I beg your Chow pardon?

[christina chow mum]

Yesterday, I was having coffee with an Italian couple. We talked about our countries, kids, pets, food, the weather, poor drowning immigrants off both our coasts, you name it, the usual polite repartee.

Learning that I have a Chow chow dog he asked me if it was Chinese?
I said "No, he's Greek/Czechoslovakian actually".
You should have seen the look on his face, his wife's expression was even more puzzled.
"What's its name?" he said, (by now obviously expecting me to say any weird thing).
"Ming" I replied.
"That's not Greek or Czechoslovakian" he observed.
"No, your'e right, his name is Chinese" I said.
If you could see a "Duh" expression then his was it...
Then I asked him if they have Chow chows in Italy?
He turned to his wife for help and she said "Yes, I think they do live in Italy".
"Italian Chinese Chow chows? I said.
"Si" they both replied.
So what do you call them in Italy? I enquired.
She looked at me with a straight face and said "Ciaou ciaou "

LOL!!!