Description of the Japanese Chin breed
Popularity 104th place among 263 dog breeds
Lifespan:
10-12 years
Breed group:
Decorative
Height:
20-27 cm
Country of origin:
Japan, China
Average price:
5-15 thousand rubles
Weight:
2-5 kg
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Key facts
The Japanese Chin is a miniature, elegant and very sweet dog. Her ancestry is related to the Tibetan Spaniel breed, and has some family ties to the Pekingese and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Chins were deeply revered by the emperors of Japan and China for their grace, comeliness, intelligence and deep devotion. Other names are Japanese spaniel, or simply chin.
The main characteristic of the Japanese Chin breed is grace in behavior and elegance of movements. They are very delicate. They get used to the lifestyle of their household well and quickly. They do not tolerate and are offended by rude treatment of them; they appreciate sincere care, affection and attention.
The main description of the Japanese Chin breed in appearance is soft, flowing hair, a wide muzzle, a small bridge of the nose and snow-white teeth. Proud posture and an aristocratic look are the calling cards of Japanese spaniels, which are always in a neat appearance.
The dogs are very smart, active and friendly; a little intrusive, but only because of their boundless love and devotion to their owner. Chins rarely bark, and with their delicate behavior they are able to create a favorable atmosphere in the house. If you are going on a trip, feel free to take your little tailed friend with you - chins love to travel and behave well in any vehicle.
The health of these dogs is quite good, but it all depends on care. On average, the life expectancy of the Japanese Chin is 10-12 years, and until old age the dogs do not lose energy.
Color of the nose and markings on the body
The color of the nose of Japanese Chins depends on the color of the dog. In white and black dogs the lobe is always black, in white and red dogs it is any shade of brown (depending on the color of the spots), however the lips and eyes can be with black “eyeliner”. A significant drawback is a pink nose or a streaky earlobe.
Speckling on the body, head and limbs is considered a fault. Do not confuse the frequent small scattering of “freckles” with isolated spots of black or brown on pure white fur, which are the norm.
History of the origin of the Japanese Chin
The Japanese Chin is a very ancient breed. Most scientists consider it truly Japanese. The second version says that the animals were brought to the Land of the Rising Sun from other Asian countries.
There is a legend that two dogs similar to the Japanese Chin were presented to the Emperor of Japan Semu by the head of a certain state of Korea in the 8th century AD. And yet, the date of the appearance of dogs that is closest to the truth is considered to be the 3rd century.
Japanese spaniels are classified as decorative species, like the Shih Tzu, Pekingese, Tibetan spaniel, and pug. Such miniature animals have been bred for several centuries, initially living in the courts of emperors. Pets were presented as gifts to each other by Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese representatives of the religious or secular elite.
The first written mention of quinine appeared around the 12th century. They were revered as sacred animals and were depicted on various objects: porcelain vases, paintings, and palace walls. The breed began to be purposefully bred in the 14th century, and all information was entered into special books and kept secret. Noble people carried tiny pets in the sleeves of their kimonos and placed them as decorations in sofa cushions or wrought-iron hanging cages. Ordinary people were strictly forbidden to keep Japanese spaniels, and their theft was punishable by death.
There is still debate about the origin of the name of the breed. "Hin" is similar to the Chinese word for "dog", and in Japanese a similar word is translated as "jewel".
According to some reports, the appearance of the breed in the West is associated with the name of the American Navy Commodore Matthew Kelbright Perry, who in the 1850s, during an expedition to Japan, received several sacred gifts from the emperor. He brought them to England as a gift to the queen. It is not difficult to guess that among the gifts there were also Japanese chins. The further development of trade relations contributed to the rapid spread of these dogs across the continents.
For the first time, purebred dogs were presented at exhibitions in the 70s of the 19th century in Birmingham, giving the name Japanese Spaniel. The World Canine Organization officially registered it under this name in 1957 and classified it as a companion dog.
