The Chow Chow dog is especially popular with children and many adults because of its fluffy coat. These doggies are somewhat reminiscent of small indoor bears. This breed differs from other breeds by the presence of a unique violet tongue. You can keep such a pet in the apartment, but he will feel much better in a private house, where he will be able to run on the street, guard the house. We will analyze in this article all the features of the breed and find out the answer to the question of how many Chow Chows live at home.
Story
This breed is known to ancient tribes who used it for different purposes. It is difficult to say exactly how many years Chow Chow dogs have lived on the planet and how long they have been tamed. The birthplace of this breed is China. Previously, these dogs were used for hunting various small animals, as well as as housing guards. Chow Chow is one of the oldest breeds. It is believed that the great-grandfathers of these dogs were wolves, and only with the passage of time the dogs evolved and began to take root in China and Mongolia. Some tribes even managed to use the breed as sled dogs.
How many Chows live, is of interest to everyone who plans to have such a pet. These dogs have always been considered hunters and security guards, but now the breed is decorative and kept in an apartment or private house. As a hunter and security guard, no one has been using it for a long time. However, the natural instincts of pets remain. There is a whole list of roles that have performed chow-chow for two and a half thousand years:
- Various objects guarded: Tibetan temples, private houses.
- They took part in various dog fights, where they showed incredible anger and ferocity.
- They were good hunters who challenged even large animals.
- Residents of North Korea ate representatives of this breed for food. In local restaurants, the meat of these dogs is considered a real delicacy.
It is worth noting that the average life expectancy of a Chow Chow is from nine to eleven years. Individual individuals can live to the age of fifteen. These are pretty good indicators for such a large breed.
Character
Now Chow Chow is a very popular breed that has learned to live in peace in a city apartment. However, if some breeds were able to pacify a little, the Chow Chow (how many representatives of the breed live above) continues to show its character to the owners. As for training and education, these are not the best students. Representatives of the breed are extremely difficult to teach some teams and teach discipline.
If you start raising a dog from a puppy's age, then it is quite possible to teach it some commands, to make a quiet adult with a calm character out of a puppy. But her obedience in any case leaves much to be desired. This breed will constantly show everyone its character. Chows are in great need of communication and constantly require attention from the owners. If you decide to get a representative of this breed, then consider this decision several times, get acquainted with the features of the behavior of animals and their socialization. This dog needs a master with a strong character who can quickly and calmly explain to the pet how to behave.
Features of training and education
Chow training and education is not an easy task that not everyone can handle. The puppy needs to immediately explain who the owner of the house is. Otherwise, he will protect his personal space and will feel himself the absolute master of life there. It is believed that, despite its difficult character and frequent disobedience to the owner, the dog is able to give his life for its owner.
With the owner, this dog is almost always affectionate and kind, but in relation to strangers it can be aggressive. Because of this, the breed can be difficult to introduce to your friends.
Minor difficulties
Chow Chows are fairly proud dogs that have a sense of self-esteem. They are distinguished from other breeds by strong will, serious character and stubbornness, which can be difficult to suppress. If you decide to get such a dog, then you need to show respect for her and be patient. She feels any changes in the mood of the owner.
If the chow was raised in the neighborhood with other animals, then as an adult dog, he will be friends with them. But in relation to strangers, unfamiliar animals aggression will always manifest itself. Do not look at the fact that outwardly the dog looks clumsy. In fact, he is full of energy and desire to move. These dogs are very fond of long walks on the street, especially if they live in an apartment, willingly play various games with the owner. The breed is dominant and therefore often conflicts with other dogs.
Appearance
Externally, the Chow Chow is difficult to confuse with some other breed, but it’s worth highlighting the features:
- The tongue has a blue and black tint, which no dog in the world has.
- From the broad head, the transition to the muzzle is very smoothly expressed.
- It has strong jaws.
- Eyes of medium size, dark brown.
- The neck is short but quite powerful.
- On the head are small thick ears.
The dog has a rather muscular physique, covered with thick coat. Representatives of the breed with short and long hair are distinguished. In the latter, it is very thick and long, around the neck it is somewhat similar to the mane of a lion. The coat is quite stiff, but underneath is a soft undercoat. Shorthair breeds have no mane around the neck as such. Although the coat is also thick and erect, it is much shorter.
