A peek into the past at the classic chows that graced the show ring during the Roaring Twenties when the breed was celebrated as a favorite of the rich, famous and high society.
This photo was taken shortly before the AKC Standard below became official.
Queensboro Dog Show 1922
AKC Chow Standard adopted 1925
HEAD – Large and massive, with broad, flat skull, well filled under the eyes, moderate stop, proudly carried, with characteristic scowl.
MUZZLE – Short in comparison to length of skull: broad from eyes to end of nose, and of great depth, The lips should be full and overhanging
TEETH – Strong and level
NOSE – Large, broad and black in color
TONGUE – A blue-black. The inside of the mouth should be of the same color
EYES – Dark, deep-set and of moderate size, and almond shaped
EARS – Small, pointed stiffly carried. They should be placed wide apart, on top of the skull, and set with a slight forward tilt.
BODY – Short, compact, well ribbed up, and let down i the flank.
NECK – Strong, full, set well on the shoulders.
SHOULDERS– Muscular, slightly sloping.
CHEST – Broad, deep and powerful
BACK – Short, straight and strong
LOINS – Broad, deep and powerful
TAIL – Tail set well up and carried closely to the back, following the line of spine at the start
FORELEGS – Perfectly straight, with heavy bone and upright pasterns
HINDLEGS – Straight hocked, muscular and heavy boned
FEET – Compact, round and catlike.
COAT – Abundant, dense, straight and outstanding: rather coarse in texture, with a soft wooly undercoat. In the smooth-coated variety, the topcoat should be of about one and a half inches in length.
COLOR – Any clear color, solid throughout, or, with lighter shadings on ruff, tail and breaching.
SIZE – Chows should be massive and well proportioned
GENERAL APPEARANCE – Lion-headed, scowling, compact, muscular, short-coupled, dignified, and powerful with heavy off-standing coat
DISQUALIFYING POINTS – Drop ears: tongue red, pink or obviously spotted. Nose spotted or distinctly other color than black (except in blue colored Chows, which may have solid blue, or slate colored noses).
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