Perky, playful and proud, the Japanese Chin is the perfect role model for elegance and good manners. This dog breed hailing from Asia and was a favorite companion of the Chinese and Japanese imperial courts. Here is the essential information you need to know about this dog breed to help you decide if he’s the perfect dog match for you.
Is The Japanese Chin The Perfect Family Dog?
Japanese Chin Personality
- Good family companion
- Intelligent, sensitive and classy
- Ideal for apartment living
- Easy to train
- Perfect for older adults and older children but not for small kids
A Japanese Chin is a good companion and a good family dog. They are highly sensitive and witty. The personality of the Japanese Chin signal how deep these dogs are – they are affectionate, independent and loving. The primary purpose of this dog breed is to love and serve as a companion.
Though a little talkative, Japanese Chins are not barky. They are a little shy with strangers or in new places. The good thing about this dog is, they can thrive in any environment and can easily adapt to new places, as long as they have a loving and caring family.
The American Kennel Club describes the Japanese Chin as:
“The Japanese Chin is a sensitive and intelligent breed whose only purpose is to serve man as a companion. Agile and playful, they can be taught to perform tricks and like to show off to an audience of friends. They are extremely cat-like in nature, smart when they want to be and coy when it suits them. Very loyal and loving, treat them right and you have a best friend for life; treat them wrong and you have lost your best friend forever!”
Since they are a ‘royal dog’ in the ancient times, there are times that your Japanese Chin might become self-confident and classy. Because of its behavior and size, Japanese chins are ideal for apartments and condominiums. However, make sure they do not go unsupervised because they have this similarity with cats – they can reach high places.
Regarding trainability, the Japanese Chin is relatively easy to train. These dogs are intelligent, obedient, eager to please and polite. In fact, they positively respond to gentle methods. They love to please other people and attract the attention of the crowd, so they’re quite cute trick performers. Start with the basic obedience training first before others. Also, start training early.
They are ideal family dogs and make good playmates for older children and companions for seniors. However, they can be easily overwhelmed by small kids and sometimes, can’t take rough handling.
Japanese Chins should never be left alone for long periods. They can be come anxious, which may lead to destructive chewing and barking.
Size & Color
Japanese Chin Wallpaper-https://t.co/SkWb14rY3k#Dogs #Dogbreeds #Japanese Chin Wallpaper pic.twitter.com/ZNtKVUyPTu
— AllDogbreeds.us (@alldogbreeds8) December 17, 2016
- Small-sized dog breed
- Short face and large expressive eyes
- Single and silky coat with various color variations
A Japanese Chin is a small-sized dog but with a big personality. They have a sturdily built with a refined appearance. A standard Japanese Chin stands at 8 to 11 inches and weighs about 7 to 11 pounds. His coat is single, silky and straight with various color combinations such as red and white, black and white, and black and white.
Health
- Small dog – extremely fragile
- Health problems because of unnaturally short face
- Eye problems
- Can’t tolerate heat
- Doesn’t need many exercises
A toy dog breed or those who are small-sized are extremely fragile. That’s it’s not ideal for families with small children.
Aside from that, some dogs were deliberately bred to look smaller and have flat faces. Due to this, they have serious effects on the health of these dogs. For the Japanese Chin, they breed has an unnaturally short face, which makes them prone to various heart and breathing problems. The symptoms of health problems linked to a flat face include coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue and weight loss.
The eyes of a Japanese Chin are slightly protruded, making them prone to corneal abrasions. Moreover, because of their breathing problems, Japanese Chins can’t tolerate heat very well. Make sure they stay in an air-conditioned room during the summer season.
Japanese Chins are also prone to skin allergies. Determine your dog’s allergies to food, climate, and dust. As much as possible, make sure you try to avoid exposing your dog to these allergens. Skin allergies can be extremely itchy for dogs, and when they scratch these rashes, they might inflict wound on the skin. These wounds are breeding grounds for bacteria, which may cause infection.
Japanese Chins may enjoy walks in the park, but they do not need regular and strenuous exercise. They could stay indoors without being destructive if they had not engaged in physical activity.
Other diseases to watch out for:
- Patellar luxation
- Heart murmur
- Cataract
- Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS)
- Epilepsy
- Atrioventricular Endocardiosis
- Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
Life Span Of A Japanese Chin
The Japanese Chin is a healthy dog with just a few health problems. With the right and proper care, this dog breed can live from 12 to 14 years. Always remember to purchase your dogs from reputable breeders to ensure that your dog is healthy and has no hereditary or genetic diseases that could take a toll on his quality of life.
Feeding A Japanese Chin
The amount of food given to a Japanese Chin depends on their age and dietary requirements. The recommended daily amount of food is 1/4 to 1/2 cup of high-quality dry food per two, divided into two meals. However, it’s essential to choose food that is high in fiber because this dog breed can suffer from an impacted anal glands if they get constipated.
Moreover, don’t leave the food out throughout the day because this may lead to overeating. Obesity in dogs may have numerous adverse effects and complications.
Japanese Chin Grooming
- Moderate to heavy shedding
- Doesn’t need regular baths
- Regular brushing
- Regular oral and nail care
A Japanese Chin is moderate to heavy shedder. It’s important to brush your dog’s long and thick coat regularly. To keep your Chin’s silky coat free of mats, you need to perform regular combing and brushing. Occasionally, you can trim his hair.
The Japanese Chin does not need regular baths. You can bathe them for about once per month. However, to keep them clean and clean-looking, you need to apply dry shampoos.
Oral and nail are also important. You can brush your Chin’s teeth at least two to three times per week. Due to this, it will help remove accumulated tartar to prevent gum disease and bad breath. Regular trimming of the nails is also important.
Price Of A Japanese Chin Puppy
The price of a Japanese Chin depends mainly on important factors like age, gender and family line. Usually, a Japanese Chin puppy may cost between $500 to $1,500.
Buying your puppy from reputable breeders is important. It will assure that your puppy is healthy and has no underlying diseases.
History Of The Japanese Chin Breed
The Japanese Chin breed was actually developed near Beijing, China in the 1st Century AD. #petfuntrivia #dogtrivia #dogs pic.twitter.com/xBaJyrRTwq
— @petfuntrivia (@petfuntrivia) November 21, 2016
The Japanese Chin breed originated in the Chinese imperial court, similar to the Pekingese breed. The breed was highly-prized and often given as a present to emissaries from other nations. The dog was a gift to the Emperor of Japan.
This breed showed up in Japan around 732, and they kept as pets by royalty, who only restricted ownership to just members of the royal family.
Fun Fact
Many believe the name “Japanese Chin” is inaccurate because this dog breed originated in China. Also, many historians say the Pekingese, which originated in China too, was bred from the Japanese Chin. Well, they look similar, too!
Know more about the Japanese Chin through this video by the Animal Planet:
Could the Japanese Chin be the dog you’ve been looking for all along? If you’re up for a dog breed that is elegant, classy, intelligent and sweet, they are the perfect dog match for you. They don’t need much exercise too! The Japanese Chin may require more grooming time than other dogs, but if that’s okay with you, then they are a doggy match!
Have you decided on what dog breed to adopt? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
