ChowChow.org

What kind of Training method do you use on your Chow?

I have found that the Chow does things for different reasons than most other breeds of dogs. Most breeds, in my opinion, do things to please there owner. All they want is to be adored and loved by there master.
Chows on the other hand need to respect and even more importantly trust you as a friend, then, if it's not to big of a request they will, most of the time respond to your request, in there own time usually.
This is why I believe that you must be very careful with the Chow from a puppy to NEVER scare your dog or worse hurt your dog. I do use a very firm voice but have found that if I ever yell, which i've done only once, that they hold it against you for a very long time as if you hurt there feelings deeply. They cannot feel afraid of you. Many breeds will still want to please you no matter how they are treated. I've seen many dogs that clearly were obedient out of fear, either of being punished or of dissapointing there master. A chow doesn't see you as it's "master" and only does things because he, or she, wants to. It's much better to praise your dog for everything good and be very careful when repromanding.

I'm sure there are other views but my two, even the 6 month old, both walk off of the lead on there daily 1 1/2 mile walk and when we go to the park. They sit, laydown and come when I call them. They live with a bird and two cats and would never harm any of them even when the bird sometimes lands on there back. Good luck with yours.

It is no such thing as Willing to please..
So Chows are not so different from other dog, because a normal dog will not be willing to please.

But I have Actually said NO! to Diego once, He did something he is not allowed to do, and he was mad at me the rest of the day.
He ignored me the whole day.

this is strange. Max usually is off to hisself. i think ,aybe hes too hot around people cause he pants. i think he likes the cool marble floor a whole lot! but he usually minds me. but outside is a different story!

I make sure I have a lot of treats on hand to train Avis. I notice that she does things when she feels like it, not because she wants my approval. I just incorporate commands into every day tasks. For instance, Avis "sits" for everything: Going out the door, in the door, when I come in the house, when I leave the house, before eating, when she comes to me, etc. She lays down at certain points also. Most of these commands she is trained to do even though she doesn't want to. Like when I tell her to lay down for a brushing--she really doesn't want to, but she does it anyway. When we are outside and I call her to me, she will come even though she knows that's probably the end of her outside time. OR, the times she doesn't come when called, I use the "sit/stay" command and you can just tell she doesn't want to. It's funny--she's running away from me, but will sit and stay when I tell her to.