Imagine the scenario: you’re walking around your local animal shelter trying to find a dog for your family, and then you see something special. No, they’re not some unique mixed breed dog; they’re Chow Chows, a male and a female. Pick one!
We’re aware that it’s absolutely hard to choose between a male vs a female Chow Chow. In fact, it’s hard to choose between the two genders of any dog breed. That’s why we’re here to help: to get you a better insight into this amazing dog breed.
By the time you reach the end of this article, you’ll be able to figure out who wins the battle: a male vs a female Chow Chow?
Come on now, chop-chop! Let’s learn about the Chow Chow!
Male Vs Female Chow Chow: Does Gender Matter?
There’s no such thing as two exactly same dogs, whether it comes to their looks or temperament. All dogs are different. There are numerous factors that affect a dog’s behavior.
However, the difference between genders isn’t that recognizable. Still, a dog’s biological gender differences matter because they can explain some of the behavioral patterns and certain health issues.
Chow Chows are usually aggressive towards other dogs of the same sex. So, if you have a male Chow Chow at home and you’re thinking of getting another one, then your decision should be a female Chow Chow.
Bear in mind that these dogs reproduce rather quickly, so if you’re not planning to get puppies, you should have your dogs spayed or neutered.
History Of The Chow Chow Dog Breed
Photo from: @kota_thechow
The Chow Chow is one of the most ancient Chinese dog breeds. It can be traced back thousands of years. Some experts believe that this teddy bear dog breed developed from the spitz-type dogs while others believe it’s vice versa.
Ever since their beginning, the Chow Chow dogs had many roles: sled pullers, hunting dogs, livestock guards, and sadly, dinner. In fact, the name Chow Chow comes from the Chinese word chou, meaning edible.
The Chow Chow breed reached the Western world in the late 1800s. Its popularity began to rise immediately upon arrival. The breed is among the top 10 dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
Unfortunately, the breed is not that popular in its native land where many dogs were eliminated during the cultural revolution.
Female Vs Male Chow Chow: General Overview
Back then, when they lived in China, Chow Chows were raised on grains; hence, the reason why they become overweight when in touch with too much rich food.
General overview:
| Male | Female |
|---|---|
| 55 to 71 lbs | 44 to 70 lbs |
| 19 inches | 18 inches |
| Square shaped body | Square shaped body |
| Squishy face | Squishy face |
| Fluffy coat | Fluffy coat |
| Stubborn | Stubborn |
| Easily distracted | Focused |
| Sometimes aggressive | More Affectionate |
| Life expectancy: 11 to 12 yrs | 11 to 12 yrs |
The Chow Chow is a medium-sized dog. The average dog stands at 17 to 20 inches in height and weighs around 50 to 75 pounds. The exception is the mini Chow Chow which is smaller in size than a standard Chow Chow.
You can read the Chow Chow weight chart to see just how big these pups get!
This is a square dog with post-lie straight legs contributing to the stilted gait.
The Chow Chow has erect ears, a broad skull, and a tail curled up over its back. His trademark sign (or the breed standard) is the well-known blue-black tongue. This dog breed has facial wrinkles creating scowling expressions. All in all, it’s a strong and sturdy dog.
Chow Chows can have two coat types; rough and smooth. The rough coat is the one we usually see. It’s thick and abundant. Beneath the outer coat is a soft, thick, and wooly undercoat.
The hair gets thicker around the head and neck, forming a ruff or a mane. The tail lies over the back, and it’s also thick.
On the other hand, the Chow Chow, with a smooth coat, has a dense, smooth, and hard outer coat with no ruff or feathering on the ears, legs, tail, or body.
Both coat types can come in five colors:
• red (from light golden to deep mahogany)
• black
• blue
• cinnamon
• cream
The mentioned colors can be solid, with lighter shading in the ruff and featuring.
When buying a puppy, don’t fall for new and exotic colors such as champagne, silver, lilac, white, or chocolate. These are just some fancy names for the already existing colors, so don’t get fooled.
Having a double coat means your Chow Chow requires brushing three times a week to keep the coat nice and shiny and away from your clothes and furniture.
Chow Chows are seasonal shedders and their coats can be quite a handful during that time. Brushing three times a week will help a lot with the dead hair everywhere. Luckily, there’s no doggy odor if they’re brushed regularly.
Brushing should be done with a stainless steel comb with medium-coarse teeth, a medium-sized slicker brush for the legs, a medium pin brush for a longer coat, and some diluted conditioner for misting the coat as you brush.
Brushing should never be done on a dry coat or the hair will break. Go all the way down to the skin to get rid of the mats and tangles.
