Ladies and Gentlemen meet Leo ( regarding pedegree)

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lpalma2010
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Ladies and Gentlemen meet Leo ( regarding pedegree)

Post by lpalma2010 »

Here' s my 6 month old puppy ...male name Leo . I bought him from what I think is a reputable puppy store out here on Long Island. I paid a pretty penny for him but he was worth it..it was love at first sight. I saw another male creme color chow but he was about as stuck up as a Real housewife of New York...not cool So I passed and then one day I checked the "inventory" and there he was. 2 hours later he was in my car on his way to his new home.

Here's the thing..the store gave me a American Kennel Club certificate to show that he was a purebreed. Now I've seen these dogs come in all shapes and sizes not too mention that some have what I think is a classic look vs. a modern look . I would say he comes from an old school blood line since he has a longer snout and seems a little on the slimmer side. His tongue is deep blue and he has better hair than Fabio. He's the cutest thing and at 6 months he's only getting cuter. Now some people have asked if he was a mix but I think they don't really know the breed well. Here in NY there really aren't too many of these. I want to introduce you all to him and tell me what you think. He was sold as red but he has some variations that are without a doubt creme like under his belly and tail. Also one of his ear doesn't stand up and although I think it adds character it might not be show standard.
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Boogie and Linda
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Re: Ladies and Gentlemen meet Leo ( regarding pedegree)

Post by Boogie and Linda »

He is adorable.
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WyoChowDad
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Re: Ladies and Gentlemen meet Leo ( regarding pedegree)

Post by WyoChowDad »

Leo is a good looking boy! You are correct, he is more of an open face Chow. The breed was quite different when it was first introduced to America. When you look at historical photos of Chows the closed face/broader muzzle starts to become popular around 1950 and later. I have owned both types of Chows and they are all great dogs. In my experience the open face Chows are more athletic partly due to their lighter bone structure. Leo is a red Chow. The red color varies greatly from dark mahogany to light red with cream accents. Most Chow puppy's will loose their mask as they age. Leo's ear will most likely stand up as he gets older as well. I have no doubt that you have a purebred Chow. Leo is just as you stated, a classic old school bloodline. When it comes to what type of Chow is better it is all personal preference. I personally love both types. My 8 month old Misha is a more modern closed faced Chow. She has huge bones and the strength of an ox but she doesn't have the endurance that my open faced Chow Peekaboo had.
You have a great looking puppy. It sounds like you're off to a great start. There is just something about Chows that makes our lives a whole lot better.
lpalma2010
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Re: Ladies and Gentlemen meet Leo ( regarding pedegree)

Post by lpalma2010 »

Thanks you all for the compliments ... Leo has become sort of a local celebrity around town. Everyone stops to pet him and can't go one day without the usual" aawwww how cute " comments. It took me about a year to find him but he was well worth the wait. He's actually very friendly and affectionate . Not sure if this is good but he sleeps with me and in the morning he comes and literally puts one arm around my chests almost as if he was trying to hug me. I heard these dogs are vicious and dangerous but not him . He's been playing with other dogs at the dog park and I have been getting him socialized with humans too since he was 2 months. I'm not sure if his character will change once the testosterone kicks in which my vet said should happen in another 2 months. I'm having doubts whether I should get him fixed... God made him that way and I think he should leave that way. Plus I don't want him to be half the "man "he once was.
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WyoChowDad
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Re: Ladies and Gentlemen meet Leo ( regarding pedegree)

Post by WyoChowDad »

It's always fun taking a Chow for a walk. Sometimes I feel like I'm walking a movie star. People always want to take pictures whenever I have Misha in town. Chows got a bad reputation for being aggressive back when they were more popular in the 1980s and 90s. Many Chow owners thought they could make a bundle of cash breeding their dogs. With the high demand for puppies and indiscriminate breeding there were many Chows that had attitude/behavior issues. I believe the majority of the problems came from owners that didn't understand the breed and what is required of a Chow owner. Socialization is the key to having a Chow that will be a good family dog. If you don't get most Chows out with people and other dogs from a young age you risk having a Chow that may become possessive. I don't think the aggressive label was ever truly earned. Most non socialized Chows I have been around are more possessive and protective of their family, not out right aggressive. As far as keeping Leo intact I guess that is personal preference as well. There are recent studies that my vet told me about that showed spaying/neutering is actually better delayed in some breeds until one year of age. I think the male/female hormones have to be beneficial in the development of any puppy. I also think if a dog isn't going to be used for breeding or doesn't represent the breed standard that they should be spayed or neutered once they have reached adulthood. It's a fact, most dogs will live healthier longer lives if they are spayed or neutered. I am waiting to spay Misha until I have her hips and knees x-rayed next month. If it looks like her hips will certify then I will wait until she is 2 years old. At that time I will have her x-rayed again to have her hips certified. If she passes, I will breed her to a suitable stud. If at anytime she doesn't look like her hips will pass I will have her spayed. I just refuse to knowingly pass a genetic problem on down the line. I hope she can pass certification as I would really like to see her genes passed down to benefit the breed. Everything looks great so far.
Most importantly is that we do just what you're doing. Giving your Chow the best life that you can. Leo sounds like a wonderful well socialized Chow. I don't think you'll see testosterone change him much. Maybe increased marking his territory but not much else. By the way... Misha sleeps with my wife and I too. She can really hog the bed!
Grab
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Re: Ladies and Gentlemen meet Leo ( regarding pedegree)

Post by Grab »

I'd say he's all Chow. And as stated, he's considered a red :) For future note, there are no reputable stores that sell puppies, so he likely comes from untested (health-wise) relatives. Not likely to affect him right now, but something to keep an eye on as he grows. (hips, elbows and the like) He is, however, very handsome! As for his ear, sometimes ears go a bit wonky during teething :) It will probably right itself once he's out of that stage
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Rory's Dad
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Re: Ladies and Gentlemen meet Leo ( regarding pedegree)

Post by Rory's Dad »

Unless you have reason to doubt the breeder, you can be fairly certain that if the pedigree is AKC branded, then its legit. And I see nothing in those photos that would suggest he is anything other than full Chow.

As for the ear drop, its fairly common at that age. Paticularly in larger chows, and by that I mean dogs that will be over 40 or so lbs as adults.

He is definitely a red. The masking will change as he hits about a year. Look at the back of the ears and you should see a reasonably close idea of his coloring. He may end up with lighter shading on the rear and underside of the tail, and on the trailing fur behind his front legs, but the ear color is a good indicator of overall color.

I think based on the photos that you have a well balanced mix of the chow stylings. He does not appear to be too much on either end of the spectrum. Not fully open faced/athletic, and not too closed or stocky. That bodes well for future health. There are not a lot of Chow breeders in LI, and those that I do know of have a good reputation.

Keep letting him be that rock star. It's great for socialization.
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