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About the Chow Chow:
Chow Chow Colours & Coat Types

The major difference between the rough and smooth coat:
Abscence on a smooth Chow of an apparent ruff (mane) and abscence of apparent feathering on tail & legs. Please note - no apparent ruff/feathering. When physically measured,
the hair in these areas must be longer due to the purpose they have to fulfill - protecting vital body parts in cold weather. Being a double coated breed, both coat types must have a coarse outer coat and an abundantly dense undercoat. It is not permitted in the showring to dye any of the colours to "enhance" the coat appearance or to trim areas of the coat to sculpt a desired shape. (See below).

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Black
The black Chow Chow coat can be solid black, have grey shading in the breeches & on the tail,
it can also be sunburnt a reddish tinge. In line with colour genetics, there are always individual
grey hairs present, even in the solid black coat, varying in quantity - most often found in certain
coat areas. Nose should be black & eyes dark brown.
The puppy coat does not shine like the adult coat - due to different hair properties.
  Puppy - Rough (+-8wks) Adolescent - Rough (+-6mths) Adult - Rough
Black rough puppy Black rough puppy Black rough puppy
               
Black rough adolescent Black rough adolescent Black rough adolescent Black rough adolescent
               
Black rough adult Black rough adult Black rough adult
 
Puppy - Smooth (+-8wks) Adolescent - Smooth (+-6mths) Adult - Smooth
Black smooth puppy Black smooth puppy Black smooth puppy
   
Black smooth adolescent Black smooth adolescent Black smooth adolescent Black smooth adolescent
       
Black smooth adult Black smooth adult Black smooth adult Black smooth adult
Blue
A dilute of the black colour, the blue can be a solid blue colour, or can have grey shading
on the tail and breeches, and can have the sunburnt reddish tinge.
Eyes can be lighter brown in colour & nose will be slate (dark grey). In line with colour genetics,
there are always individual grey hairs present, even in the solid blue coat,
varying in quantity - most often found in certain coat areas.
Puppy coat is soft to the touch compared to adult coat due to differing hair properties.
Puppy - Rough (+-11wks) Adolescent - Rough (+-9mths) Adult - Rough
Blue rough puppy Blue rough puppy Blue rough puppy
   
Blue rough adolescent Blue rough adolescent Blue rough adolescent
     
Blue rough adult Blue rough adult Blue rough adult Blue rough adult
Puppy - Smooth (+-8wks) Adolescent - Smooth (+-4mths) Adult - Smooth
Blue smooth puppy Blue smooth puppy Blue smooth puppy
   
Blue smooth adolescent Blue smooth adolescent Blue smooth adolescent
 
Blue smooth adult Blue smooth adult Blue smooth adult Blue smooth adult
 
Cream  
The Cream appears in a solid colour with biscuit coloured ears and black nose,
or a dilute with dark grey nose and fawn coloured ears. Allowance is made for the nose
being pinkish, (dudley). Some have solid black noses as puppies, but by 18mths or older,
the nose will be dudley/pinkish. Tongue, flews (lips) & palate should be dark.
Coat can vary from near white to a very pale red. In line with colour genetics,
there are always individual black hairs present, even in the very white coat,
varying in quantity - most often found in certain coat areas.
The cream puppy should preferably have a solid nose, since it only goes pinker with age.
Eyes should be dark brown.
Puppy - Rough (+-7wks) Adolescent - Rough (+-7mths) Adult - Rough
Cream rough puppy Cream rough puppy Cream rough puppy Cream rough puppy
Cream rough adolescent Cream rough adolescent Cream rough adolescent Cream rough adolescent
     
Cream rough adult Cream rough adult Cream rough adult
Puppy - Smooth (+-7wks) Adolescent - Smooth (+-6mths) Adult - Smooth
Cream smooth puppy Cream smooth puppy Cream smooth puppy
Cream smooth adolescent Cream smooth adolescent Cream smooth adolescent
 
Cream smooth adult Cream smooth adult Cream smooth adult
Fawn/Cinnamon
The fawn adult coat can vary from a very deep cinnamon (as in the spice) to a very pale
sandy colour with a grey hue. It can be solid or have light shading on the tail and breeches.
It is a dilute colour. Eyes can be lighter brown and nose slate (dark grey).
In line with colour genetics, there are always individual black hairs present, even
in the very light fawn coat, varying in quantity - most often found in certain coat areas.
The fawn puppy coat can vary from near silver to sandy with a distinct grey hue
and sometimes also a grey muzzle.
Puppy - Rough (+-7wks) Adolescent - Rough (+-6mths) Adult - Rough
Fawn rough puppy Fawn rough puppy Fawn rough puppy
 
Fawn rough adolescent Fawn rough adolescent Fawn rough adolescent
                 
Fawn rough adult Fawn rough adult Fawn rough adult
Puppy - Smooth (+-9wks) Adolescent - Smooth (+-6mths) Adult - Smooth
Fawn smooth puppy Fawn smooth puppy Fawn smooth puppy
   
