THE ANCESTRY OF THE CHOW IS attributed to China where he was kept as a guard dog, and also used for hunting. He made his way to England sometime during the late eighteenth century. He has a unique short striding movement and a bluish-black tongue, and such is his appearance that he cannot be mistaken for any other breed. He is aloof, stand-offish, and extremely loyal to his owner, with a tendency to be a one-man dog. Not noisy, but when roused he is well able to defend home and owner.
The Rough Chow has a coat which is abundant, thick, and stands off from the body. It requires about five minutes’ daily grooming to keep it in good condition. The Smooth Chow has a woolly undercoat with a short top coat of plush texture. Although red is the most popular colour for both varieties, followed by black, they can also be seen in the most lovely whole blue, or shades of fawn.
The Chow has been known in China for upwards of 2,000 years and is related to Spitz dogs of the Nordic type. Because of China’s ‘closed door’ policy to the rest of the world Chows did not begin to appear in other countries until around 1800 and were not really noticed in Britain until the 1920s, with a number being shown at Crufts in 1925.