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The absorbing myth of the chow's blue tongue is one of many
that grace the origin of this beautiful and distinctive breed.
No less whimsical is the myth about chows descending from
bears, not wolves. Inconceivable as this may sound, a few
similarities between the two are sufficient to make some people
wonder if nature might not have lent a wry twist to the chow's
evolution. How else to explain the chow's independent nature?
Or its blue tongue (blue-black, according to the breed
standard)? Or the stilted manner in which it moves? To say
nothing of the wooly-mammoth resemblance of bear cubs to adult
chows?
Arctic
Origins
China
embraces the chow as its own, yet the oldest physical evidence
that links the breed to China is a bas-relief thought to have
been created around 150 B.C. This artifact appears to confirm
the chow's existence as a hunting dog in China more than 2,100
years ago. The earliest Chinese historical records, however,
consistently refer to the chow as the "foreign chow," a reference
that shores up the generally accepted theory that chows did
not originate in China.
Indeed,
some observers believe the chow resulted from crosses between
Tibetan mastiffs and Samoyeds; but, say other observers, the
chow's blue-black tongue ties knots in that theory because
neither the mastiff nor the Samoyed has such a tongue. Instead,
that second camp argues, the chow is probably one of the primordial
breeds and was, more likely, one of the ancestors of the Samoyed,
Norwegian elkhound, keeshond and Pomerian, all of which bear
an external, if not a tongue-in-cheek, resemblance to one
another.
Many people
who think the chow originated outside of China suggest that
the breed was forged in Arctic lands from whence it emigrated
with barbarian tribes that invaded China in the 11th century
B.C. To be sure, historical records reveal that these invaders
were accompanied by huge dogs with black tongues. The dogs
were reputedly strong enough to dispatch a person with no
assistance and fierce enough to be more than happy to do so.
These warlike dogs, which were said to resemble lions so closely
it was impossible to tell one from the other, were different
from any other breed. They had large, broad heads, short muzzles
and tiny, deep-set eyes. Their lips touched without overlapping,
giving them a distinctive, aloof expression.
As centuries
passed and the warrior dogs were no longer needed in battle,
their savage temperaments were refined; and they were given
new duties by their masters -- hunter, draft dog, herder,
guardian of the home, and food group. In truth, the chow's
utility as food, many people believe, gave the breed its name.
Chow chow is Chinese slang for anything edible, and
for more years that it is delicate to contemplate, chows were
considered edible. Legends say that two of the breed's most
distinguishing characteristics -- its blue-black tongue and
its straight hind legs -- evolved as a consequence of the
Chinese taste for this breed. The blue-black tongue, the bluer
the better, bespeaks a sweeter meat; and a straight hind leg
yields more meat. (Fortunately selling and eating dog meat
was outlawed in China in 1915.)
Not
a Victorian Secret
A pair
of chows arrived in England in 1780 on a boat belonging to
the East India Company. Gilbert White, rector of Selbourne,
England, wrote a meticulous description of those dogs. It
was published in Natural History and Antiques of Selbourne.
The chow described by White does not differ much in appearance
from the chow we know today.
Chows
did not begin to appear in England in any number until sometime
around 1880. Queen Victoria, the patron queen of many breeds,
gave the chow a leg up in popularity when she took an interest
in it. The queen's attention ultimately let to the formation
of a chow club in England in 1895.
White
House Chows
A chow
named Takya, the first of its kind exhibited in this country,
won third prize in the miscellaneous class at a Westminster
Kennel Club show in New York in 1890; but the chow's ascendancy
did not begin until people learned that President Calvin Coolidge,
a plain-speaking, plain-living man, owned two of these wondrous
dogs, Blackberry and Tiny Tim. The president's chows lived
in the White House with Coolidge and his wife, Grace, during
Coolidge's tenure, 1923-1929.
Rehabilitation
and Regression
The presidential
seal inspired unscrupulous sorts to attempt to capitalize
on the resulting chow craze. As often happens when celebrityhood
shines it unstinting spotlight on a breed, too many ill-bred,
ill-tempered, nasty-spirited chows were foisted on unsuspecting,
uneducated buyers. Their dismay earned the chow a reputation
as not only untrustworthy but also, in some cases, dangerous.
Breeders
whose love for the chow was genuine, not financial, were able
to rehabilitate the breed and its reputation during the 1950s
and 1960s. Their work was undone to a great extent by a second
wave of popularity that overwhelmed the breed from 1979, when
annual chow registrations stood at 11,739, until 1988, when
new registrations totaled 50,781, an increase of 333 percent
put the chow the sixth most popular breed. Once again, however,
popularity went before a fall; and between 1986 and 1996,
annual new registrations of chows had fallen to 13,587, just
16 percent higher than they had been in 1979. Currently, the
chow stands 26th in annual registrations among the 140 breeds
recognized by the American Kennel Club, which registered 13,587
new chows in 1996.
Patience
Rewarded
The ideal
chow owner is nothing if not patient, but patience is its
own reward with a chow, that reward being a lifetime companion
whose devotion is endless and whose sense of humor boundless.
A chow "has many noble qualities," wrote Lady Dunbar of Mochrum,
one of England's pioneer chow breeders. Yet the chow's heart
"heart cannot be taken by storm, but, once given, it is yours
forever"
Another
chow fancier has written, "Like a cat, a chow is only willing
to do what suits his mood at the time. He's an independent
thinker and will make his own decisions if you don't stay
a step ahead of him."
