The Japanese Chin Dog Breed, Your Furry City Friend

Appearance

The Japanese chin dog breed comes in 2 classes; under 7lbs and over 7lbs. The weight varies between 4lbs and 15lbs (2kg-7kg). The height varies between 7 and 11 inches (18-28cm). This makes it easy to choose the right size for your living conditions.

The Japanese chin comes in a variety of colors. The most common is white with black patches. Red, orange, lemon, brindle or sable patches are also allowed. The coat is silky soft an rather long. Chins aren't very heavy shedders, but the hairs are pretty long.

It has a short, broad face with an extremely short nasal canal. Keep this in mind if you're a light sleeper,the shorter the nasal canal, the more the dog snores.

Temperament

The Japanese chin is very affectionate with people he knows, but can be a bit wary of strangers. He's very devoted to his owner, so socialize him well and teach him to be alone at a young age.

He's smart and relatively easy to teach new tricks. Loves to play, but isn't too energetic or active indoors.

Other dogs and pets aren't a problem. Neither are children, if you teach them to treat the dog gently.

Although this breed does make a good watchdog, he's generally not a barker.

Healthcare

Because of their short face, Japanese chins tend to suffer from eye and respiratory problems. So clean the eyes daily.

Some lines are prone to distemper, make sure your chin is properly vaccinated.

Heat exhaustion is also a common problem for this breed. Give your chin a cool shady place to rest. If temperatures are rising give him a cooling pad or mat.

Uncommon for small dogs, the chin only has a life expectancy of 10 years.

If you take the time to brush out the tangles a few minutes a day, the coat will look beautiful.

Breed Background

The Japanese chin is also known as the Japanese spaniel. Although it was a favorite of the Japanese Court, the breed most likely originated from Korea.

It became very popular in 1853 when Queen Victoria received it as a gift from Commodore Perry, after his return from Japan.

It's one of the few dog breeds that was purely bred to be a companion dog.

Return from japanese chin dog breed to the list of small dog breeds Return to the small dogs and the city homepage