Are Chow Chows good for 1st time dog owners?

Lance: Are Chow Chows a Good Breed for 1st time dog owners?
I wanna know if Chows are a good breed for a first-time dog owner. Can you list the pros and cons of a chow chow too... ThNx

Answers and Views:

Answer by Sara
I'd say not really, no. They can be stubborn and dominant and snappy.

Chow Chow dog standing
Photo Credit: Marius-Kristensen/Pixabay


Answer by potatoepuncher
not too hard to care for, have many medical problems, too big, savage jaw locks into place, bad with kids, get a small manageable dog fist than get one if you think you can handle it

Answer by UnicornValley German
NO Dogs Jaws Lock into place, they are not a savage Dog, I have owned several they are awesome Dogs but need an experienced owner not a first time owner

Answer by  hellosunshine_hb
No, they are not for an inexperienced owner. I grew up with one, and have known quite a few of them, our family became great friends with the breeder.

They are beautiful. Loyal. Independent, intelligent. Obedient, if trained properly, consistently, and continuously. Great guard dogs. My parents had owned/trained dogs all of their lives, so they spent a LOT of time and energy, and did an excellent job training/socializing our Chow Chow and he NEVER ever showed aggression towards myself or my bro, we were 5 and 7 years old when our family got the dog as a puppy.

They are stubborn to train, are very independent and headstrong. They require a LOT of socialization, and training needs to be reinforced every day of their lives. They need a lot of grooming and maintenance. They aren't exactly social butterflies, ours used to enjoy chilling out by himself way more than playing with us!

If you don't know what you're doing, and aren't able to properly train/socialize this dog, they can (and have been known to) turn into a nightmare. Personally, I can't wait to get another one. They are a very unique breed, my favourite breed actually. But I would NEVER recommend a Chow Chow to an inexperienced owner.

Answer by stulisa42
Nope.
Chows have strict requirements in training/discipline and need extra socialization in order to keep them from becoming territorial and aggressive. This is partly due to the breed, but mostly due to overbreeding of low quality dogs. They can over run a novice dog owner quickly and become the boss to the point of aggressive tendancies toward even their owners if not handled properly.
Their coats require daily brushing to keep it from becoming matted. If it does become matted, it can/will develop sores underneath on the skin. They are prone to hip problems as well, also due to overbreeding of poor quality animals.


Pro's? I really can't think of a Pro for a first time dog owner to having a chow. It's almost a sure fire problem just waiting to happen. Pro's for experienced dog people would be the loyalty of a properly raised chow and the beauty of a properly groomed chow.

If one must have a chow (first timers or not) I would seriously recommend buying from a breeder that can allow you to see and handle their adults, and that also do all health testing on the parents in order to be as sure as possible that their pups are from healthy sound bloodlines with no aggressive or temperament issues.

Answer by ryan
Chows are the best dogs!
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