Chins appeared in the Soviet Union in the 1980s, when six pets were brought to Moscow as gifts to Russian diplomats for successfully completing their service in the Japanese state. Today, many nurseries in Russia breed these beautiful creatures, whose ancestors were those six dogs.
History of Japanese Chins
The history of its appearance dates back to the ancient past. In Japan, it is generally accepted that this is a true Japanese dog, which was bred for more than a thousand years and was not exported to another country.
Koreans claim that chins were created in Korea and were presented to the Emperor of Japan. An almost similar theory of origin is said in China. However, the first mention of dogs was found in Japan in the eighth century BC.
Poems and songs were dedicated to the breed, and aristocrats saved animals from genetic diseases. Ordinary people were forbidden to own them; in case of prohibition, the death penalty was imposed.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Chins showed the breed to be excellent friends and were sent to the court of Queen Victoria. It was unknown in our country for a long time. Purebred chins were only introduced in the 1980s.
Appearance of the Japanese Chin
Chins have a very interesting, pretty and graceful appearance. That is why they belong to decorative pets.
General impression
The Japanese Chin has a tiny size, "square format" body. Females have a slightly elongated body. In the photo of the Japanese Chin, the luxurious coat and belonging to the oriental dogs are striking.
Head
The dimensions of the head are proportional to the body. The skull is wide, rounded with a sharp transition from the forehead to the muzzle. The edge of the nose and large dark eyes are located on the same line. The head can be either dark or light in color, but more often the color of the dog’s coat. Wide nostrils facing forward.
Neck
The neck is quite short, but very strong and always raised, which allows the animal to look graceful and maintain its posture.
Torso
The body is not long, with a curved (sometimes slightly humped) back. The loin is quite wide, slightly rounded. The stomach is taut.
Forelegs
The paws in the forearms are straight, they have a rather thin skeleton, below the elbow on the back of the paws there is hair falling down. The elbows are directed clearly back and tightly pressed to the body. Pasterns sloping.
Hind limbs
Back paws with moderately pronounced corners. They are covered with long, delicate hair that resembles bell-bottoms. In general, the limbs are elongated, straight, with toes close to each other, often with tassels between them.
Tail
The tail is set high, reminiscent of a bagel thrown back. It is covered with an elegant mop of thick fur.
Movements
The movements of the Chin are very graceful, measured and proud. However, the dog is very active and nimble.
Wool
Japanese Spaniels have a very soft, flowing and delicate coat. There is practically no undercoat. The short neck, upturned ears, rounded hips and tiny tail have much more fur than other parts of the body.
Color
Most often, the colors of the Japanese Chin have chaotic spots of black, gray, brown or red. But the red color can also have a lighter or darker shade, for example, lemon, fawn or coffee. It is better not to cross Japanese Chins with dark red, even brown spots, with each other, as there is a possibility of the birth of an unhealthy or dead puppy. Ideally, the spots evenly outline the eyes, cover the ears, and are located evenly throughout the body, at the same distance from one another. A clear outline of the spots is desirable, as well as the presence of a smooth white line (notch) from the forehead to the bridge of the nose. Sometimes there may be a barely noticeable black dot on it, which is called the “Buddha finger”.
Size
The Japanese Chin is quite small in size. The length of the body reaches a maximum of 30 cm. The maximum height of the Japanese reaches 27 cm at the withers. The legs are long, the head is proportional to the body. The weight of the Japanese Chin is small, which allows you to constantly carry it in your arms. Chins love this very much. The largest individuals weigh 5 kilograms, but this is also rare.
Features of red color
While the white and black Japanese Chins are the classic image of national breeding, the shades of red are the result of crossbreeding with other breeds, resulting in the world now having so many shades of brown in white and tan dogs.
Color scheme on a white background
The red pigment of the Japanese Chin has a fairly wide range - from very pale to a rich brick shade. The breed standard describes the following color options:
· Lemon: Japanese Chin puppies are born almost white, the spots may be barely noticeable, but become brighter as they age.
