Chow Chow

The Chow Chow has been identified as a basal breed that predates the emergence of the modern breeds in the 19th century. A research study has concluded that the Chow Chow dog breed originated from other indigenous dogs in central China about 8,300 years ago. The ancient breed evolved and manifests both morphological and physiological features, including its dark tongue, coat of fur, and stronger build. One Chinese legend mentions large war dogs from Central Asia that resembled black-tongued lions. One Chinese ruler was said to own 5,000 Chows. The Chinese also used Chows to pull dog sleds through swampy terrain, and this was remarked upon by Marco Polo. == Appearance ==

The Chow Chow is a sturdily built dog, square in profile, with a broad skull and small, triangular, erect ears with rounded tips. The breed is known for a very dense double coat that is either smooth or rough. FCI countries, however, do allow a self-colored nose in the cream. The blue-black/purple tongue gene appears to be dominant, as most mixed breed dogs that come from a Chow Chow retain that tongue color. However, the blue-black/purple tongue can also be found on the Shar Pei. This is not to say that every mixed breed dog with spots of purple on the tongue is descended from Chow Chow, as purple spots on the tongue can be found on other purebred dogs. == Temperament ==

Owning a Chow Chow can raise the cost of homeowners' insurance in the US because some companies consider them high-risk dogs. In a study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Chow Chow were responsible for 8 out of 238 fatalities related to dog bites from 1979 to 1998. == Colors ==

Chow Chows can come in a variety of coat colors. The American Kennel Club (AKC) has classified Chow Chow colors as either standard or non-standard (rare colors). The standard colors for Chow Chows are black, blue, red, cream, and cinnamon. However, colors such as fawn, white, and merle are not considered standard for this breed. Different canine clubs worldwide may acknowledge different coat colors or even use alternative names for the colors mentioned above. File:Chowspecialen 012.jpg|5 Chow Chows of different coat colors File:ChowChow1.jpg|Cream File:02 - Chow-chow.jpg|Fawn File:01 Chow Chow.jpg|Red File:Көгілдір чау.jpg|Blue File:Chow chow czarny głowa 61.jpg|Black == Health ==

A UK study found the life expectancy of the Chow Chow to be 12.1 years, just higher than the 12 year average for crossbreeds and lower than the 12.7 years average for purebreeds. Skeletal conditions A North American study looking at more than a million records of dogs found 6.44% of Chow Chow dogs to have hip dysplasia compared with 3.52% overall. The study also found 4.3% of Chow Chow dogs to have cranial cruciate ligament deficiency compared to 2.52% overall. Another North American study looking at more than 250,000 elbow scans found the Chow Chow to have the highest prevalence of elbow dysplasia, with 48.6% of dogs over the age of 2 having elbow dysplasia. Ophthalmological conditions A North American study looking at glaucoma in dog breeds found the Chow Chow to have the third highest prevalence with 4.7% of Chow Chow dogs having glaucoma compared to 0.89% overall. Dermatological conditions A study looking at records from a small animal clinic at the University of Montreal found the Chow Chow to be predisposed to alopecia X. A review of studies in Australia found the Chow Chow to be prediposed to atopic dermatitis with a 7.1 odds ratio. A US case study found a predisposition to pemphigus foliaceus with an odds ratio of 12.3. A breed specific mutation causing tyrosinase deficiency which results in leukotrichia exists in the Chow Chow. Gastrointestinal conditions A UK study looking at exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in breeds found the Chow Chow to be predisposed to the condition. Neoplastic conditions An Austrian case series found an odds ratio of 23.53 for contracting stomach cancer. A US study looking at cases of oral melanoma found the breed to be over-represented with an odds ratio of 7.89. Reproductive conditions In a Belgian study Chow Chow bitches made up 6.4% of cases of pyometra despite the breed making up 1.6% of the population. Pyometra was found to be more extreme in the breed with anaemia and endotoxaemia reported. and gastric cancer. Chow Chows are a high risk breed for autoimmune disease. File:IMG 0382 - Chow Chow, front.jpg|A Chow Chow with reddish coat File:IMG 0383 - Chow Chow, side.jpg|The Chow Chow's fur is particularly thick in the neck area, giving it a distinctive ruff or mane appearance. == Notable dogs ==

Sigmund Freud had a Chow Chow named Jo-Fi Ling who attended all of his therapy sessions because he felt that dogs had a special sense that allows them to judge a person's character accurately, and admitted he depended on Jo-Fi for an assessment of a patient's mental state. == See also ==