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I have two Chows now and had another before them. I've also had other breeds in the past. But, Chows DO NOT LIKE TO BE DISTURBED when eating in any way. Including drinking water too. Don't mess around them when they are eating or drinking. I'm talking about making any noise at all or getting too close to them. When they eat I have to leave them alone and BE QUIET!!! Otherwise they stop eating or drinking. It's a funny thing about them. "I'm eating here! Be quiet and go away!" Okay, I'll be quiet and go away," until they're done. I think it's a funny characteristic. Other dogs I had never really cared one way or another.
Gene.

Attention and distraction are perfectly fine, and although you dont mention any issues with aggression, just make sure it doesnt become that.

Personally, i never feed the dogs their full dinner at once. I give them a fair percentage of it and when they are close to finishing that, i interrupt them and give them a bit more. They never complain when i put my hands to the bowls or otherwise break into their meal.

Didn't have an issue with my past chows, other dogs or my current ones. Doubt it'll be a problem for the next one either. I've never heard this with chows before, but I guess I could see them being more sensitive than other dogs and picking up on something you're unaware of. I remember the first week I brought my male chow home, and he wouldn't eat. I was so worried about it, that I sat on the floor and hand fed him kibble by kibble. My mom said, "Just leave him alone, ignore him and he'll eat when he's hungry." It took me a bit to listen, but I did and sure enough he started eating. I'm not saying this is what happened with yours, only that some times we can reinforce a behavior without realizing it.

I made sure when my chows first came home at 9 weeks. When they wher eating or drinking I got right down there with them put my hands and face right in the bowel with them Now at 8 months old there's not an ounce of food aggression or toy aggression in them anyone can take a bone or toy or reach down when there eating

There is absolutely no food aggression with them. On the contrary. I can put my hand right in their bowl and they don't mind. Have done it many times. But, they will stop drinking or eating if they have distraction, like me or noise made.
Gene.

My Pekingese does what you describe but that is because he is nosey and wants to see what is going on. My chows are big eaters. Teddie has been in a few food fights where others have taken his food so he is very guarded and slow while eating but it takes a lot to distract him. Usually if he feels he is not fed in the right order he will turn his nose up and walk away. Boogie on the other hand (as well as most of my foster chows) eat like vacuums. They suck the food up while barely chewing it and nothing disturbs them.

Mika is fine with people… I can put my hand in her mouth and take the food off if I want… she is fine with Mia my other dog too ... but if we have different dog in the house we need to feed her separately what I don’t think is a big deal, she does not know the other dog as well so she will defend her food… I think it is a normall attitute for a dog..

Agreed, normal attitude.

Might be the opposite of what most of us experience...you may have a dog that is attentive to being called. If distracted a food time, you may have a recall chow.

Won't say I'm the greatest by no means but, my Chows think the sun rises and sets in me. I think that is the reason I have to get out of their sight when they're eating. On the other hand, I think the sun rises and sets in them also. Great relationship!!!
Gene.

Henry lets us do anything when he's eating, remove bowls, add food, pet him, stick fingers in his mouth if he's found chewing gum and I fish it out... he will only eat if we are home though.

We have three Chows. Our youngest, a 2 year old female can be finicky during meals and is easily distracted and stops. She'll lay down, or look around and check out what the other two are eating. When this happens, I have to hold the bowl for her, pretend to eat from it myself in a convincing manner, then offer her hand held tidbits from the bowl. If she's going to finish her meal at all, she will then prefer me to sit down on the floor and hold her bowl for her and remain quiet and still while she finishes. And yes, she's been called a diva by others, but I want her to eat, and this works.

Henry likes gum too? I thought Cocoa was the only one with that habit, I am always fishing gum out of her mouth on our walks. Before I had Cocoa I had no idea how many people just spit gum out on the sidewalks instead of throwing it away.

Our 2 chows are no were near like that...WE can do anything to them while they eat..Our cats go in there bowl and they just back up wait until they are done looking around then go back into there dish and eat...We even hand feed them sometimes when there food is a little to wet and they cant pick it up...they just lick it off our hands...I dont know if a stranger went to go do that what they would do...lol..but with me and my Wife ALL our dogs we have 4 they dont care what you to do there food...or dish....

Boogie and Linda wrote:My Pekingese does what you describe but that is because he is nosey and wants to see what is going on. My chows are big eaters. Teddie has been in a few food fights where others have taken his food so he is very guarded and slow while eating but it takes a lot to distract him. Usually if he feels he is not fed in the right order he will turn his nose up and walk away. Boogie on the other hand (as well as most of my foster chows) eat like vacuums. They suck the food up while barely chewing it and nothing disturbs them.

What do you consider a big eater?...were trying to figure out if our Male chow gets enough...He is a big boy not even 2 yet and weighs over 80lbs...Tall too 26ish inches at the shoulders...

My last purebred chow, Tippsy, didn't care what I did around her while she was eating or drinking. She even let one of our cats eat right out from under her without any issues.

Dixie doesn't care what I do around her either.

Jasper however, use to be VERY food aggressive... Probably still is.... I won't test it. I take him out to the dog run, put his food down, and leave him to it. As long as he's focused on the food, I won't go back in with him. He came after me once, and all I did was walk by him... We think it was/is routed from being starved when he was a puppy, so we've found what keeps everyone safe and happy and are ok that way.