow, always under your supervision, and start training classes with other dogs and owners. "Your well-behaved Chow may not need much instruction, but the socialization alone is worth the effort," Wuest said.

The perfect dog for apartment living, Chows require little exercise. They are exceptionally clean, shed only twice a year, rarely bark and practically house train themselves. Naturally dignified, Chows rarely pester, fawn, jump on people, destroy furniture or soil indoors. "They have an inborn sense of good manners," Banghart said. "But if you want them to do obedience work, it takes patience because they are quickly bored with repetition."

Owners who keep their Chows motivated find this intelligent breed can excel in obedience. Several Chows have earned the UDX, or Utility Dog Excellent title, the highest obedience title.

Grooming may present the biggest challenge. Both long- and smooth-coated Chows require twice-weekly combing to prevent matting of the woolly undercoat and daily combing when shedding the fuzzy puppy coat and during the biannual shed. Fortunately, Chow hair tends to clump together, making after-grooming clean up easier. "You'll find balls of hair instead of single hairs everywhere," said Colleen Majkrzak, a breeder in Monticello, Minn.

A protective instinct makes the Chow an alert guard dog. "On their own ground, most strangers will be greeted by a fierce 'Who goes there?' bark," Banghart said. "A well-mannered Chow will shush and stand aside when its owner tells him."

One of the oldest known breeds, Chows have held nearly every known canine job - tracking, pointing, hunting, herding, guarding and pulling - during their history and some still excel in tracking or hunting. Whether the breed originated in China or developed from Arctic Circle dogs that migrated to Mongolia, Siberia and China more than 2,000 years ago, by the 7th century A.D., the T'ang emperor kept 2,500 Chows to accompany his 10,000 royal hunters.

The Chow first appeared outside China in the 1800s when trade ships took merchandise to the West. European traders referred to the merchandise as "Chow-Chow," slang referring to all things Chinese. The name stuck.

Because the breed originated so long ago, the source of its distinctive look is impossible to ascertain. Some believe the Chow resulted from a cross between Mastiff-type and Spitz-type dogs. Others think the Chow is the ancestor of the modern Spitz dogs such as the Samoyed, Norwegian Elkhound, Pomeranian, and Keeshond.

Whatever its heritage, the Chow is a spectacular and beautiful animal particularly suited to the show ring. Its lion-like coat and mane-like ruff (more pronounced in males) impresses in any of the five colors - red, black, blue, cinnamon or cream.

While generally healthy, hip dysplasia remains a problem. Puppy buyers should request proof the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has certified the parents free of the disease. They should also look for puppies and parents with bright, clean eyes to avoid entropion, a genetic condition in which the eyelashes turn inwards causing symptoms from mild discomfort to blindness. Other concerns include skin disorders, thyroid problems and a particular sensitivity to anesthesia.

Flat faces and heavy coats make Chows susceptible to heatstroke, especially during periods of high humidity. Because heatstroke can be fatal, owners must avoid strenuous activity and make sure their dog has access to fresh water and air conditioning in warm weather. "Chows are not for someone who wants to go jogging on the beach or mountain climbing or Frisbee playing," Banghart said.

However, for those willing to take on a Chow's training, socialization, grooming and health needs, no pet can quite equal the breed in loyalty and dedication to family. People loved by a Chow say that love resembles no other - an enduring, to-the-death devotion. "They aren't overly demonstrative dogs," Wuest said. "If I get a tail wag when I come home, I consider myself lucky. Their attitude is that we should be very happy they are there." Indeed, we are.

Eve Adamson is a free-lance writer in Iowa City, Iowa.