FCI Standard for Chow Chow:

by admin · 25/01/2024

Head (Skull, Face, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Muzzle, Lips, Cheeks, Teeth):

Skull: Flat, broad, with a slight prominence above the eyes.
Nose: Large, wide, solid black (light-colored nose in cream or near-white, blue, and fawn Chow Chows is acceptable, matching the coat color).
Muzzle: Moderate length, broad where it joins the eyes, gradually narrowing towards the nose but not fox-like.
Lips: Upper palate is black (black-blue), gums preferably black. Tongue is blue-black.
Jaws/Teeth: Strong, level teeth, strong jaw muscles, scissors bite. Upper teeth closely overlap the lower teeth to form a square-shaped muzzle.
Eyes: Dark, oval, medium-sized, clean. Acceptable colors range from blue to hazel.
Ears: Small, thick, slightly rounded at the tips, erect, set far apart with a slight forward and inward tilt.

Body (Neck, Chest, Ribs, Back, Forequarters, Skin):

Neck: Strong, full, not too short, well set on the shoulders, slightly arched.
Back: Short, straight, strong.
Abdomen: Powerful.
Chest: Broad, deep, with well-spread ribs, not barrel-shaped.

Limbs (Forequarters, Shoulders, Upper Arms, Elbows, Pasterns, Paws, Hindquarters, Thighs, Hocks, Joints, Nails):

Forequarters: Straight, strong bones proportionate to the body. Legs are parallel, well spread, and in proportion to the broad front chest. Ankles are short and straight. Pasterns do not sag. Dewclaws may be removed. Paws are round, compact, with cat-like toes.
Shoulders: Strong, well-muscled, with well-closed shoulder blades’ tips. Shoulder line forms an angle of approximately 55° with the horizontal and 110° with the forelimb, limiting full extension.
Hindquarters: Strong, well-muscled. Hocks are short and straight. Hind feet are similar to front feet.
Thighs: Powerful, well-muscled, bone structure similar to the front.
Stifles: Almost no angulation, close and stable, pointing straight to the rear.
Hocks: Relaxed, almost straight. Strong and firm, without bending or twisting. Hocks and metatarsals align on a straight line below the hip joint. Metatarsals are short, forming a right angle with the ground. Dewclaws may be removed. Hind feet are the same as front feet.

Tail:

Gait/Movement:

Disqualifications:

Defects: Any departure from the above points is considered a defect. Any dog showing a clear anomaly in structure or behavior is disqualified.
Disqualifying Faults:
Drop ears.
Nose with spots or not solid black (except for blue Chow Chows, which may have a deep blue or slate-colored nose).
Tongue’s upper surface or edges are red or pink, or has one or more red or pink spots.

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