Dogs Atlas
Ancient World landscape

Chow Chow

Also known as Songshi Quan, Chow.

Related breedAkita1600 to 1931 · Japan

Chow Chow at a glance

Origin
China
Appeared
200 BCE to 1895 (likely)
Family
Asian Spitz
Type
Spitz
Size
Medium
Life span
9 to 15 years
Recognised by
FCI, AKC, KC
Status
Living
FCI standard
No. 205
DNA clade
Asian Spitz (Parker 2017)

The name. Possibly from pidgin English "chow-chow", a term for assorted Chinese cargo.

Same familyAfricanis300 CE to 1000 · South Africa

Family and relatives

Close by DNABasenji3000 BCE to 1937 · Democratic Republic of the Congo

Closest relatives by shared DNA

Source: Parker et al. 2017, shared haplotypes in megabases.

Same eraDingo3000 BCE to 1500 BCE · Australia

Place in time

The Chow Chow appears 200 BCE to 1895 (likely), in the Ancient World, when 68 breeds first appeared.

A full article on the Chow Chow is coming. Meanwhile, the Border Collie shows what every breed page will hold: see the Border Collie.