Fawn smooth adolescent Fawn smooth adolescent Fawn smooth adolescent Fawn smooth adolescent
     
Fawn smooth adult Fawn smooth adult Fawn smooth adult
 
Red
The red coat can vary from a deep mahogany colour called self-red to a light golden colour,
with lighter shading on tail, mane and breeches called shaded red. In line with colour genetics,
there are always individual black hairs present, even in the self-red coat,
varying in quantity - most often found in certain coat areas. Nose should be black & eyes dark brown.
Red puppy coat is usually a faded colour. It can have a dark muzzle and black tailtip.
Puppy - Rough (+-8wks) Adolescent - Rough (+-5mths) Adult - Rough
Red rough puppy Red rough puppy Red rough puppy
       
Red rough puppy Red rough puppy Red rough puppy
       
Red rough adult Red rough adult Red rough adult
Puppy - Smooth (+-8wks) Adolescent - Smooth (+-5mths) Adult - Smooth
Red smooth puppy Red smooth puppy Red smooth puppy
   
Red smooth adolescent Red smooth adolescent Red smooth adolescent
   
Red smooth adult Red smooth adult Red smooth adult
 
       
 
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The Chow Chow's rich history, 
breed standards, colours and coat types,
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Judging of the Chow Chow

Our acclaimed
series on the
Judging of the
Chow Chow.
More on these
serious study
articles ...

All about the smooth chow chow in Southern Africa! Smooth chow chows
in Southern Africa,
owners, photos,
albums, history
and more!
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See beautiful puppy photos! Chow Chow
puppy photos -
rough & smooth
puppies in all
5 colours
See the photos...
The information on this page 
has been compiled from articles 
by geneticists in this field as
well as input kindly supplied by
respected chow chow breeders 
internationally.

Further reading on 
colour & colour genetics 
in Chow Chows:
XinFeng - Netherlands:
Color genetics of the Chow Chow
(with additional references to 
internet & printed source material)

Pictures of rough & smooth 
adults in 5 colours

Microscopic colour research

Photos of chow chow colours
White Chow Chows?
Although white is mentioned in
various breed standards, for the
most part it appears to be
understood to fall under the
designation of cream,
as those who originally drew up
breed standards can no longer
be asked to clarify the definition.
More information on "white"
as it becomes clearly understood.
Chocolate/Liver
Chow Chows
?
There is no allowance in the
breed standard for chow chows
with a liver (brown) genetic
expression, although this occurs.
This is to protect the all important
characteristics contributed by the
black gene. The liver genetic
expression does not allow for
any black genes to be present
anywhere in the chow chow.

On the chows with a really dark
brown/liver genetic expression,
this could be confused with the
mahogany coloured selfreds.
When uncertain of a selfred or
red being a liver gened chow,
look for black flews (lips),
black nose (not dark brown) and
black (not dark brown) hair in
the coat. Although fawns may
have slate (dark grey) noses and
lighter brown eyes, there will
always be black (not dark brown)
hair present in the coat and the
nose will be slate (dark grey)
not dark brown.

Preparation of the showdog:
(excerpt from KUSA rules and regulations.)

38. PREPARATION OF DOGS FOR EXHIBITION

38.1 The owner, exhibitor and handler of any dog responsible for or aiding and abetting the exhibition of a dog in contravention of Sub-Regulations 38.3 and 38.4 shall prima facia be guilty of discreditable conduct and may be dealt with under Disciplinary Rule 2 (Schedule 1).

38.2 Any dog exhibited in contravention of Sub-Regulations 38.3, 38.4 and 38.5 shall be liable to disqualification under the provisions of Regulations 31 and 32 thereof.

38.3.1 No dyeing, colouring, tinting, darkening, bleaching or other matter shall be used to alter or improve the colour or markings of a dog. Dry white chalk or other dressing may be used for cleaning and grooming, provided it is removed before the dog enters the ring.

38.5 No dog shall be exhibited :

38.5.1 with any oil, viscous, greasy or sticky substance adhering to the coat;

38.5.2 with any artificial preparation adhering to the coat save and except a reasonable amount of chalk or dressing still remaining in the coat after cleaning and grooming;

38.5.3 with any part of its coat cut or clipped by means other than a stripping comb save and except :

38.5.3.1 the hair in front of the ears and on the legs and feet of a Pomeranian may be cut;

38.5.3.2 the rasping down of the underside of tails is permitted in such breeds as it is customary to do so;

38.5.3.3 the cutting of hair between the toes of any breed is permitted;

38.5.3.4 Poodles, Bedlington Terriers and Kerry Blue Terriers, which three breeds are exempted from the provision of Sub-Regulation 38.5.3.

38.6 Nothing may be done to a dog which is calculated to deceive.

 
   
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