Chow Chow pictures

# of photos: 24

The Chow Chow, originally from Northern China, is one of the oldest recognizable dog breeds, dating back more than 2000 years. He was once used for hunting, herding, pulling and protection. Today, he is primarily a companion dog. With his lion-like appearance and regal manner, the Chow is truly one of the most beautiful and impressive breeds of dogs. He is very intelligent but has cat-like characteristics in that he does not always have the desire to please like many other breeds, preferring instead to do what suits his particular mood. He is dignified, independent, and reserved with affection. The Chow Chow's coat is either rough or smooth. The most common coat is the rough (long-haired) which has a outer coat of long, straight, course guard hairs and a soft, thick undercoat. The smooth variety is a short, dense outer coat with a definite undercoat. These are two distinct varieties of Chow. There are, however, many rough coated Chows with fairly short coats but these should not be confused with the true unique, smooth coat.Height: 17 to 20 inches at the shoulder Weight: 40 to 70 lbs. The Chow is a long-lived breed with most living to about 14 or 15 years. As with all breeds, however, Chows can be prone to some health problems.