Question about changes once my puppy reaches adulthood

[Crumpet]

Hi, everyone.

I've mentioned several times that I do have a 10 month old chow and that he is really good with other dogs (as well as cats). I've had him since he was 8 weeks old. I have also admitted that I am new to puppies since I have always rescued adults dogs. Pups are a lot of trouble but with a purebred chow I really wanted to be able to select from a breeder that has a record of dogs with good health and temperaments and I wanted to raise my dog with cats as well as other dogs. I wanted to know that my chow had been heavily and consistently socialized and trained and had not been abused.

I realize that opinions will vary, but my question is this: should I expect any major personality changes after he reaches full adulthood? At 10 months he has had some stubbornness (as expected and I have dealt with this with other spitz breeds)but certainly not the all out adolescent rebelliousness I've read about with some other dogs. He is very compliant with grooming, I can take food from his mouth, and he always comes when he is called.I live in a subdivision in a rural area where residents have 3-10 acre lots, heavily wooded between each of the houses. My chow and his husky-mix brother love to go running every morning for about an hour and every evening for about the same time. I don't think the chow would want to run so much and so far on his own but he wants to go everywhere his 'big brother' goes. They LOVE to run in the woods and in the creeks, often coming home a right hot mess.

I've heard many negative things about allowing chows to run free range, but here are some facts that influence my decision to allow this: my dogs will not be captured by anyone (no one gets to come close...they will take off), they will not approach or chase anyone, they are not aggressive with other peoples' pets (cats included) and they are not destructive (will not knock over garbage cans and such). There is no leash law where I live. I do walk them for about 2 miles several days per week but cannot run through the woods the way they love so much. I have also sent an email with pictures to all my neighbors on my neighborhood listserv introducing my dogs and providing some info because I don't want anyone to feel alarmed should they seem them running near their homes. I have provided my contact info and invited anyone to contact me should they have any issues with this. Almost everyone has dogs and it is a dog friendly neighborhood. On my cul de sac the dogs were always friends and visited each other, hanging out in each other's yards (this was with my previous chow mix who has sense passed).

When I see neighbors when I'm out walking I always ask if they have had any issues with my dogs. Everyone has said 'no', not at all. I will continue to monitor but would like to know if it is common amongst the folks here to have seen a drastic personality shift when their dogs hit the 1 year old mark. As I said, I am relatively new to puppies.

Thank you in advance for your input.

[christina chow mum]

Hi Crumpet, Wow! You seem to have described exactly what my life with Ming has been, the behaviour, character, etc. You also seem to have the "Chow issue in the outside world" completely under control. Bravo! Thinks: My only "problems" in the outside world with Ming, sad to say, have been caused by the "people" we have come across/met there...

For my part as far as Ming is concerned, now age 7 he seemed to have always behaved in more or less the same way with no drastic changes that I can remember from coming out of puppyhood to maturity. I think, like most humans, their characters are formed in the early very formative years and that's how they will be throughout their lives but I am no expert, only ever had/have one Chow.

However, I have observed some minor changes in Ming during the last couple of years (age 5 to 7) namely: Stopping dead outside when I call him and waiting patiently until I reach him to put on his lead instead of pelting away with me calling after him. He has always, like your dog, quietly accepted brushing, grooming, medications, etc. this still continues and he is now even more quieter and accepting of it.

He was always distant, never wanting to be cuddled or petted when I wanted to, even as a puppy, but now he comes to me without me begging, for "his cuddle time" and when he's had enough he just moves away. He is now far more "vocal" than when he was a puppy over the last year or so, making all kinds of sounds for this thing or that thing.
For example, he makes a strange "mewling" sound when he hears puppies or kittens "crying" but will always "bark" at cats fighting or yowling, even when he can't see them outside of our yard.

I see that he is far more "obedient" than he used to be. One thing that hasn't changed from when he was a puppy is a sudden mad dash around the yard, throwing his toys in the air and biting my shoes to make me go inside, where, in his opinion, a chow mummy is supposed to be, so he can guard me better. ha ha.

For all that, I think we, as chow owners also "mature" and change our approach as time goes by. I myself have changed quite a bit in regard to Ming. I am no longer a chow puppy owner but a lifelong friend, companion and confident to a big guy Chow having developed a great degree of trust between us, as we go down the pebbly road to old age together...lol. Ergo: We have "grown" together but without any drastic changes.

Not much help i'm afraid but you have raised a very good topic and I personally would be interested to see others' input on the subject.
Take care and Happy Thanksgiving!