Chows enjoy being groomed because they like the one-to-one attention they are given when they are being pampered and brushed. It's important for puppies to be groomed from a young age paying particular attention to touching their feet and their ears. This makes it that much easier to check them later when these dogs are larger and that much heavier to handle.
It's also important to regularly check a Chow's chest because when they get excited, some of them tend to dribble and this can cause problems with the skin becoming sore and inflamed if not regularly cleaned and wiped dry. Ideally, Chows need to be groomed at least once a week and then daily when they shed more hair which like other dogs, tends to be during the Spring and then again in the Autumn.
One thing to bear in mind is that Chows should never be placed in a "drying box" that professional groomers use to dry dogs off after they’ve been given a bath. The reason being that these dogs can quickly overheat and they run the risk of doing just this when they are put in a drier. When dogs overheat, they can collapse and in a worst case scenario it could prove fatal.
Chows are not known to be high energy dogs, but they do need to be given the right amount of daily exercise which includes a lot of mental stimulation for them to be truly happy dogs. They need around 40 to 60 minutes exercise every day and they enjoy being out and about in the great outdoors although Chows really like being able to wander around a back garden too. With this said, the fencing in a garden needs to be very secure or you may find a Chow will find their way out and go off exploring which could land them into all sorts of trouble.
Because of their heavy coats, Chows can overheat very quickly in hot weather. It’s important for them to be kept inside during the hotter summer months and to only take them for a walk first thing in the morning and then once the sun has gone down in the evening when the temperature tends to be a lot cooler.
With this said, young puppies should not be given too much exercise because their joints and bones are still growing and too much pressure on them could result in a dog developing joint problems later on in their lives.
If you get a Chow puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.
Young Chows when they reach 6 months old can quite safely be put on two meals a day, but before this they need to be fed between 3 to 4 times a day and ideally when they are three months old, they should already be on just three meals a day.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
Because Chows are deep chested dogs, they are prone to suffer from bloat and as such they should never be fed just before they go out for a walk or when they have just come back from one. They should also be fed twice a day rather than just once a day for the same reason.
