How to Identify a Chinese Foo Dog

The Chinese Foo Dog is an ancient and rare breed kept only by a few associations across the world. The breed goes by many names and is an inherent part of Mandarin legend, also known as the Sacred Dog of Sinkiang, the Chinese Choo Hunting Dog, Chinese Temple Forest Dog, Chinese T'ien Kou (Chinese Celestial Dog), or Chinese Lung- Kou (Chinese Dragon Dog). This dog was considered a sign of good luck and a spiritual defender of the Chinese Imperial Palace. From a genetic viewpoint it is believed that the Chinese Foo Dog is the direct precursor to the more common Chow-Chow and likely the missing link between the Chow-Chow and the Chinese Wolf. Because this breed is so very rare (it was thought to be extinct until only a few decades ago), most people would not recognize this breed, in person or in a picture.

Instructions

1. Assess the size, weight, shape of the dog. This species actually has three sizes and can stand anywhere between 8 and 15 inches high at the shoulder. While this may not seem very big, realize that this is a very wide and heavily built breed in keeping with all the other breeds of Northern Chinese dogs. As a result, this breed weighs between 20 and 60 pounds. The tail should be short, maybe 6 inches long, and curled up so far as to lay completely over the top of the back. The chest should be deep and broad, the dog’s general shape very squared and compact. The dog’s feet should be very small for the overall size of the animal, with toes pressed tightly together.

2. Examine the dog’s fur. You may get the impression that the dog is fat. Don’t be fooled. This is primarily due to the twin coats of very thick and heavy fur that keep the dog warm in winter. The neck, chest, hindquarters, part of legs, and underside of the tail have the longest hair. This breed comes in a wide array of colors including white, cream, black, blue, grey, brown, and red. Regardless of coloring, the dog will have a black mask. This may be very small, covering only the chin and lips, or be very large, covering the entire muzzle and forehead.

3. Look at the dog’s head. It should be short, wedge shaped, and rounded into a dome over the top of the skull. Often only the muzzle and ears will be noticeable around the thick mane of fur surrounding the rear portion of the dog’s head. The eyes will always be well recessed in the head and are a sparkling black. The ears are large, triangular, upright, and manage to protrude through all the fur at the top of the skull.

Tips & Warnings

• Due to the extreme rarity of this species and its recent revival, not much is known about this breed's behavior and tendencies. We do know that it has been a domesticated species for upwards of 5,000 years. We know that it was used as a herding animal, a beast of burden, as well as a guardian of the home. Based on that this breed is suspicious of strangers, energetic, intelligent, and not at all shy. From recent observation it is known that this breed acts very differently with strangers than it does it's family. In public the dog will act alert, aware, and dignified. At home the Chinese Foo loses all sense of dignity and cuddles up with whatever member of the family it can find.