Chow Question

[corgimom]

Not that we need another dog right now, but for future reference.

I adore chows. They are just the cutest, fuzziest things in the world. We've talked about adopting a chow from a shelter in the future, when we have a house with a fenced in yard for it to play in. However, I am a tad concerned because I have heard that chows tend to be one person dogs. Ein is a total momma's boy. I'll admit that from time to time, he hurts his daddy's feelings because he'll lay in our bedroom all day long by himself and sleep. Then, as soon as I walk in the door, he runs out to greet me, and then all of a sudden realizes that Lucas exists and will sit in his lap, play with him, etc. Lucas often tells him, "You finally realized I'm here, huh?"

Does anyone here have a chow or know a chow and have any exerience with them. Exactly how much of a one person dog are they?

[luvnature]

Here is a good link on the chows on their temperment

Chow Chow Information, Chow Chows

Chow Chow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have a chow/shep mix and she is the most loving, loyal dog i have had. She is very protective and will warn us when people are outside the gate but once she see's that we let them inside or we tell her its ok..she is a big sweet baby and loves them. She is also the smartest thing...very silly and hyper, but is well trained and listens super well. She is a mix though like i said. If i would ever get a chow i would get one that was very young to introduce to my family and pets and socialize her well, which is a must with this breed...well any breed really.
BTW ..i love your pic for the POTM contest! Cute!

[Ambieruns10]

My parents have a chow mix, he is a great guy. He is very sweet and loves to sit in your lap.

Unfouruntaly he has some issues but that is because he *sigh* is not neutered and he was never socialized.

[Chinchilla_Girl]

I got a chow when I was 14. She was a retired show/breeder at the age of 4 years. Her name was Kayjin and she was beautiful! In my experience with adopting an adult chow, they do tend to be very much a one person dog, however they can adjust when their one person is no longer in the picture. IE she was very much MY dog. Kayjin followed me everywhere and I was the one to wash her, brush her, feed her, play with her and walk her every day. When I graduated and went off to college, my mom kept her and she adjusted to where she was then my mom's dog. She did not like small children. They made her nervous due to the tunnel vision chows have and quick movements of children caused her to bit now and ask questions later. I can't tell you how many times my brother was bit by Kayjin because he startled her or did something in a way she didn't understand. She never attacked him or anything, but she did the one-snap-bite and got him on a number of occasions. She also wasn't very fond of men. She pretty much just stayed away from my stepfather and finally did get to the point where she tolorated him simply because he bribed her into getting fat with him He also spoke softly and moved slowly, so she eventually got comfortable enough to just sit next to his chair and have him pet her head.
Kayjin wasn't a bad dog. Like I said, she wasn't very smart. I walked her daily and always took the same route (there was a boy I liked on our route and he'd always come out to talk to me when I walked past his house with her. She was my guy magnet ) One day she escaped the yard and she took off...I found her sitting on his front step. Apparently she didn't have enough brains to go exploring on her own so she just took the route she knew Which made it really easy to find her!
She was prissy though! After having been a show dog, she had a certain prance to her step, especially after a good brushout (which was daily because she had the thickest undercoat!) She'd prance around with her nose in the air and swinging her hips! She knew she was gorgeous! Then one day my mother dropped her off at the groomer to have her shaved like a lion...I had to go pick her up because she was too embarrassed to come out of the drying cage! She'd never been shaved before so it was tramatic for her to look like that. I had to convince her she was beautiful before she'd come out!
She was a great dog though for me at the age of 14. My brother, not so much. He didn't like her and she was always chasing my cat. My mom had her put down at the age of 15 years when her wits were gone and she was suffering from halucinations, arthritis, and thyroid problems. She didn't tell me until a month later. I still hold resentment for my mother for having her put down without me there. She said it was the hardest thing she's ever had to do. Because of Kayjin, she said she'd never have another pet. She couldn't deal with the loss again.
I wouldn't get an older chow with little kids in the house, but I would get a puppy to grow up with them. They are protective, but not too hyper and when raised with kids, they tend to be a lot less jumpy. Kayjin wasn't raised with kids or men, which is probably why she didn't like them too much. But yes, all the chows I've met have been very much one person dogs. That doesn't mean they don't like other family members, it just means they do end up chosing one person in the household to be "theirs".

[Carissa]

I think they are great dogs...They are missunderstood like pitbulls and such..

although I have been attacked by one...but i still like them..this one was just a bad dog..

Good luck!