Over 2000 or 3,000 years ago, the Chow Chow dog breed first came into
existence. It is recognized as the most ancient breed in the world, dating farther
back than the 11th century in China. In fact, historians believe that this breed
originated in China, and a special reference is always made of the Chow Chow
escorting the Tartars when they attacked China.
Then, there are those historians who speculate that this breed originated in the
Arctic Circle and then migrated to Mongolia, Siberia and China. Of course, today
we know that this breed is a native of Mongolia and Tibet.
In China, however, he was the watchdog of the entire household, and a prized
possession to such an extent that Chinese emperors kept 200 Chow Chows for
use while hunting. In fact, Chinese authors point out that the Pekingese, Shih
Tzus and Lhasas were considered the “Royal Dogs of China,” while the humble
and hardy Chow Chow was used solely for hunting.
But in the days before the Chinese took to firearms for hunting, they used Chow
Chows as retrievers, pointers and sled dogs. This breed can also be seen
sculpted on ancient Chinese pottery and sculptures belonging to the Hun dynasty
(206 B.C. until 22 A.D.).
All said and done, the real and true origin of the breed remains unknown. While
there are those who believe its earliest ancestor is the ancient Mastiff-type dog
that was crossed with Spitz types, still others believe that the Chow Chow is but
the ancestor of the modern Spitz, Akita and Shar-Pei.
No matter what its history really is, this thickly coated dog was first bred to be a
working dog, capable of surviving the severe Arctic cold. At first, fierce Mongolian
tribes kept this breed as hunting and guard dogs, while also using it for its meat
and fur.
1 Two theories: Would you believe that there are actually two different theories
relating to the origin of this breed’s name? First, Chow Chow or ‘chou’ is Chinese
slang for edible. This connects well with the fact that the Mongolians and
Chinese ate this dog’s meat. In fact, Will Judy, author of The Chow Chow says
that the name Chow Chow means “edible dog of China.”
Historians assert that the Chinese and Koreans specially bred these dogs as an
epicurean delight, a delicacy to be enjoyed, particularly the smooth-coated dog
variety. In 1878, a British historian, whose specialization was Chinese history,
claimed to have found 25 restaurants in Canton serving Chow Chow meat on the
menu.
