At a glance the quick version
The FCI and AKC standards set no weight. Wikipedia gives the wide ranges shown; VCA gives a typical 20-32 kg (45-70 lb) for both sexes.
Coat and looks how to spot one
Dense double coat in two varieties, rough and smooth
A sturdy, square-built dog with a broad head, small thick ears and a lion-like look. The rough variety carries a thick, stand-off outer coat that forms a mane around the neck over a soft woolly undercoat. The smooth variety has a shorter, hard, dense outer coat, still with a clear undercoat. Every Chow has a blue-black tongue and dark mouth.45
Personality what they are like
A self-possessed, intelligent dog with a strong independent streak. It bonds closely with its own people and tends to stay reserved and discerning with strangers and unfamiliar dogs. It is usually quiet indoors and makes an alert watchdog. Training goes best with calm, consistent, reward-based handling rather than force.543
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Moderate. Daily walks or light jogging suit the breed, with the Royal Kennel Club suggesting up to about an hour a day. Chows enjoy cool weather and do best with gentle exercise in warm conditions.63
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
The rough coat needs thorough brushing every other day or daily to keep the undercoat from matting; the smooth coat needs about weekly brushing. Both varieties shed more than average, especially in seasonal coat changes.36
Home where they are happiest
Adapts to house living as a calm companion; the Royal Kennel Club suggests a large house with a small or medium garden. A cool, shaded spot is appreciated in summer thanks to the heavy coat.63
Company who they like around
Devoted to its family but not overtly demonstrative. Early and ongoing socialisation with people and other dogs helps it stay relaxed around visitors.35
The story where it all began
The Chow Chow is one of the oldest dog types, developed in China, where genetic work places it among the basal breeds that predate the 19th-century boom in breed creation. The Royal Kennel Club traces it to about 2,000 years ago in the Han Dynasty, and the FCI standard describes it as a guard and hunting dog with a history of over two millennia. In China it was an all-purpose worker, used for hunting, guarding and pulling. Because China was closed to the West for so long, the breed only trickled out slowly: a pair reportedly reached Britain on East India Company ships around 1780, but serious interest came in the late 1800s, when the new fashion for dog shows and exotic breeds brought more Chows to Europe. Queen Victoria owned one, which boosted its popularity. The Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1894, the AKC in 1903, and the FCI gave definitive recognition in 1957. In the US its popularity peaked in the 1980s.642371
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The Chow's blue-black tongue is its signature feature, yet puppies are born with pink tongues that darken as they grow.7
- 2
The breed's typical stiff, 'stilted' hind-leg action comes from its very straight rear angulation, giving it a short, quick stride.5
- 3
A Tang dynasty emperor in the 7th century is said to have kept around 2,500 Chows as hunting dogs.7
- 4
The name 'Chow Chow' is not Chinese; it likely comes from an 18th-century English trade term for assorted curios or knick-knacks carried in ships' cargo.7
- 5
In modern Chinese the breed is called songshi quan, meaning 'loose lion dog', i.e. fluffy lion dog.2
- 6
Sigmund Freud's Chow, Jofi, sat in on his therapy sessions; Freud felt the dog was a good judge of a patient's state.2
- 7
Queen Victoria owned a Chow, which helped make the breed fashionable in Britain.6
- 8
Martha Stewart has kept Chows, including a champion named Genghis Khan who was shown at Westminster.7
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard no. 205, Group 5 Spitz and primitive types, Section 5 Asian Spitz and related breeds; definitive recognition 10.12.1957; current standard published 13.10.2010; patronage Great Britain.1
- The Royal Kennel Club
- Utility group; recognised by the Kennel Club in 1894; rough and smooth coat varieties.6
- AKC
- Recognised in 1903, Non-Sporting Group; current standard approved 11 May 2020, effective 29 July 2020.7
Popularity Ranked No. 94 of AKC-registered breeds in the US (2025 rankings)8
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Chow Chow. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- BrushingDaily during heavy sheddingevery 3 days
- Deshedding spring and autumnExtra brushing while the coat blowsevery day
- Double coats insulate against cold and heat, so shaving is not recommended
- Bathevery 10 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
- Ear checkevery 2 weeks
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- ExerciseAbout 45 minutes a dayevery day
- Heat care summerWalk in the cool morning and eveningevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 8every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FCI Nomenclature: Chow Chow (205) fci.beused for FCI group, recognition date, origin/patronage
- Wikipedia: Chow Chow en.wikipedia.orgused for weight ranges, lifespan, Chinese name, Freud's Jofi, history
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Chow Chow vcahospitals.comused for weight, height, lifespan, grooming, exercise, temperament
- FCI Standard No. 205 Chow Chow fci.beused for height, coat, colours, temperament, history summary
- AKC Official Standard of the Chow Chow images.akc.orgused for height, coat, colours, temperament, gait
- The Royal Kennel Club: Chow Chow royalkennelclub.comused for UK recognition, exercise, grooming, living space, history
- AKC: Facts About the Chow Chow That You May Not Know akc.orgused for AKC recognition year, fun facts, name origin
- AKC: Most Popular Dog Breeds of 2025 akc.orgused for popularity rank
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.