Page 79 - Chow LIfe - 2019 03 Fall_Neat

The Chow Chow

Faults and Disqualifications

AKC Gazette Excerpt

By Love Banghart, CCCI Gazette Columnist

The AKC breed standard for the Chow Chow is very The correct placement and shape should create an
definitive and categorizes the many faults and disquali- Oriental appearance.
fications that you may find in our breed. These are in
addition to the problems that may be found in any breed, • Size, Proportions, Substance - Width viewed from
such as monorchism. the front and rear is the same and must be broad.
Faults shall be penalized in proportion to their devia- • Forequarters - . Length of upper arm never less than
tion from the standard. In judging the Chow, the overall length of shoulder blade. Elbow joints set well back
picture is of primary consideration. Exaggeration of any alongside the chest wall, elbows turning neither in
characteristic at the expense of balance or soundness nor out. Forelegs perfectly straight from elbow to
shall be severely penalized. foot with heavy bone which must be in proportion to
the rest of the dog.
Type should include general appearance, temperament,
the harmony of all parts, and soundness especially as • Forequarters - Wrists shall not knuckle over.
seen when the dog is in motion. There should be proper • Hindquarters - . The hock joint must be strong, well
emphasis on movement which is the final test of the knit and firm, never bowing or breaking forward or
Chow's conformation, balance and soundness. to either side.
Disqualifications: • Gait - Proper movement is the crucial test of proper
Please notice that all of the breed spe- conformation and soundness. It must be sound,
cific disqualifications are on the head straight moving, agile, brief, quick and powerful,
of the Chow Chow. never lumbering.
• Drop ear or ears. A drop ear is one • Gait - To transmit this power efficiently to the front
which breaks at any point from its assembly, the coupling must be short and there
base to its tip or which is not car- should be no roll through the midsection.
ried stiffly erect but lies parallel to • Gait - The stifle joints must point in the line of travel,
the top of the skull. not outward resulting in a bowlegged appearance nor
• Nose spotted or distinctly other hitching in under the dog.
color than black, except in blue • Gait - The front legs must not swing out in semi-
Chows which may have solid blue circles nor mince or show any evidence of hackney
or slate noses. action. The front and rear assemblies must be in
• The top surface or edges of the tongue red or pink or dynamic equilibrium.
with one or more spots of red or pink. • Temperament - Displays of aggression or timidity
Serious Faults: are unacceptable.
• Size, Proportions, Substance - Profile other than Objectionable:
square. • Size, Proportions, Substance - Equally objection-
• Eyes - Entropion or ectropion, or pupils wholly or able are snipy, fine boned specimens and overdone,
partially obscured by loose skin. ponderous, cloddy specimens.
• Body - Labored or abdominal breathing (not to in- • Ears- An ear which flops as the dog moves is very
clude normal panting), narrow or slab-sided chest. undesirable.
• Hindquarters - Unsound stifle or hock joints. • Head- Excessive loose skin is not desirable. Wrinkles
on the muzzle do not contribute to expression and
Must haves: are not required. Coat and loose skin cannot substi-
• Proportions-- Square in profile and close coupled. tute for the correct bone structure.
Distance from forechest to point of buttocks equals • Head - The muzzle should never be so padded or
height at the highest points of the withers.. Distance cushioned as to make it appear other than square in
from tip of elbow to ground is half the height at the shape.
withers. Floor of chest level with tips of elbows. It
is these proportions that are essential to true Chow • Coat - Obvious trimming or shaping is undesirable.
type. In judging puppies, no allowance should be
made for their failure to conform to these propor-
tions. (This article first appeared in the June 2015 AKC
• Eyes - dark brown, deep set and placed wide apart Gazette and is reprinted with permission. To read the
and obliquely, of moderate size, almond in shape. online Gazette, visit www.akc.org/pubs.)
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