Coat Types and Colors
Coat types
Chows come in 2 coat types, they come in a "rough" coat and a "smooth" coat.
The rough coat is the more common or "fluffy" type and the smooth coat is less well known.
Which one is right for you depends on your personal preference.
Rough coat although most common has the most up keep, with the smooth coat generally being easier to maintain.
With in the the rough coat you can have a longer length and a shorter length.
A rough coat no matter the length will have a softer texture.
A smooth coat will have a coarser more bristly feel to the coat.
It does affect the appearance of the dog, if you've fallen in love with a big bundle of fur then a rough coat is for you.
If you love everything that a chow stands for but the sight of all that fur gives you pause then a smooth coat may be for you.
Please keep in mind that a smooth coat will still shed 1 - 2 times a year.
They still have all the personality of a chow ( if not more - they can over compensate for not having as much coat) they just wont get matted and wont require as much brushing as a rough.
Also when desexing a rough coat it affects the coat, it tends to not shed in the same way and to get longer and fuller.
This doesn't happen with a smooth coat.
*please see photos below coat types to see a before and after desexed coat.
Smooth coat can be harder to find as not every one has the gene in their lines - Fran Edwards from Geelong would breed the most smooth coats of anyone in Australia. Please check with the breeder if they have "smooth" in their lines if thats what your after.
There should be no price difference between a smooth and a rough.
Shedding - Chows are a double coated breed this means they have a coarse outer coat and a soft under coat.
The soft under coat is what keeps them warm in winter they drop/ shed this coat coming into summer to cool them selves off.
This is when there is a lot of grooming required to get the shedding coat out. You will end up with garbage bags full of coat.
This is normal, do not panic!
You should not shave/clip a double coated breed. Their coat acts as insulation from all weather conditions. That being said their are some exceptions.
A dog with a large coat thats been desex and the coat has grown larger and is not shedding correctly may need to be clipped coming into summer.
ALWAYS check with your breeder before doing this. Do not let let your groomer or vet talk you into this before checking with your breeder.
Please see the photos below to see the difference between the two coat types.
Chows come in 2 coat types, they come in a "rough" coat and a "smooth" coat.
The rough coat is the more common or "fluffy" type and the smooth coat is less well known.
Which one is right for you depends on your personal preference.
Rough coat although most common has the most up keep, with the smooth coat generally being easier to maintain.
With in the the rough coat you can have a longer length and a shorter length.
A rough coat no matter the length will have a softer texture.
A smooth coat will have a coarser more bristly feel to the coat.
It does affect the appearance of the dog, if you've fallen in love with a big bundle of fur then a rough coat is for you.
If you love everything that a chow stands for but the sight of all that fur gives you pause then a smooth coat may be for you.
Please keep in mind that a smooth coat will still shed 1 - 2 times a year.
They still have all the personality of a chow ( if not more - they can over compensate for not having as much coat) they just wont get matted and wont require as much brushing as a rough.
Also when desexing a rough coat it affects the coat, it tends to not shed in the same way and to get longer and fuller.
This doesn't happen with a smooth coat.
*please see photos below coat types to see a before and after desexed coat.
Smooth coat can be harder to find as not every one has the gene in their lines - Fran Edwards from Geelong would breed the most smooth coats of anyone in Australia. Please check with the breeder if they have "smooth" in their lines if thats what your after.
There should be no price difference between a smooth and a rough.
Shedding - Chows are a double coated breed this means they have a coarse outer coat and a soft under coat.
The soft under coat is what keeps them warm in winter they drop/ shed this coat coming into summer to cool them selves off.
This is when there is a lot of grooming required to get the shedding coat out. You will end up with garbage bags full of coat.
This is normal, do not panic!
You should not shave/clip a double coated breed. Their coat acts as insulation from all weather conditions. That being said their are some exceptions.
A dog with a large coat thats been desex and the coat has grown larger and is not shedding correctly may need to be clipped coming into summer.
ALWAYS check with your breeder before doing this. Do not let let your groomer or vet talk you into this before checking with your breeder.
Please see the photos below to see the difference between the two coat types.
DESEXING - this alters the hormones produced and affects the coat. It becomes softer and more like cotton wool. It doesn't shed in the same way it normally would and tends to grow in abundance, it may require "trimming" to tame the length. You shouldn't clip your chow off entirely, this effects their ability to regulate their temperature. It also affects how the coat will go back, and depending on when in their growth cycle you do it, it can take a long time to grow back. Only in extreme cases should this be considered.
Always consult with your breeder before going down the clipping path.
Desexing should be done after the dog is 12 - 18 months old at minimum. It is best for the dogs long term health and growth to wait until they are mature to desex.
Always consult with your breeder before going down the clipping path.
Desexing should be done after the dog is 12 - 18 months old at minimum. It is best for the dogs long term health and growth to wait until they are mature to desex.
Notice how the texture appears different and the length is dramatically different
Colours
Chows come in five acceptable colours, all of which are a solid colour, though some may have lighter shadings. The most common colours are red and black , followed by the less common (in terms of numbers of puppies available at any one time) cream , blues and fawns. There is no such thing as a rare coloured Chow you should not pay any extra for any particular color, if any one tells you otherwise its a scam! please see below for definitions of the colours
All five colours come in the two coat types rough and smooth.
Keep in mind smooth coats are rarer than rough and some colours are rare so a blue smooth coat is not going to come along very often.
Red - comes in various shades from a self coloured - dark red all over - to light shaded red - lighter colour over body with white tall, pants, feathering on the back of the legs and bib or chest. As puppies they can a have black face/muzzle and they generally lose this as they get older.
Black - should be black all over, can sometimes have silver shading on the tail - this is a sign of the chinchilla gene and nothing to worry about.
Black coat can get "sunburnt" and go a red colour. You also have to careful what product you use on a black coat as some can burnt the coat.
You should not use oil or alcohol based products on a black coat.
Blue - should be the same colour all over.
Blue coat can also get "sunburnt" and go a red colour. You also have to careful what product you use on a blue coat as some can burnt the coat.
You should not use oil or alcohol based products on a blue coat. Anything safe for a black coat will also be suitable for blues.
Blues will have a slate coloured nose, not black.
Cream - White body with biscuit coloured ears and markings, can have varying shades ie darker cream color over the body not just the markings.
creams will also have a lighter coloured nose, this is normal and nothing to worry about.
Creams can go a darker colour as they get older too.
Fawn - also known as "Cinnamon" in America - Fawn will vary in colour also you can get get a light almost silver coloured fawn and a darker or "dirty" fawn thats almost a brown/chocolate color. As puppies they will generally have a blue face/muzzle and they will lose this as they get older.
Fawns will also have a slate coloured nose not black.
(I know it looks black from a distance, i checked my dog at home when i first heard this as i didn't believe it either! )