Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a Lion as an animal companion? While that’s actually dangerous (and not very smart), caring for a Chow Chow makes more sense. They do look a bit like Lions, given how the fur on their heads resemble a lion’s mane.
However, that is where the similarities end. And if all you know about Chow Chows are their Lion-looking heads and blue tongues, read on.
NOBLE ROOTS
The Chow Chow is considered to be one of the oldest breeds in the world. They originally came from ancient China, and served as companions for Chinese nobles. They became popular in the West during the late 1800s, and their popularity endures to this day.
Given the growing fascination for these canines, Animal Scene talked to Efren Sy, the human guardian of Bonbon and Rebel, about what it’s like to live with and care for these Dogs.
THE MEETING
“I first saw a Chow Chow in a pet store inside the mall,” Efren recalls. “I got curious because their tongues are blue, and they look like teddy bears. I wasn’t into Dog shows back then. I thought that Dogs as animal companions and Dogs for shows are the same.” And boy, was he wrong about that.
One fateful day, he went to a Dog show conducted by the Philippine Canine Club, Inc. Dog show in Marikina and saw a Chow Chow competing. “The Dog looked significantly different from the ones I have as animal companions,” Efren recalled. He saw that there were subtle differences, even though they all belonged to the same breed.
He got in contact with someone from Thailand who co-owns Rebel and Bonbon, and from then on, a partnership began. Efren owes all his knowledge to his mentor who has more than 30 years of experience taking care of Chow Chows.
WHERE DOES THE BLUE TONGUE COME FROM?
One of the most distinguishing features of a Chow Chow is their blue tongue. For an old breed, there are no clear answers as to why their tongue is blue, but there have been different stories passed down about how the blue tongue came to be.
According to the American Kennel Club, several stories attempted to explain the Chow Chow’s blue tongue. One such story was that back then, Chow Chows licked up the blue sky that fell when stars were being set in the sky. Another story said that the Chow Chow’s blue tongue was inherited from a Bear.
MEET AND GREET
Most people would be hesitant to get near a Chow Chow due to their size. But according to Efren, Chow Chows can be friendly with other people if the Dogs learned to socialize at a young age. “What I did was I brought [Bonbon and Rebel] to the mall and had them mingle with the people. I even let people touch the Dogs.”
HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF CHOW CHOWS?
Chow Chows need to have baths at least once a month and a thorough brushing twice a week. For show Dogs like Bonbon and Rebel, the grooming schedule is more or less the same, with a few exceptions.
If there was a show coming up, the Dogs were to be bathed twice a week. Efren would wash the competing Dogs the day before the show itself. Then, he would use a volumizing spray to make their fur look full.
He also had a particular way of brushing his Chow Chows, which was taught to him by his mentor. He would have the Dogs lie down on the table before he carefully blowdried and brushed their fur. Surprisingly (or not), the Dogs didn’t mind.
CHOW CHOWS ARE BABIES, TOO
While Chow Chows are typically aloof, Efren observed a neat little quirk he found with his own Chow Chows Bonbon and Rebel.
“Sa case ng mga Chow Chow ko, kung wala silang ibang kasamang Aso, nagpapa-baby sila. Pero kung may kasama na silang ibang Aso, nagpapagalingan sila. (In my Chow Chows’ case, if there are no Dogs accompanying them, they would act like babies. But if there are other Dogs with them, they act like [alphas].)”
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Even though Bonbon is a veteran show Dog, his meals are surprisingly simple. “If I feed them anything else that is not Dog food, the Dogs will be picky eaters.”
But just because Bonbon and Rebel don’t eat chicken and the like, it doesn’t mean that it’s out of their diet entirely. “During training, I use Chicken liver, Chicken breast, or sometimes pork liver. I only feed those when training for a show. You don’t give it sa regular diet nila kasi magiging picky eater yung Dog (You don’t include it in their regular diet because the Dog will become a picky eater).”
MANNERS
Bonbon is the older of the two Chow Chows brought to the Animal Scene studio. Efren describes him as a well-mannered Dog.
“I brought Bonbon to a show in Bacolod last April or May. I had no helper or handler [coming] with me on this trip. On the day of the show, I borrowed a table from a friend there, put a towel on top, and had Bonbon settle there by having the fan face him. I saw that he seemed calm, just sitting there.
“That made me feel proud, kasi kahit wala ako beside him, lumalapit yung mga tao na pini-pet siya, pini-picture-an siya. Kasi, there were other Chow Chows there. Sinabi nila na yung [ibang] Chow Chow, [matapang]. (That made me feel proud, because even when I wasn’t beside him, he was being approached by people who wanted to pet him, to take photos with him. The people said that other Chow Chows were unapproachable.)”
BONBON AND REBEL’S SHOW CAREER
Bonbon has been competing in Dog shows since he was two years old, but his run was cut short due to the pandemic in 2020. Because Bonbon was already considered mature, Efren thought that it was time for Bonbon to retire, and he turned his complete attention to Rebel.
But an incident happened that put Bonbon back in the spotlight.
“I was planning to have Rebel compete in the circuit last year, but unfortunately, nag– shed si Rebel, pero full coat naman si Bonbon. Nilaban ko sila pareho; buti nalang, andun si Bonbon, kasi posible na matalo kami. Kasi, kadalasan number one si Bonbon, tapos number two si Rebel. (I was planning to have Rebel compete in the circuit last year, but unfortunately, Rebel shed his fur, while Bonbon still had a full coat. So I had them compete together; it’s a good thing Bonbon was there or we might have lost. Usually, Bonbon wins first place while Rebel is second.)”
But what was surprising was Bonbon’s drive to continue doing shows at five years old. “Typically, kapag pumapalo na ang mga Chow Chow ng five years old, umaayaw na sila sa pagshu-show. Pero si Bonbon, hindi; gusto pa niya. (When a Chow Chow turns five, they would be stubborn and refuse to participate. But, Bonbon is still going on shows.)”
Efren surmises that the reason Bonbon still likes to compete is that Rebel competes along with him.
