Japanese Chin dog general features, temperament, health

japanese chin dog breed

FCI #206, Origin: Japan, Group 9.8 Companion and Toy Dogs.

Height: 8-11 in Weight: 4-20 Ib

Grooming: Medium, Shedding: Medium, Coat: Light, long with the rich undercoat.

Color: White with black or reddish-yellow spots.

Ease of training: Medium, Energy level: Medium, Span of life: 10-13 years.

Breed: Japanese Chin - a mysterious little creature from the Land of the Rising Sun. Chin is the Japanese national breed, which systematic selection was started much earlier than all other known Japanese breeds (Akita, Shiba and others).
This exotic little dog for many centuries was very much valued in Japan for the graceful, gentle and quiet nature and has been a fixture of Japanese feudal lords. Today Japanese Chin is valued by his fanciers as one of the best among the companion dogs. The unusual appearance of this breed was the pretext for the name "Chin" ("chin" or "chinkoro," which in Japanese sounds about as "dshin " or " ttsin "), it means "a dog, that looks like a cross between a dog with some other animal ", and it symbolizes something rare and precious. Indeed Japanese Chin reminds more a cat than the dog. In Japanese language the word "Chin" is denoted by two characters, one of which means "animal", and another - "something in between."

japanese chin dog breed

There are several versions of the origin of the Japanese Chin. By one of them it is believed that the Chin's ancestors (apparently, the dogs looking like Tibetan Spaniels) have penetrated into Japan from China and India, with the Buddhist monks in about the III century BC. The Canine Encyclopedia, published in England in 1908, recognizes the Chinese origin of a Japanese Chin. It is possible that Pekingese and Chin had the same ancestors. In Japan, the Chin ancestors could be interbred with the long haired dogs, such as Maltese, which has been widely circulated since Roman times. Ancient documents suggests that in 732 BC Shiravi, the Emperor of one of Korean kingdoms - Silla (377-935 BC) as a sign of a special favor and friendship for the Japanese Emperor gave him a couple of dogs, presumably ancestors of Chin. There are also a references to the fact that the officials, who were sent on a mission from Japan to China (during the Tung Dynasty, 618-910 years. AD) and to Northern Korea (during the Ming Dynasty by Hai, 698-926 years.) brought with them some dogs, similar to a Chin.

The first description of the Chin-type dogs belongs to the XII century, when Japanese envoys from China brought the live gift to the emperor.

Japanese Chins were very popular - legends and fables were written about them, they were drawn in the temples and on the porcelain vases, there were many statues of Chins, made of wood, ivory and bronze. Japanese dogs were regarded as sacred, they were worshiped.They were loved not only by the inhabitants of the imperial palaces and nobility, but also by influential families across the country. In the Edo period (1603-1867) Chin became an integral mascot of a powerful princes in feudal Japan and their families. At that time Chin was often interbred with the local small dogs of Japanese descent. As a result, Chin was established as a Japanese breed, especially because there was no breed in Chin's style in China.

The serious breeding of Chin was established in Japan only in the XIV century. Breeders had a studbooks for Chins and in strict secrecy they maintained the methods of selection, strongly protecting dogs from random mating. They were kept in bamboo cages, like birds, their health was followed by a special doctors. Breeders were raising up the puppies very carefully, and then were handing them to the daimyo, their wives and girlfriends. There were several types of Chins, including the type Kogashira - with round eyes, that look just like the modern dogs. The smallest dogs were in a greater value - the noble ladies kept them in a kimono sleeves (here comes one of the names of this breed "Nanoia" - "sleeve dog"). Japanese were giving different names for Chins: a dog with two spots above the eyes was called "Notsu" - "four-eyed", white dog with black spots - "Karabutsi", with yellow-red spots - "Habutsi" (" Butsi "- means" spotted ") .

