How long does a Chow Chow live?

The life expectancy of the Chow Chow is 9-15 años. A good diet, adequate exercise, annual veterinary check-ups and preventive care can help reach the upper end of that range.

How much does a Chow Chow weigh?

An adult Chow Chow weighs between 20-32 kg, depending on its sex, genetics and condition. It is grande.

How much exercise does a Chow Chow need?

The Chow Chow has baja energy. **Exercise:** 30-45 min/day split into at least 2 sessions. Calm walks + mental play.

Who is the Chow Chow NOT recommended for?

It isn't the right breed for: Beginners. Warm climates. Families with many visitors/young children. It's important to choose a breed that's compatible with your lifestyle.

Why does the Chow Chow have a blue tongue?

It is a unique feature of the breed: the tongue and gums are blue-black from natural pigmentation. A tongue that suddenly turns bluish in another breed would indeed be an emergency, but in the Chow it is normal from birth.

Is it a good breed for beginners or families with young children?

It is not usually recommended. It is independent, stubborn and reserved, with a tendency to territoriality. It needs an experienced owner and massive socialisation; it copes better with quiet homes than with houses with many visitors or very young children.

Why does it tolerate heat so poorly?

Its dense double coat is designed for the cold. In warm climates it is at high risk of heatstroke: it should be walked first and last thing, offered shade and water, and exercise avoided during the central hours of summer.

What is entropion and why is it so common in the breed?

It is the inward rolling of the eyelid, so that the lashes rub the eye causing pain, watering and infections. It is very common in the Chow because of its facial folds and usually requires corrective surgery.

How much does it shed and what care does it need?

It sheds a lot, massively during the moults. It requires brushing about 3 times a week and daily during the moult, plus periodic baths, to stop the dense coat from matting.

Breed profile

Chow Chow

A lion-cub appearance with a mane. Blue-black tongue. Independent, almost cat-like character. Reserved, loyal to one family. Needs massive socialisation or it becomes reactive.

Origin: China Size: Grande Lifespan: 9-15 años Energy

Foto: Wikipedia Commons · CC BY-SA

Ideal for

✓Experienced homes
✓Cool climates
✓Anyone who values an independent dog

Reconsider if

×Beginners
×Warm climates
×Families with many visitors/young children

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Is the Chow Chow a good match for you?

Indicative rating from 1 (low) to 5 (high).

Suitable for flats

Suitable for first-timers

Good with children

With other dogs

With cats

Tolerates being alone

Energy level

Ease of training

Shedding level

Grooming needs

Tendency to bark

Tolerates heat

Tolerates cold

💶 Estimated cost of ownership

90-150 €/month

Quality food for a large dog (30-45 €), pro-rated vaccinations and the annual check-up with eye and thyroid screening (20-30 €), parasite treatments by weight (15-20 €), recommended health insurance (15-25 €) and professional grooming/brushing for its dense coat (20-35 €/month pro-rated, higher during the moulting season).

History and origin

An ancient Chinese breed, multi-purpose: hunting, herding, guarding, food. It reached the West via 19th-century trade routes. Queen Victoria popularised it.

Recognised by the FCI within Group 5 (spitz and primitive types). A dense double coat adapted to cold climates: in warm climates it requires precautions (shade, water, avoiding midday walks in summer).

Temperament and character

Reserved, dignified, loyal. Attached to one family. Possible territoriality. Intelligent and stubborn. It hardly plays. Needs daily mental stimulation — scent games, food kongs and short tricks channel its energy better than physical exercise alone. Responds best to positive reinforcement: physical punishment generates fear, anxiety and reactivity — coercive methods are NOT recommended by veterinary behaviourists. Sensitive to its family's mood: it detects tension and picks up on it.

Living together

Children: with its own family only. Other dogs: dominant with the same sex. Cats: variable.

Life stages of the Chow Chow

Each stage has its own care priorities. Life expectancy: 9-15 años.

Puppy

0-15 months

Intensive early socialisation and eye screening (entropion).

Junior

15 months-2 years

Patient training, care of the dense coat and heat control.

Adult

2-7 years

Monitoring of dysplasias, thyroid function and eye health.

Senior

7+ years

Follow-up of joints, ophthalmology (glaucoma) and metabolism.

Care

Exercise: 30-45 min/day split into at least 2 sessions. Calm walks + mental play.

Grooming: daily; intensive during moults (spring and autumn).

Feeding: quality food appropriate to its life stage (puppy/adult/senior) and size. Weight control: obesity is the main preventable cause of joint problems.

Vet: annual check-up with preventive bloodwork from 5 years of age (7 years in giant breeds); twice a year from 8.

Moderate exercise (45 min/day). Grooming 3 times/week, daily during moulting. Copes very badly with heat. Firm, respectful training. Early socialisation CRITICAL.

Care in detail

🍽️ Nutrition

Quality food suited to the life stage with strict portion control: its tendency to be overweight promotes diabetes and overloads dysplastic joints. Water always available, especially in the heat.

✂️ Grooming

A very dense double coat that requires brushing 3 times a week and daily during the intense moults, plus periodic baths. The facial folds and eye area must be checked and cleaned owing to its tendency to entropion.

