Chow Chow Official Colors

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The Chow Chow is considered as one of the oldest and most ancient dog breeds in the world. Their origins have been placed in either the northern part of China or Mongolia. They came to life around 2.500 years BC and were mostly kept as guard dogs and hunting dogs.

There is also one bloodier part of their history as the Chinese Chow Chow owners used the dog’s fur for clothing and their meat was considered as a food source. These barbaric traditions have been luckily abandoned in most parts of the world and you can find the modern Chow Chow as an active family pet that remains a great guardian.

Modern-day Chow Chows are fairly popular due to their resemblance to teddy bears. They are fluffy, medium-sized dogs that have an abundant coat. When a dog breed is popular, some “breeders” try to tell their potential buyers that their dogs have a “rare” or “unique” coat color. If a color is considered rare, therefore it must be more expensive. That is a misconception a lot of future dog owners aren’t aware of. Here are some of the most popular Chow Chow colors and let’s see if those colors are allowed in this breed.

The first thing we need to mention is that a Chow Chow should have a black-blueish tongue. Some discoloration is allowed in different colors allowed by the standard.

1. Black Chow Chow

The black Chow Chows are quite common and this is one of the colors that are allowed by their official standard. In single or whole-colored dogs black can be allowed. Chow Chows should never have black patches or be particolored.

This is a very old breed and the color black has been around in this breed for ages. Black Chow Chow puppies can be born from different colored parents as long as their parents carry black color genes.

2. White Chow Chows

White is also one of the colors that are allowed by the Chow Chow FCI standard. We have never personally seen a pure white Chow Chow and they nearly always have some sort of shading. The ears and underpart of the tail are usually a bit darker, creamy color.

White Chow Chows are very rare and mostly because that color is associated with some health issues like hearing problems and blindness.

3. Blue Chow Chow

Blue Chow Chows are somewhat more common and are easier to come across. This color is considered to be one of the finest Chow Chow colors in existence and until recently, it was fairly unknown to the western countries.

Blue Chow Chows were bred in Chinese Buddhist monasteries by the monks themselves. Foreigners were not allowed to enter and most of these dogs have never been seen by anyone outside these monasteries until 1937. Around that year, a Dutch doctor was allowed to enter and there he saw 50 beautiful blue Chow Chow dogs that he later described as being the color of a wild dove and being bluer than the finest Persian cat.

Taking care of the Chow Chow’s thick coat is not a simple task, especially during the shedding season when the loose hair doesn’t seem to end. Helping your dog get rid of the loose hair will go a long way, and there is nothing better than the FURminator Dog Grooming Rake.

4. Red Chow Chow

Red Chow Chows are the most common around the world. This is the first color that pops into our minds when somebody mentions this breed. It can come in various shades that are especially noticeable in smooth-haired Chow Chows.

Red Chow Chows can come in a wide range of red color from mahogany to light golden red. Red dogs can come as solid red or “self re”, or with shadings that are most likely on their ruff, britches, and their tail.

5. Grey Chow Chow

Grey Chow Chows are not allowed by the standard. This color should not be present in a pureblooded Chow Chow. The only possibility for a grey Chow Chow is if the white Chow Chow somehow gets black shadings on some parts of their bodies such as their tail or ears, and even that is enough for your dog to be disqualified.

Some people confuse grey and blue colors and can be hard for them to spot the difference. Blue Chow Chows are a dilution of the black colored dogs and can have a greyish impression. However, Chow Chows should never be purely grey.

6. Panda Chow Chow

Panda Chow Chow is not a real dog color. There is a huge trend in recent times, especially in China, where Chow Chows are groomed and their hair is dyed to look like little pandas. They look extremely cute which shouldn’t come as a huge surprise because the animal they are groomed to look like, looks very cute.

This is a trend we do not fully support as we believe that dogs shouldn’t be treated as dolls even though the man who started the trend, Mr. Hsin Ch’en, says that pups enjoy being pampered and groomed. One of the things he added is that no chemicals are involved in the dying of the dog’s hair. This “hairstyle” lasts for about six weeks and after that, their owners need to bring them back to the groomer for a touch-up.

7. Merle Chow Chow

Merle Chow Chows exist and one of the biggest problems with that is that the merle color is not allowed in this breed. This is one of the colors that breeders say is “rare” and their only goal is to earn extra money.

The only way to produce different colored Chow Chows is to add a dog breed that has merle genes such as the Aussie Shepherd. In most cases, merle Chow Chows are not pureblooded and they are a product of a scam.

Now you are aware of what colors are allowed in this breed and you will know how to react if someone tries to tell you that a Chow Chow puppy you are interested in is “rare” or expensive.

This is an ancient breed that has well-documented breeding practices and laws. Be a knowledgeable buyer and make sure you get your Chow Chow from a reputable breeder that is producing great and healthy dogs that are by the standard.

World Dog Finder team