[1]: 4–5  The fur is particularly thick in the neck area, giving it a distinctive ruff or mane appearance.

The ancient breed evolved and manifests both morphological and physiological features, including its dark tongue, coat of fur, and stronger build.

[5] One Chinese legend mentions large war dogs from Central Asia that resembled black-tongued lions.

The Chinese also used Chows to pull dog sleds through swampy terrain, and this was remarked upon by Marco Polo.

"loose lion dog") for the breed, and hence of uncertain origin - possible and folk etymologies refer to Pidgin English.

[1]: 4–5  The fur is particularly thick in the neck area, giving it a distinctive ruff or mane appearance.

[1]: 4–5  The bluish color extends to the Chow Chow's lips; this is the only dog breed with this distinctive bluish color in its lips and oral cavity (other dogs have black or a piebald pattern skin in their mouths).

[22] An Austrian case series found an odds ratio of 23.53 for contracting stomach cancer.

[23] A US study looking at cases of oral melanoma found the breed to be over-represented with an odds ratio of 7.89.

[27] Sigmund Freud had a Chow Chow named Jo-Fi Ling who attended all of his therapy sessions because he felt that dogs had a special sense that allows them to judge a person's character accurately, and admitted he depended on Jo-Fi for an assessment of a patient's mental state.

Bob rarely left the admiral's side and had the run of the cruiser USS Olympia.

Bob died in 1899 from eating chocolates given to Dewey by well-wishers upon Olympia's arrival in New York City.