does anyone know anything about chows

animallover123

my mum is a dog groomer so i could go with her to do him if he know my mum that may make it better, re strong, i was going to take to dog training or doesnt that make a bit of diffrence to these dogs, re one owner, are you saying they best living with a single person with no family then a couple ??

wilkies5

I think the dog I encountered regularly was fairly typical. Her behaviour was, no doubt, made worse by being 'allowed' to dominate her owner. The elderly lady would allow the dog to get on the sofa etc and take liberties that most pets wouldn't be given. It's a dog, not a cat!! Remember this, as dogs respond to firm handling (not cruel) and consistent rules. They should not be encouraged to behave like cats.
Chows also LOVE their food. If you have cats, they will eat the cats' food as well as their own. This is another area where the dog can attempt to control their own environment. If you do go ahead with this, make sure the dog knows YOU are top of the pack...else there will be tears!

Fosterdog

My cousin used to have three chows, and they are not a breed for the feint hearted. Two of the three couldn't be trusted in the same room as visitors, they could turn at any time and they were never allowed off lead. They couldn't get muzzles to fit them and they weren't safe without them so taking them for a walk was like a military operation and always had my cousin and her husband, he had the dogs and she would walk slightly ahead to make sure there was nobody around or to warn passers by that the dogs need to be avoided.

They weren't novice owners, they always had a minimum of five dogs at a time, some pedigree show dogs and some rescue mongrels, the chows were supposed to be for showing but they could only do that with the one calmer dog. One of the two temperamental ones only really liked her husband and had tried to bite her several times.

I have met some lovely chows in my life but I've also met a lot of them with similar issues, they either don't bond at all or tend to bond with one person and will hate everyone else.

Dollardog

I had some friends who had a Chow, I think they are prone to health issues as there's had a sensitive stomach and was also prone to bloat which is an awful issue and means you have to get them to a vet straight way as their stomach fills with air which has to be released. they got as they daren't leave the dog for long.
I know other breeds are also prone to bloat and should be fed with the food bowl raised which I do with mine.

animallover123

they sound quite specalised mind you we have sphynx cats a savannah cat and a chinese crested and they are very specialised as well, esp the sphynx and chinese crested as bathing, cleaning them, and my crestie i rescued her has acne and blackheads that i am trying to sort out at the min, also in the winter i have to keep my house quite warm as my sphynx and crestie dont have fur would a chow maybe not like that x

Fire_Fox

If you want to be safe work on the security of the house - double glazed windows and/ or reinforced glass, good window locks, door locks with multiple bolts that go into the jamb alongside the hinges. Barking may be a good deterrent, but if your dog attacks someone - even a burglar - the dog can be PTS and you can be prosecuted.

I was with a man with Aspergers for ten years so have every sympathy for you, but honestly from your other thread it does not sound like a secure environment to introduce another dog. Who would care for the new dog if you had to move into a rented flat paid for by housing benefits? How would you pay for the vet care if you do split up, given your health issues? Your OH doesn't like dogs and works away so I assume he won't keep any of the animals. Animals pick up on tensions and arguments, what if the new dog 'blames' your partner and attacks him when he arrives home late?

gettingready

Sorry but remminds me of a thread on here when someone got a spaniel pup following a burglary - for protection too...

OP- you have enough pets as it is. Can you afford them if anything happens and you split up with your BF with nowhere to go yourself never mind the multiple pets?

krlyr

I too would be wary about getting an independant, large breed dog in a volatile relationship. Not only is there concern about how the dog may react to your partner if it wanted to protect you, but also it's attitude towards men of a similar build/look to your other half when out in public. They are a protective breed that let out little warning, of a size where they can do a fair amount of damage, and I would be concerned that your health issues, your OH being away with work, and countryside location could also lead to the dog not having much exposure to anyone other than yourself, which could lead to an increase of protective behaviour over you and wariness of strangers. This kind of breed ideally needs to go to someone with experience and the time to socialise the breed to prevent behavioural problems related to overguarding.
Northern breeds/the Spitz group are reknown for their independant streak which can make them stubborn and unpredictable at times and I would say it is especially important that a dog like this is in a steady home where everyone in the household is on-board with the training.


Northern breeds also often struggle with a good recall, as they were bred to roam and run great distances, so something to bear in mind if there is any livestock near your new home. Farmers are within their rights to shoot dogs that are worrying their livestock so it is imperitive that a dog not be allowed to wander in this kind of environment.

animallover123

i see what you are saying about my pets and got enough already, and i agree about that but just wanted one more as i adore animals and just wanted a bigger breed to feel safe but also one i could trust but seeing what you said it may be cruel to get a dog like that as dont want to make a nasty dog that i couldnt keep and then i could not rehome, my partner loves them once we got the animals and i think sometimes loves them more then me as said would go to the house if the animals went with him but i could stay where i was and i said no my animals they stay with me, so he would love chow if that did come along, the reason the animals dont go with him case you ask he is aways away and working and as he has aspergers doesnt sense danger and may leave one of my cats outside would not notice they had slipped outside, i am always on my guard watching and head counting animals before i sleep and making sure oven turned off and door locked as he does something gets destracted and then forgets what he has done, so i would worry they werent getting looked after so animals defo stay with me and i would never rehome them noone would want all these animals and they are all very close and sleep together and play together x

gettingready

How many animals do you have now? Do you work/have your own income?

Sorry but I have a dog (large dog) and 4 cats, work full time and I struggle so can not imagine someone not working and keeping so many pets - for whatever reason.