Breeding
The mating of bitches is made after the third estrus, at the age of 1.5 years. Female estrus lasts 21-25 days. Knitting is carried out on the 10-12th day. During this period, the chow becomes complaisant, admits the male, takes the tail away. The fact that the mating was successful is evidenced by a change in the behavior of the dog. There is also a decrease in appetite, which is a sign of toxicosis.
Pregnant dogs are fed low carbohydrate protein foods to prevent obesity.
Puppy raising
The little puppy causes emotion and joy for everyone around him, but for the owner this is, first of all, a huge responsibility. Chow-chow grows pretty fast, and you need to constantly monitor them. These kids often become winners of many exhibitions due to their smartness and activity. If you take the puppy in your arms, then, laying on the floor, you need to make sure that all four legs are in the right position. Otherwise, you can harm the doggie.
For the chow, a fence one meter high is quite enough, since these are not the dogs that jump over fences. It is useful for them to run on the ground or gravel. It is better not to let the dog jump and run on concrete for a long time, because its hardness can damage the coat.
Care Features
Chow-chow have a very beautiful and thick coat, which requires special attention. It is necessary to observe some rules for caring for her:
- In order not to form lumps, and the hair has always remained attractive, it is necessary to comb it periodically. It is better to carry out this procedure once or twice a week.
- Twice a year, this breed sheds, and during this period it is necessary to comb out all excess hair.
- After each dog walking, it is necessary to wash the paws well and clean out all the land that has accumulated there.
- You need to use dry shampoo, and water procedures will be enough once a month.
- To keep the pet in good shape, it must be regularly taken for walks, but not physically loaded. If you are in a public place with the Chow, you must not let it off the leash.
- Twice a week, chow ears need to be cleaned. And it is recommended to wipe your eyes every morning with a damp cloth, which can only be moistened in boiled water. If the dog is healthy, then there should not be any redness or clouding in the eye area. If you notice that your eyes have begun to watery or purulent clots appear in them, then this is an occasion to visit a veterinarian.
It is worth noting that in the first year of life, puppies have a different coat structure. Hair resembles soft fluff, and they need to be combed much more often than in adults.
Feeding Features
Before giving the Chow Chow any food, you must remember that this breed often suffers from allergies.
To provide the dog with normal conditions, it will not be enough to study the rules for caring for it. An important role is played by the nutrition of the pet. The menu must include products that will contain a large number of vitamins and minerals. If you prefer dry food, then only a premium product can eat chow. In general, when feeding dry food, the following factors should be taken into account:
- The dog should have free and clean water.
- It is necessary to determine exactly what food to feed the dog. Do not mix natural food and dry food.
- The composition of dry food includes all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the pet, so no additional additives are required. And if you feed the dog also with vitamins, then this will lead to an imbalance.
- Before introducing dry food into the puppy's diet, it is necessary to make sure that he will properly absorb such food.
Chow-chow love to eat, but you can’t overfeed them. If the dog eats too much, then obesity awaits her and that period of time how long the Chow Chow lives on average can decrease dramatically. Meal should always be at the same time, servings should always be the same. It is not recommended to give food from the table, as it can cause severe allergies. And in order not to tease the dog, it is better if during the family lunch or dinner the dog is in another room.
Training: is this possible?
As soon as the chow-chow enters the house, it is necessary to take up his education. Since they are very temperamental and independent dogs, they believe that they can do without the instructions of the owner. Most of the representatives of this breed do not consider it necessary to listen to the owner at all, because they have their own opinion and it is much more important.
But if the owner can overcome all difficulties and cope with the difficult nature of the pet, then he will be successful in training. These dogs are very smart and quickly remember teams of any complexity. You need to start with elementary commands. Here it is important not only to teach the dog to know its place or to give a paw, but also to make sure that it obeys the order in any situation, no matter in what condition it is. No need to try to make a circus dog out of a chow, because the breed is not intended for tricks.
Conditions of detention
These dogs feel equally good in the apartment and in the aviary. However, housing maintenance requires regular three-time walking. Choose a time for a walk so that every day you have the opportunity to go out at the set hour. So the puppy develops the daily regimen faster. Young individuals love to play, run a lot.
Conclusion
As you can see, Chow Chow is a fairly calm, albeit stubborn breed. These dogs are complex, but very loyal to their owner. If you make every effort, then from the Chow you can raise an obedient and friendly dog. True, they are not too friendly with outsiders, but they can give their lives for their near and dear ones, and the owner should certainly appreciate this position. And also we found out how many Chows live and what they like to do throughout their lives.