· Sable: from light to almost red, and from dark brown to deep red. A special feature of this color is its long “ripening”. Puppies are born with patches of grey, black and tan, and change to brick red within a couple of years. If this does not happen, this type of coat color is considered a fault. The nose of sable dogs is black.
To summarize, the disadvantages of the color are: non-pure white fur, the presence of specks (especially on the legs and head), pigmented nose, lack of spots on any side of the muzzle, unpainted ears, “blurred” spots and the absence of a blaze.
Personality of the Japanese Chin
Japanese Chins are loved for their agility, playfulness and intelligence. Despite their small size, they are very brave: if necessary, to protect the owner or child, they immediately rush to bark at the enemy. But if they feel obvious powerlessness, they begin to scream and hiss like cats.
These animals are very loyal, even a little obsessive. However, if you let your pet know that he is a little in the way, the furry friend will immediately understand this and will wait for the right moment of communication. He is very smart and understands commands well.
Chins are clean and not mischievous. At every opportunity, they try to lick clean the fur and paws of themselves and other animals in the house, if there are any. You don’t have to worry about furniture, shoes or clothes: Japanese spaniels don’t really like to chew things. In general, the character of the Japanese Chin is very easy and does not create problems.
Dogs are careful around children. It is not recommended to keep them in a family with small children, as the child may accidentally harm the furry. Chins are slightly suspicious of other people. In the family circle, they create a calm and pleasant aura, envelop their owners with attention and actively engage children in play.
The little family member loves walks and long trips. When traveling, he behaves obediently, tries to stay close to the person and sits calmly in his arms for a long time.
Standard and non-FCI recognized colors of the Japanese Chin
Historically, Chin colors were established back in the 14th century, when the Japanese first described the breed and became so sensitive to breeding that they did not allow dogs to be exported abroad. However, over time, the “dogs of emperors” nevertheless left the country, which, in the end, resulted in almost complete degeneration of breed characteristics for the population.
In the last century, friendly relations between Japan and other countries allowed the quality of the breed to be revived outside the Chin homeland, thanks to which these dogs look the same today as they did centuries ago. However, even now Japanese Chins have non-standard colors, which, of course, does not make the pets any less beloved by their owners.
Education and training
Like any dog, Chins need proper training and command training. They are flexible, so teaching them standard directions or even funny tricks won't be too difficult. It is better to try to avoid harsh and rough actions, frequent touching of the tail, face and ears of your furry friend. This type of behavior can lead to aggression.
It is better to turn raising and training the Japanese Chin into a game. It will be enough to repeat the command 5-6 times. The main thing is timely praise with affectionate words, less often with treats.
When training, be gentle with your chin just as he is gentle with you and your family. Mutual respect will create a strong bond between owner and dog that will rub off on family members and close friends.
Looking for a Japanese Chin? Find your pet from 1 offer As a gift
Health and Diseases of the Japanese Chin
Possible diseases
Japanese Chins rarely get sick. Their ailments are common in many small breeds. They have some genetic features:
- dwarf size;
- fragile musculoskeletal system;
- large bulging eyes;
- close proximity of the nose to the eyes.
This can provoke the occurrence of a number of diseases and pathologies:
- Musculoskeletal system: displacement of the vertebrae of the neck, dislocation of the kneecaps.
- Respiratory system: difficulty breathing, glanders and wheezing.
- Endocrine systems: multiple teeth, curvature of the jaw.
- Ocular system: conjunctivitis - clogged tear ducts, inflammation, entropion of the eyelid.
But such hereditary health problems are rare. In general, dogs have a strong immune system.
Reproductive health
The bitch begins to come into heat at 8-9 months, but it is too early to think about mating: it is best to wait until the 3rd heat. Estrus in Chins is quite troublesome: the dog begins to behave differently, unscheduled shedding occurs, and in the cold season the risk of colds with inflammation of the genital organs increases.