Chow Chows should be bathed once a month, or frequently if they get dirty.
Other grooming needs that you should do besides brushing and bathing include dental hygiene and nail care. Teeth should be brushed at least three times a week to remove tartar buildup. If you can commit to daily brushing, even better!
Nails should be trimmed as needed; once or twice a month. The clicking sound is a sign that you should trim them.
Grooming should start at a young age to allow the puppy to get used to trimming. Paws should also be done frequently since they’re touchy about their feet, along with their mouth and ears.
Grooming should be a positive experience, and praises and rewards will help lay the groundwork for all future encounters with the groomer and the vet.
Physical Difference Between A Male And A Female Chow Chow
You will be able to spot a Chow Chow among a thousand other dogs, thanks to its unique appearance. With a squishy, brachycephalic face, droopy and deep-set eyes, and upright ears, they can’t go unnoticed. And, if you spot that blue-black tongue, there’s no doubt that you’re seeing a purebred Chow Chow.
When it comes to more significant physical differences between a male vs a female Chow Chow, the male is somewhat larger, standing tall at 19 inches in height, and weighing 55 to 71 pounds.
Generally speaking, the male Chow is bigger in all categories.
The other key difference between the two genders is their reproductive organs. In order to control their natural instincts, male dogs should get neutered. Neutering lowers the chance of numerous diseases, and also affects the dog’s temperament and aggressive behavior.
Female Chow Chows can grow up to 18 inches. They’re slightly smaller than the average male Chow Chow. They can weigh from 44 to 60 pounds. Generally speaking, the females are much slimmer in nature.
Females get spayed instead of neutered, which also brings many benefits when it comes to their health and behavior.
Temperamental Differences: Are Male Or Female Chow Chows Better?
You probably figured out so far that Chow Chows are a unique dog breed in all categories. Besides its unusual look, its temperament is something all dog lovers find fascinating.
Chow Chows, in general, are a bit aloof, and that means both males and females. While most dogs are loyal to the whole family, a Chow Chow is loyal to only their owners.
They’re quiet and calm, like a dog version of a cat. They don’t show aggression signs to anyone or anything unless they’re very provoked.
When it comes to a male vs a female Chow Chow, a male Chow Chow is a bit more aggressive. However, aggressiveness does affect some of their personality traits.
Don’t get fooled by the adorable fluffy look; they can be hard to manage sometimes.
Since they’re more aggressive, the male Chow Chow tends to be warier of its surroundings. In other words, this makes them the perfect watchdogs.
Like most other dog breeds, female Chow Chows in heat or those that have recently given birth will be more aggressive because of all the hormones. However, If they’re spayed, the aggression might not show off that much.
Since females are more reserved, they seem to be easier to train. The low aggressiveness highlights some of the Chow’s basic temperament. They’re reserved and dignified.
Trainability Differences: Is A Female Chow Chow Easier To Train?
Some dog owners claim that Chows are as easy to train as any other dog breed. Male Chow Chows can be taught numerous amusing tricks. Still, their attention span is quite short and they get distracted easily.
It would be best to teach them in a private area, away from other dogs, than outdoors in the dog park.
It appears there’s an unwritten rule when it comes to training female dogs. It is believed that females are always easier to train than males probably because they’re more attentive and reserved; thus, more focused on achieving the goal.
Generally speaking, training a male vs a female Chow Chow varies in difficulty. Since these dogs are reserved, only the owner can have success training them. They don’t trust everyone.
In addition, Chow Chows are quite stubborn, so you’ll need lots of patience to train them into a normally-functioning dog.
Chow Chow Female Vs Male: Health Differences
As we mentioned so many times before, there is no such thing as a completely healthy dog. Both male and female Chow Chows are prone to certain health conditions. Some of these health issues may affect the general life quality of the dog.
When buying a puppy, you should look for a good and responsible breeder who will provide health clearances for both parents and the puppy, proving the dogs are tested and clear of certain conditions.
The Chows should have a health clearance from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for hips, and from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) for eyes.
Since many health issues don’t appear until the dog is an adult dog, health clearances aren’t issued for dogs younger than two years. That’s why it’s highly important not to buy from breeders who breed dogs younger than two or three years old.
Here are the health issues that most Chow Chows are prone to:
• Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD). It’s a heritable condition when the thighbone doesn’t fit snugly into the hip joint. CHD manifests in pain and lameness on one or both hind legs, but there are even cases without any symptoms.
Hip dysplasia can become worse due to environmental factors like rapid growth, high-calorie dog food that leads to obesity, injuries from jumping or falling on slick floors, etc. Another condition similar to this one is elbow dysplasia.