Experienced
chow owners know how quickly a chow understands what you are
trying to teach him -- and how long it can be before the understanding
chow decides to comply. You can guide a chow in the direction
you want him to go, but you can't push him there. Nor can
you be heavy handed. As rough and tumble as the breed may
be, as sturdy a constitution as a chow may have and as high
as his tolerance for discomfort might run, a chow is incapable
of withstanding a blow struck in anger. Corporal punishment
devastates the chow, and if subjected to it on a continuing
basis, even the most amiable youngster will turn into a neurotic
and unpredictable adult.
In addition,
the chow must have constant human companionship and social
interaction, not only with its owner but also with all kinds
of people and other dogs. The chow raised without this socialization
can easily become introverted and sullen.
Although
most chows look at strangers with indifference, woe betide
a would-be intruder. The most lethargic chow can suddenly
become a tornado of protectiveness when his territory is threatened.
Prospective
chow owners should also understand that chows seem to make
blanket judgments. If a chow sees the little girl next door
as a kind and gentle playmate, all children are apt to be
high on his list of favorite things. Conversely, if the uniformed
utilities man threatens a chow or attempts to intimidate him,
pity any uniformed man who enters that dog's territory. For
this reason, chow owners are wise to make their chows' initial
introduction to people a positive one.
If I have
made chow ownership sound like a challenge, you have taken
my message. There is no doubt that a chow will be able to
test you in every way possible. I am inclined to believe it
is all done to determine whether or not you are worthy of
being a chow owner. If you are, you will have a companion
the likes of which you will never forget.
A Handful
of Colors
Chows
come in five colors: red, cinnamon, cream, black and blue.
Colors such as "champagne," "silver," "lilac," "chocolate"
or "white" are simply fanciful terms for standard (or substandard)
chow colors. All chows but blues should have black noses.
Blues' noses may be gray or slate-colored, but not brown.
A chow's
eyes should be dark, the darker the better; and its tongue,
of course, should be blue-black. A chow's tongue is pink at
birth, but it should be entirely blue-black by the time a
puppy is eight weeks old. Otherwise, that puppy cannot be
shown and should not be used for breeding.
Different
Strokes for Different Coats
The chow's
coat requires more than a lick and a promise from the chow's
owner. A puppy's dense coat is easily tangled and wants several
hours' grooming a week. As a puppy shrugs off its coat and
slips into an adult model, the youngster will need to be groomed
almost daily for a period that can last several months.
The fully
realized adult coat is not so demanding, but it still needs
attention for at least an hour or two a week if it is to resist
its natural inclination to turn into dreadlocks. Chows shed
seasonally, not daily. In addition, chows molt once or twice
a year, and when they do, they yield a harvest measured in
trash bags.
A smooth-coated
chow is not the continuing work in progress that a rough-coat
is. Nevertheless, smooth-coats, too, shed seasonally and need
regular, thorough grooming. No matter how long your chow's
coat is, the time you spend grooming it will not seem as long
if he is cooperative; and he will be more cooperative if you
introduce him to the grooming routine while he is young.
Look
Before You Buy
Hip dysplasia,
entropion, and luxating patella are among the most common
health problems encountered in the chow chow.
Hip
dysplasia is a malformation of the hip joint resulting
in a poor fit between the head of the femur bone and the hip
socket, in which the femoral head normally lies. This condition,
which is inherited, can be alleviated by surgery. Because
dysplastic dogs often produce dysplastic puppies -- and some
estimates place the incidence of dysplasia as high as 50 percent
in chows -- buyers should ask if both the sire and the dam
of the puppy in which they are interested have been rated
clear of hip dysplasia by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
or by Penn HIP. Do not take yes for an answer without seeing
the certificate, and ask for a copy to take to your veterinarian.
Also ask the breeder if he or she would be willing to warrant
a puppy against crippling hip dysplasia for at least two years.
Entropion
is a condition in which a dog's eyelids turn inward toward
the eyeball instead of outward as they should. Entropion causes
irritation to the eye, and, if left untreated, it could eventually
cause blindness. Although entropion is usually inherited,
it is not always apparent in young puppies. Moreover, it can
be acquired later in life as a result of injury or infection.
Luxating
patella, a dislocation of the small, flat, moveable bone
at the front of the knee, is an inherited tendency that can
be aggravated by excess weight. This condition can be corrected
by surgery.
Skin and
hormone problems also occur in chows. These, too, are frequently
inherited and are seldom obvious in a young puppy. For this
reason -- and because not all breeders are as conscientious
as they should be -- persons acquiring a chow should ask the
seller who will be responsible for a puppy should be victimized
by an obviously inherited condition later in life.
Vital
Statistics
A chow
should be blocky and square, never long-bodied or low-slung.
Its legs should be sturdy and straight. In fact, everything
about the chow, from its large short-muzzled head to its Sherman-tanklike
body should give the impression of strength and substance.
When mature, the chow will stand 17 to 20 inches at the shoulder
and weigh between 45 and 70 pounds.
Rick
Beauchamp is a freelance writer who resides in Cambria,
California. He is a licensed judge with both the American
Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club. He is also author
of The New Owner's Guide to the Chow Chow published
by TFH Publications Inc.
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