Does anyone own a chow chow here?

[Newbie 0]

Man those things look so cute! Does anyone know what they are like as pets?

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[Rebecca 0]

Awww! They are cute, but I'm under the impression that they can have aggressive tendencies. Then again, I put more stock in how they're raised and socialized. Just be sure to get one from a reputable breeder, if you decide you want one.

you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk?

[Ashtanga 0]

They are actually used as attack dogs in some countries. They can be as mean as rotts and pit bulls.

[jumpchikk 0]

I had a chow. She was a female and she was all black... I got her in 1988 when she was just a puppy... She died in her sleep in 1999. I loved that dog. She had the best personality and she loved the water and going for walks.
Man, I miss that dog...

[Elisha 1]

The DZO at hy home dz has a female wolf/husky/chow mix. She has a ton of hair, but a nice friendly dog. Of course, she is a three part mix.

[Casie 0]

My mom used to raise Chow Chows. They're AWESOME! They're known to be extremely aggressive but it's all in how they're raised/brought up. If you have any questions - PM me!

~Porn Kitty
WARNING: Goldschlager causes extreme emotional outbursts!

[Elisha 1]

Just remembered. There was this AFF student who brought their yellow lab to the dz. The DZO let the chow mix play with the lab outside the office. The lab owner would tie the two dogs' leashes together and they would basically just keep each other in line and not run away. It was hilarious!

[Newbie 0]

LOL that's pretty cute. I heard they can be quite aggressive towards other dogs though, and not very sociable, which seems a shame if true - any truth in this, anyone know?

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[kansasskydiver 0]

Yeah they're mean dogs when they want to be or feel threatened

<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist!

[Newbie 0]

Even to owners? Are they the sort of dogs that might growl if you put a hand near the food bowl at feeding time etc?

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[jumpchikk 0]

I raised my Chow... she was very sweet tempered. We also had four cats that were around her constantly and when she got to be about 5 years old, we got another dog (a Papillion, which is a small breed dog)... She withstood tons of ear biting from that dog...

We would leave her out on the front porch and people would walk up and down the street out front and she never bothered them.

It all depends on how they are raised... just like people...

[Elisha 1]

I don't know what pet wolves are like, but the husky in her may have mellowed her out. Inka (she) usually was behind the manifest counter, but would stand on her hind legs and bark at times and we'd have to yell at her to shut up. Overall, a friendly, furry dog though.

Of course, I have a cat, but I just barely favor cats over dogs and I'm in a townhouse which isn't really suitable for a dog.

[ifall 0]

They do have a pretty aggressive temperament. I think you have to rely on pure luck to get one that isn't unpredictable with people and other animals. Good guard dogs though.

[eeneR 3]

  Quote

Even to owners? Are they the sort of dogs that might growl if you put a hand near the food bowl at feeding time etc?

Now again, breeding and training can seriously influence the behaviour of the dog.

I had a friend who had a chow, the dog was awesome and very well behaved, never barked growled or snapped at anyone or anything. Then just out of the blue one day, she woke up with this strange feeling that something was staring at her..and there she was..the chow standing there on the bed staring at her...and then just lunged at her and attacked her. Her husband pulled the dog off...which then the dog tried to go after him. The dog just snapped. This case im 90% sure it was ALL in the breeding.

Huskys, Rotties, Dobermans, German Shepards, Shibas, Pits and a few others all can have the same tendency. This can happen with ANY breed, especially those with poor breeding lines. But some breeds tend to be a bit more agressive then others when it comes to this as they were orginally bread for fighting/hunting/protection. This is where the owner must take the time and educate themselves not only on the breed, but how to train and work with the breed, as well as the breeding history. If mom and dad seem a bit agressive there is a chance that the offspring will to, which with trainging sometimes you can work around this. Good breeders will screen for these "bad" traits if they infact a bad trait for that breed type, remember this....cause some breeds are ment to be protective and agressive. Some breeders will breed for that, while others will try and tame that trait out.

Take the time and talk to the prospective breeder, this isnt like going to buy a fish at a pet store...DONOT buy a dog from a pet store, even if they list having AKC breeding lines that means NOTHING. You want a respecitable breeder, who has references and will let you meet mom and dad (sometimes you cant meet both as they may have been used for stud). Ask them what tempermant they are breeding for, ask them if your situation will work for this breed. DO NOT LIE just cause you want a dog. Dogs can kill other animals, children and adults in some case. This is not something to take lightly, you should also be commited to this animal for its full life. Dogs, no animals for that matter are throw away items...you buy a dog, you had better be damn well ready to take care of it for 9-20 years depending on the breed.

[/soapbox]

This post was made in general to anyone who is considering getting a pet. IF at all possible go thru resuce organization for your favorite breed, if you really want a puppy please go to a responsible breeder...do not go to a pet store....oh and of course unless you are really serious about being a responsible breeder, not just breeding cause you think it is cool...please get your dog spayed or neutered.

end of public announcement

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[Rebecca 0]

That's where the breeder comes in - if the breeder does a good conscientious job (i.e. doesn't inbreed or overbreed, breeds out aggression), you can get a dog with fewer health and behavior issues.

Just as a general note to all: Please DO NOT buy from pet stores!! A good many of them buy from puppy mills. Buy from a good breeder or rescue a pup from the local SPCA.

you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk?