🎓 Training

Independent, dignified and stubborn, not suited to beginners. Early socialisation is CRITICAL to prevent it becoming reactive or territorial. Firm but always respectful, positive training; it hardly plays, so it must be motivated in another way.

🏃 Exercise

Moderate exercise, 30-45 min daily on calm walks, always avoiding the hot hours. It is a low-energy breed that tolerates high temperatures very poorly.

Breed-specific health

Dysplasia. Entropion. Glaucoma. Diabetes. Hypothyroidism. Gastric cancer. Life expectancy 9-15 years. Life expectancy 9-15 years with proper care. Pre-breeding tests recommended in responsible breeders (dysplasia + cardiac + ophthalmology according to the breed's conditions). When adopting, ask the rescue for a vet report on the current state of health.

🩺 Health predispositions of this breed

Conditions this breed is more predisposed to. Knowing about them helps with prevention and early detection. A predisposition does not mean the animal will develop them.

👁️Entropión 🦴Displasia de cadera 🔵Glaucoma 🦴Hipotiroidismo 🦴Displasia de codo

Common diseases in dogs

Learn the symptoms, prevention and when to see the vet. Reviewed indicative information that does not replace a veterinary consultation.

🐾Dermatitis atópica 🍄Tiña (dermatofitosis)🦟Alergia a la picadura de pulga (DAPP)🤢Gastroenteritis ☠️Parvovirosis canina 🆘Torsión gástrica (dilatación-vólvulo)

See all 158 diseases in the health guide

Screening and prevention for the Chow Chow

Recommended tests and screenings

✓Ophthalmological evaluation (entropion and glaucoma, very characteristic of the breed)
✓Radiography for hip and elbow dysplasia
✓Patellar luxation examination
✓Thyroid profile (hypothyroidism)
✓Blood glucose check (diabetes) at check-ups

Prevention

Eye monitoring due to its high predisposition to entropion (an inward-rolling eyelid that rubs the eye) and glaucoma. Frequent brushing of its dense double coat, strict heat management (cool climates, shade, water, avoiding midday in summer) and weight control to prevent diabetes and protect the joints.

Check-up schedule

Annual veterinary check-up with ophthalmological and thyroid screening; preventive bloodwork from 5-7 years of age and two visits a year from 8.

Warning signs

!A watery, squinting or irritated eye, rubbing the face (entropion)
!A red, painful eye (glaucoma, veterinary emergency)
!Lethargy, weight gain, dry coat or cold intolerance (hypothyroidism)
!Excessive thirst and urination, weight loss (diabetes)
!Heavy panting or collapse in the heat (heatstroke, high risk in the breed)

Chow Chow gallery

Foto de la raza chow chow — Foto: Wikimedia Commons

Frequently asked questions about the Chow Chow

How long does a Chow Chow live?: The life expectancy of the Chow Chow is 9-15 años. A good diet, adequate exercise, annual veterinary check-ups and preventive care can help reach the upper end of that range.
How much does a Chow Chow weigh?: An adult Chow Chow weighs between 20-32 kg, depending on its sex, genetics and condition. It is grande.
Where does the Chow Chow breed come from?: The Chow Chow originates from China. An ancient Chinese breed, multi-purpose: hunting, herding, guarding, food. It reached the West via 19th-century trade routes. Queen Victoria popularised it.
How much exercise does a Chow Chow need?: The Chow Chow has baja energy. **Exercise:** 30-45 min/day split into at least 2 sessions. Calm walks + mental play.
Is the Chow Chow good with children?: Children: with its own family only. Other dogs: dominant with the same sex. Cats: variable.
Who is the Chow Chow NOT recommended for?: It isn't the right breed for: Beginners. Warm climates. Families with many visitors/young children. It's important to choose a breed that's compatible with your lifestyle.
What health problems does the Chow Chow have?: Dysplasia. Entropion. Glaucoma. Diabetes. Hypothyroidism. Gastric cancer. Life expectancy 9-15 years. Life expectancy 9-15 years with proper care. Pre-breeding tests recommended in responsible breeders (dysplasia + cardiac + ophthalmology according to the breed's conditions). When adopting, ask the rescue for a vet report on the current state of health.
Why does the Chow Chow have a blue tongue?: It is a unique feature of the breed: the tongue and gums are blue-black from natural pigmentation. A tongue that suddenly turns bluish in another breed would indeed be an emergency, but in the Chow it is normal from birth.
Is it a good breed for beginners or families with young children?: It is not usually recommended. It is independent, stubborn and reserved, with a tendency to territoriality. It needs an experienced owner and massive socialisation; it copes better with quiet homes than with houses with many visitors or very young children.
Why does it tolerate heat so poorly?: Its dense double coat is designed for the cold. In warm climates it is at high risk of heatstroke: it should be walked first and last thing, offered shade and water, and exercise avoided during the central hours of summer.
What is entropion and why is it so common in the breed?: It is the inward rolling of the eyelid, so that the lashes rub the eye causing pain, watering and infections. It is very common in the Chow because of its facial folds and usually requires corrective surgery.
How much does it shed and what care does it need?: It sheds a lot, massively during the moults. It requires brushing about 3 times a week and daily during the moult, plus periodic baths, to stop the dense coat from matting.