Chow Chow puppies are tiny and cute like all puppies, just by looking at one it would be difficult to imagine them as the fairly large hunting dogs that they will grow into one day.

Growing to a weight of from 45 – 70 pounds, these dogs are on the larger side; many experts that have studied the breed believe that it is one of the very first breeds of dog to have evolved from the wolf; somewhere in Mongolia around two to three thousand years ago people were domesticating this breed’s forefathers and using them for protection and to help with the hunt.

Mastiffs are potentially forefathers of this breed as well as the Akita and the Shar-Pei, and it’s certainly possible that they all had a role to play in the evolution of the Chow Chow.

When examining ancient Chinese history, it seems that the Chow Chow was the only major breed that was used for hunting, whereas other breeds were treated as pets, like the Pekingese for example, in fact these dogs were seen as Royal dogs, pets of the court of imperial China, and they didn’t do any real work.  The Chow chows were the blue collar dogs of their day.

As time passed and China was colonized by the western powers, British sailors began bringing home these dogs, the name of this breed was given it by the sailors because they were housed in the Chow Chow hold on voyages from China back to the British homeland; it was sometime during the 1830’s that these dogs began their immigration to the west.

Chow Chows have blue-black tongues, there’s nothing wrong with their tongues, that’s just the way they  look.  If another dog had a blue tongue, well, you’d probably want to get them to the hospital, but not these, for them it’s perfectly normal.

In addition to their blue tongues they have a double thick coat, like many other breeds that have evolved in colder climates; this coat helped them to survive in the wild, however now it’s detriment to them in warmer climates and during the summer time, much better to leave your Chow Chow inside with the air conditioner running in the summer than let them out in the yard when it’s 95 and humid.  Yuck.

Interestingly enough, these fairly large dogs don’t eat much and don’t require as much exercise as some of the larger breeds do, such as the Great Dane for instance.  This type of dog would do well in a home with a smaller yard, but would perhaps get a little antsy in an apartment home, it depends, if the owner were able to take them out a lot it could work.

When looking at purchasing Chow Chow puppies be sure to buy from a reputable breeder, ask around and network with Chow Chow owners online, you’ll be certain to find a good one in your area.