• Entropion is a condition that causes the eyelid to roll inward, which irritates and injures the eyeball. Either one or both eyes can be affected. Chow Chows with this condition rub their eyes a lot. The condition can be treated surgically.
Male Chows are more prone to melanoma, which a form of skin cancer that appears between the toes and mouth. In fact, older males are more prone to it. Treatment for this condition requires surgery, radiation, and chemo.
Melanoma should be treated immediately upon discovery.
As they grow larger, male Chow Chows are prone to some orthopedic issues, such as cruciate ligament rupture. As they get larger, male dogs become prone to more orthopedic conditions. Chow Chows have a high risk of cruciate ligament rupture.
This condition is caused by breeders forcing this dog to have straight, tall legs, but it only results in tight ligaments. Even the simplest tasks like going upstairs could make their ligaments rupture.
Female Chow Chows have health problems in a completely different field. They’re more prone to reproductive issues.
The most common disease for female Chows is mastitis. It’s an inflammation of the mammary glands, which happens after the female gives birth. The worst-case scenario leads to infections that must be treated with antibiotics.
Some minor cases of mastitis can be treated by putting a hot compress on the inflamed mammary gland.
Other than mastitis, female Chows can suffer from pseudopregnancy, dystocia, and metritis.
As you can see, the most differences in health issues when it comes to a male vs a female Chow Chow are of a reproductive nature.
Chow Chow Puppies With Other Dogs And Pets
Male Chows have an aggressive trait that makes them more distant towards other pets. They’re also more cautious of pets that are smaller than them. This is because of their history of being hunting dogs back then. But still, this doesn’t mean that the Chow will attack them.
Since being domesticated, the Chow Chow dog breed has become tamer, so they don’t necessarily pose a threat towards other pets in the house.
Female Chows are a delight around other pets. They’re tame and easy to handle. If they’re trained the right way, female Chows can become more sociable if associated with others. Socialization is top priority!
What must be emphasized is that both male and female Chow Chows are wary towards dogs of the same gender. Male and female is okay, but male and male or female and female is a huge NO.
Can Chow Chows Be Friendly With Children?
Being aggressive made male Chows excellent guard dogs. Even though they can be tough, having them around children they know isn’t an issue at all. Of course, this is only if the kids know how to handle the dog and don’t act too handsy or aggressive.
Female dogs are always more affectionate. The same goes for female Chows. Many dog owners trust them alone with their kids, but still, this depends on whether the dog knows the child or not.
Mostly, female Chows will just chill and ignore the kids around them. Chows are more affectionate. As such, some owners believe that they can be left alone with children. Again, this depends on whether the dog is well-acquainted with the child. In most cases, female Chow Chows will just try to ignore those around them.
We know it’s great to have such an affectionate dog, but no kid should be trusted alone with any dog, especially if they’re younger than six years old.
Are Chow Chows Cuddly Or Guarding?
Aggressiveness isn’t necessarily a bad trait. It made Chows one of the best guard dogs ever. Okay, the breed’s rich history of being used as guards helped a bit, too.
If you’re in doubt as to whether a male Chow would be a better guard than a female Chow, then you must take a look at this list of advantages put together for both genders.
Male Chow advantages:
• Territorial and protective, thanks to increased aggression
• Strong bite
• Large and intimidating frame
• Its size intimidates both people and other dogs
Female Chow advantages:
• Agile, thanks to the smaller frame
• More protective and aggressive when in heat
• Affectionate and easy around kids
• Easy to train to become guard dogs
• They mature quickly
Male Vs Female Chow Chow: Which One Should You Choose?
As you can see, there are not many differences between a male vs a female Chow Chow. Gender can only affect your lifestyle.
If you already have a female or a male dog, it would be best to go with a Chow of the opposite gender in order to prevent same-sex aggression. Also, the two dogs will bond quickly.
If you’re looking for a guard dog, the male Chow will be an excellent choice. But, if you’re looking for a family dog to love and cuddle with, females are the ones for you. However, having them go through the heat cycle makes female Chows as difficult to own as any male.
The choice is only yours.
Final Words
Aside from the normal biological differences, there aren’t many other differences between a male vs a female Chow Chow. The decision you need to make has to be based only on what you need at the time.
A long-term guard dog? Say no more! A male Chow is your guy.
A tame family dog to watch over your family? Try looking between female Chow Chow puppies.
When deciding on which dog to get, don’t stick with their differences at all costs. Try to find the dog that has chemistry with you. After all, they will be spending quite a long lifespan with you (9 to 14 years).
Spend some time with the puppy. Get the general idea of how kind these dogs are.
Who knows; maybe you’ll bring home a Jane instead of a Joe.
