User:JoannaZahreddine/sandbox

Personality and Behaviour
This breed of dog has many strong loyal bonds with friends and family, however the Chow Chow dog is usually overly protective of one or two main family member(s). Due to their strong hunting instincts, it is recommended that these dogs stay fenced, leashed, and away from cats and small dogs. This is why it is crucial that they are socialized early and consistently in order to act appropriately with strangers.

Feeding
Evidently, any high quality type of food can require the right nutrients for any dog’s skin, hair, and overall health. However, the characteristics of a Chow Chow breed contain 95% of protein in their hair, heavy weight for its height. Therefore, ensuring that the food contains enough digestible proteins is crucial. The maturation of a Chow Chow occurs at a fast pace due to its size, by 18 months a Chow Chow is an adult dog. The adjustment of the diet is also necessary. How much this breed eats all depends on the physiological characteristics, such as: size, metabolism, age etc. Chow Chow dogs must eat twice a day. Chow Chow Dog Breed Information, Pictures, Characteristics & Facts. (n.d.). DogTime is the place for dog breeds, pet adoption, pet insurance and expert pet advice. Retrieved April 3, 2013, from http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/chow-chow Due to the Chow Chow’s heavy build, it is important that this dog never be overweight or can lead to injuries of the hip. Most chows eat four cups of food a day, two in the morning and two at night. Chows cannot be fed a lot of meat, it is recommended that they are fed with different sources of protein such as eggs, and rice and in more portions.

Grooming
Chow breed will heavily shed their fur in the seasons of spring and fall, which requires more grooming attention than other seasons. It is important that owners use the correct tool in order to avoid harming the skin and facilitates grooming. Three kinds of brushes that owner’s can use on their Chow Chow is a medium-coarse brush for the larger parts of the body, and a slick brush for smaller areas and a pin brush to maintain the longer strands of hair. Chow Chows are known to have either short and smooth coat, or a rougher and longer coat. Both create a thick woolly layer, as it gets closer to the skin. They should be brushed four times a week; however shedding seasons may require daily grooming. Also, a spray conditioner can help avoiding breakage and tearing to the thick coat of hair. Lastly, a monthly bath is required to avoid from fleas and keep a clean coat of fur. Chow Chow Dog Breed Information, Pictures, Characteristics & Facts. (n.d.). "DogTime is the place for dog breeds, pet adoption, pet insurance and expert pet advice". Retrieved 3 April 2013