In 1613 British captain Searles brought the first Japanese Chin to England. It is well known that the wife of King Charles II (1630-1685) - Catherine of Portugal had several Japanese Chins. At the same time, this breed appeared in Spain. The artists could not ignore these dogs, as it is reflected in their paintings. Japanese Chins have been known in many royal courts, along with King Charles Spaniels. This two breeds were crossed with each other. As a result many dwarf Spaniels have inherited much from Chins. Wider dissemination of Chins was not possible because of the the fact that only very few of the dogs donated by emperors have reached Europe. They died in a difficult six-weeks road. The new climate and unfamiliar food also fatally affected Chins. In 1860, two Japanese Chins were presented to Queen Victoria, and the breed became officially known in Europe. Japanese Chins reached America after 1854, when Commodore Matthew Perry forced Japan to sign a contract, ending two centuries of the country's isolation from the outside world. After the unfinished bourgeois revolution in Japan - Meiji Isin - in the years 1867-68 the new bourgeois-aristocratic government came to power, there was made a number of reforms that opened Japan to the rest of the world. Japanese Chins were exported to America and Europe. Unlike China, there was no strict ban on the export of dogs of the nobility in Japan. Chins were often given as a gifts for the valuable visitors. That's why already in the XVII century Japanese Chins were widely known in Europe. Since 1868 the Japanese Chin became one of the favorite lap dogs among the ladies of the West. In 1886 Chin has appeared in Austria. For the first time at the exhibition Japanese Chin was presented in the English city of Birmingham in 1873 under the name of a Japanese Spaniel. FCI standard was approved in 1961.

At the present time the number of Japanese Chins in Europe and the U.S. is allot larger than in Japan. With the development of industrialization and the beginning of the penetration of Western culture and technology Chins almost disappeared in their homeland - in the Land of the Rising Sun. To preserve the breed, a special club was established - one of the most famous clubs in Nagoya. Before the World War II Chin, as well as Japanese Terrier, were the most famous breeds of "pocket dogs" in Japan, while there was no any other so-called "toy breeds". After the war there was only very small amount of Chins left. Breeders veterans insisted that Chin is not intended to walk on the land, he should sit on the cushion and leave the house only in a special kimono sleeve. This approach to Chin, as a "sofa dog" (makuradze), affected the development of the musculoskeletal system of dogs of this breed and that had to be corrected by the prolonged selection. Modern Chins move normally and are perfectly healthy. Much attention is also paid to the dog's behavior. The Dog shows in Japan are collecting up to 70 dogs. Among the owners - a lot of influential people who support the tradition of the breed, which has been an attribute of the Japanese aristocracy and members of the Royal Family for so long.

Currently it is not so easy to buy a Chin puppy in Japan - the demand far exceeds the supply. In Japan dogs with black spots are in a bigger value, than with a reddish-yellow. Winners of the exhibitions in Japan have longer hair than Chins from the other countries.

General Features: Japanese Chin is a small elegant, lively, smart and friendly dog with broad head and reach long coat. Movements are light and elegant. Carriage proud. While walking Chins are lifting their front legs high. The format of the square is preferred, females may be a bit stretched. The skull is broad and rounded. Coat is silky, thin, straight and flat, with undercoat. Color: white with black or reddish-yellow.

japanese chin dog breed

Temperament: Japanese Chin is a lively, brave and ambitious little dog. Chin is a great caretaker for an apartment, but does not bark unnecessarily. From the incompetent parenting this proud dog, like any other dog, can show aggression even toward his master.
Males Japanese Chins are brave, intelligent, very loyal and proud. Each one of them has a little brave samurai deeply inside. Females Chins are gentle, graceful, obedient and certainly reminiscent of charming women of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Japanese Chin is very friendly, cheerful and he generously shares positive emotions with the others. But they never show if they are upset with something, they are too decent for this purpose and in the manner of their ancient homeland are trying not to "lose face." However, Chins have a tender and fragile souls, one needs to be a very loving owner, to understand in time, that his Chin is sad and not to make him suffer.

Health problems: Due to the flattened face many Japanese Chins may suffer from breathing difficulties and have some heart problems. Also some Chins may suffer from eye problems, because their eyes are over sized.



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