Chow Chow Puppies for Sale

An ancient breed with an unmistakable outline

The Chow Chow is one of the older dog breeds in existence, with a history in northern China stretching back thousands of years, where it worked variously as a hunter, a cart dog, and a guardian. Everything about the modern Chow signals that antiquity: the deep-set eyes, the broad ruffed head, the blue-black tongue, and the almost straight hind legs that give the breed its distinctive stilted gait.

It is a dog people stop to look at, and one that generally does not care whether they do.

Reserved by design

Chow Chows are often described as cat-like, and the comparison is fair. They are dignified, self-contained, and undemonstrative. A Chow is loyal to its household but rarely effusive about it, and it is naturally aloof with people it does not know.

That reserve is a breed characteristic rather than a fault, but it does mean early socialization is essential rather than optional. Puppies that meet a wide range of people, dogs, and situations during their first months grow into adults that take the world calmly. Keep that work going past the first year.

Because the breed is strong and naturally watchful, supervise all interactions with young children, give the dog its own undisturbed space, and manage introductions to other dogs carefully with adult attention.

The coat is the main job

Chows come in two coat types. The rough coat is the familiar one: an abundant, standing outer coat over a thick woolly undercoat, heaviest around the neck where it forms the lion-like ruff. The smooth coat is shorter and lies flat but still carries a dense undercoat underneath.

Either way, this is a serious grooming commitment. Brush thoroughly two or three times a week with a pin brush and an undercoat rake, and expect heavy seasonal shedding periods when daily work is more realistic. Mats form behind the ears, in the ruff, and along the trousers. Pay attention to the folds around the face and keep them clean and dry.

Warm-weather care

A dog carrying that much undercoat needs help in a Florida or Tennessee summer. Exercise early and late, keep walks short in high heat, and give the dog a cool indoor place to lie during the day. Shaving is generally not the answer, because the coat also insulates against heat; talk to a groomer who knows double coats about the right approach.

Training and exercise

Exercise needs are modest. A couple of steady walks a day suits most Chows, and the breed is not built for distance running.

Training requires a different mindset than with a biddable working breed. Chows are intelligent and independent, and they cooperate when they see the point rather than out of eagerness to please. Short sessions, clear rewards, consistency from everyone in the house, and no heavy-handedness. Start early, while the puppy is small enough to guide easily.

Come and see one in person

Photographs do not convey the density of coat or the presence this breed has. Our Chow Chow puppies come from our licensed breeder network, and our staff can talk you through the grooming realities before you decide.

We have stores in Orlando and Nashville. Find hours and directions, and ask about financing if you would like to spread the cost.