Exercise

According the Kennel Club a chow requires up to 1 hour of exercise in a day.

My personal experience leads me to believe, Chow doesn’t need a great amount if exercise. They can however handle a longer walk if required. Chows like other breeds enjoy routine, they will get used to a daily walk, but unlike other breeds they will not be frantic if they do not get this exercise. Chows do enjoy being outdoor and especially in colder weather, their double coat helps to insulate against the cold and the warm so it is important that a chow keeps this. Unless in a secure garden a Chow should remain on lead when out, they have a natural hunting instinct and an enjoyment to chase. If they see you running towards them they may think this is another game and keep running away.

I suggest a rolled leather collar is best for a chow. This will be comfortable as well as not damaging the coat. A short lead is recommended for walking, this will assist your dog to get used to your speed/ pace and it will help to learn better manners. A shorter lead will also help to keep your dog safer from other dogs.

When exercising your dog, we feel as though it is important to avoid steps. As a dog is growing their joints, bones etc are also growing. If there is too much impact on a joint it could cause damage later in the dogs life. As dogs exercise and run they can slip and this can injure the dog as with people, to reduce this possibility level and even surfaces are important. Chows do run and play, it is during this time that a slip is more likely than when walking on a lead.

Age and exercise. As a dog is growing the amount of exercise should be moderate, again to ensure even growth this is important. A dog normally finishes growing when she has her first season or when he cocks his leg. This is normally by 9 months of age. After this a chow will ‘fill out’ more and get broader. By the age of three a chow will normally by fully grown, from two onwards a chow should be comfortable with normal levels of exercise. In older age all dogs want and require less exercise, their joints also become more frail at this point, as such less exercise is advised.

Personally; I do not use harnesses, I feel as though pressure is placed in the wrong areas for a dog; I do not have collars on my dogs most of the time, I use slip leads for getting a dog in/ out etc; I use a rolled collar with a part chain, it is never too tight to be uncomfortable but the sound of it changing is good training in my opinion to get the dog used to when to stop.