[Rebecca 0]

Oops! Ditto!

you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk?

[eeneR 3]

  Quote

Just as a general note to all: Please DO NOT buy from pet stores!! A good many of them buy from puppy mills. Buy from a good breeder or rescue a pup from the local SPCA.

If anyone out there is not familiar with a puppy mill....They are very very nasty places. the dogs do nothing but breed and live in cages...see here

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[eeneR 3]

Nope...not oops ditto...just drives that point home that much more

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[Newbie 0]

Thanks for the informative post - both dogs and all the cats we have had have been rescue pets, so i'm not overly hot on buying a dog (i think we have plenty out there already that need loving homes) but i do like the idea of a chow. I had heard about their aggresive tendency, but i wasn't sure if that was entirely accurate. I would 100% never buy a dog from a pet store (you can't even buy puppies here, they don't sell them) and i have to admit, going into pet stores abroad to see puppies and kittens bundled into tiny cages irks me no end.

If we were to get a specific breed like a chow, i would look to rescue centres first, then reknowned breeders, and like you say, make it clear what we were looking for - there is no way i would buy a dog on the basis it might not be a good fit for us and the animal itself, especially as one day we plan to have kids. I certainly don't take owning any animal lightly, least of all a dog/cat.

Anyway thanks again for the good advice!

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[Ashtanga 0]

I like chows but my favorite dog of that caliber is the mastiff.

"What the Lion is to the Cat
the Mastiff is to the Dog,
the noblest of the family;
he stands alone,
and all others sink before him.
His courage does not exceed
his temper and generosity,
and in attachment he equals
the kindest of his race."
Cynographia Britannica - 1800

Google pics...
http://images.google.com/images?q=mastiff&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=ii&oi=imagest

[eeneR 3]

OHMIGOD that tibein mastiff is friggen adorable!!!!!!

My brother and sisterinlaw have a St. Bernard...he is a big loveable moose....think he weighs in at 170lbs right now. Those big horse dogs are awesome. I just dont have the room. My bro's dog and my shiba are 1 month apart, so when they started playing together he was 35 lbs and she was 5...she kicked the shit out of him...now at 170 and 20 lbs she still kicks his ass...just weaves in and out of his legs till he falls over...I knew teaching her weave poles would have some benefit! Or she takes off at full speed towards something, knowing damn well she can stop and turn on a dime...and he cant Course she doest that to my Siberian Husky too...

i think i need to send the like to that mastiff to my sister in law....she is gonna flip!

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[Snowwhite 0]

At one time I had four Newfoundlands. TAlk about HAIR!
We helped a buddy out, and took in his Chow that he had rescued from an ASPCA. It got hit by a truck, shattered its hip. SWEET dog. but he was raised by a sweet guy, and then taken in by us, SWEET people.
The trick to dog raising, ANY dog, is to let it know that you are ALPHA and he/she is NOT. They must know this from the time they are puppies, because they are pack animals.
There will be an alpha. If you let it be him/her, it will be. You don't have to be mean, just the boss.
I have raised a bunch of show dogs, both conformation and utilty (working) dogs. TAKE a dog training class from someone who has raised a dog or two that has working degree. Then you know they have successfully trained dogs, and are qualified to help you train yours. Or better yet, find a book by the late Jack Godsell. Masterful trainer, of all kinds of breeds, all kinds of working classes. Read it BEFORE you buy your puppy. He used to say "these are pack animals, not little people in furry coats"

skydiveTaylorville.org
freefallbeth@yahoo.com

[skydiver51 0]

Our black chow chow is VERY protective of me and the wife. We can be sitting on the couch and act like we are hitting each other and yelling OW and in a flash he is between us barking for us to stop. Also at night we have to be very careful walking around the house in the dark. If you step on him he growls, not whimper and get out of the way like other dogs. We keep a close eye on him when people come to the house. He barks a little when they first walk in but then will just sit close by them and keep an eye on them. Here is a couple pics of Buddyboy.
Also a pic I have hanging up at work.
Wanted to add, he is not aggressive toward other dogs. He will sniff them and walk off.
Our dog is 10 yrs old and would love to get another one when he is gone, but because of the uncertainty of his reaction to strangers I don't think we will. I would like to get a Newfy (Newfoundland) but we have a very small back yard and it gets pretty hot here in the summer. We may settle for a Rot.

[StevePhelps 0]

I've had two chows. Back in the late 70s I had a red chow that I took off an SF buddy in the Army. The chow was agressive to non-family members and could no longer live on base. So, I took him home and he was fine with me, the wife and her two chihuahuas, but anybody else ... look out.

I had a black chow from 1989 to 1999. He was very laid back for chows. Our neighbor was a dog catcher and she was scared of him just because of the breed tendancies. My thoughgts are if you get a puppy that has NOT come from a puppy farm and socialize him early he should be okay. Just remember, they tend to a be a one man/family dog.

[psf 1]

I own one now. Chows were raised as guard dogs for the ruler of china way back when. They were raised to be loyal to and protect one person (the ruler), thus, their tendency even today is to be a one person dog.
My dog will ignore other people, and only listen to me. He was raised not to be aggressive, and he isn't. My kids could pull him out of his food bowl, and he would do nothing, but he only listens to me.

take it for what its worth, but I would get another chow some day, I have had no problems with him.

ignorance is not bliss