It is better to breed Japanese Chins when they reach one year of age - this applies to both females and males. Before this period, their body is not yet strong enough. In the last 2-3 weeks of pregnancy and 3 weeks after birth, the dog needs the help and support of the owner. Therefore, during this happy period, one of the family members is recommended to take a vacation in order to spend more time with the dog.
Features of feeding and diet
According to many, feeding Japanese chins is not expensive, since the animal is unpretentious in food. But in practice everything is a little more complicated.
The food should be sufficiently high in calories, because dogs move a lot. The diet is best made up of foods containing a lot of protein, microelements, and especially calcium.
List of suitable products:
- chicken, turkey meat (3-4 times a week);
- lean beef meat, liver, kidneys, tripe (alternating 1-2 times a week);
- sea fish (1-2 times a week);
- hard boiled yolk (2-3 times a week);
- rice (2-3 times a week);
- boiled vegetables;
- fresh, pitted fruits.
It is better to choose premium quality commercial food.
Chin should not be overfed: frequent feeding and too much daily calorie intake negatively affects its health and leads to various diseases. Many chins often grunt and sniffle. However, this is especially true in obese dogs. Their snoring is a sign of oxygen starvation, which is why animals cannot sleep peacefully and move freely. Chins that are underweight are susceptible to heatstroke or hypothermia. Therefore, the ideal solution would be to buy scales and carefully monitor your dog’s body weight.
Non-standard breed colors
The brown-spotted color of Japanese Chins (also known as chocolate) has for some time been considered non-standard. In breeding Japanese Chins, it is difficult to predict the birth of chocolate-colored puppies, since white dogs with red spots of any shade can also be carriers of the genes.
Tri-colored dogs with black and tan spots on a white background are rare and are not allowed for breeding, although in some countries the red tan in black and white Japanese Chins is not considered a fault.
All-white Japanese Chins with blue or red eyes are considered albinos, but there is a high probability that the individuals encountered belong to Pekingese (or are the result of crossbreeding), which have a gene in their blood responsible for this manifestation. Albinos are culled and not allowed to be bred, and young dogs must be sterilized to avoid accidental matings and gene transfer.
The color of the dog must comply with the standards prescribed for each breed. All the rules are written so that pets, as a result of illiterate selection, do not become so intertwined with colors that people no longer distinguish one breed of dog from another. The color of the Japanese Chin is the property of the nation that nurtured this breed, so it is so important not to lose the “heritage” of the ancestors and preserve this precious “Hieroglyph of the Land of the Rising Sun” in its original form.
Care and maintenance
Keeping and caring for the Japanese Chin is quite simple. The dogs are very clean and independent. It is advisable to walk 2-3 times a day. If you do not have such an opportunity, it is easy to accustom your Chin to a home tray or diaper. Then you can limit yourself to one walk for 20 minutes or more. For walking, it is preferable to choose a harness instead of a collar, since the animal has a very delicate neck.
When letting your dog off the leash, watch him closely. He easily jumps onto high slides, curbs, stairs or fences and may unexpectedly fall from them. Your pet's bones and joints are fragile, and after such falls from heights there is a possibility of a fracture or dislocation.
The Chin's coat is quite easy to care for. About 1-2 times a week, it is advisable to comb it out of fluff, removing tangles and accumulated dust. As the fur grows, you need to carry out a superficial haircut, cutting off excess and interfering pieces.
Bathing is carried out no more than once every two weeks using antimicrobial, antiparasitic shampoos and conditioners, which are sold at any pet store or veterinary pharmacy. This way the wool will not fluff and curl. After water treatments, the dog needs to be thoroughly dried. A simple dry towel or hairdryer will do for this if your pet is not afraid of loud noises.
Instead of bathing, you can clean your furry friend with dry shampoo in the form of a special powder. Ordinary talcum powder or baby powder will also work. Gently rub the product into the fur, spreading it over the entire body, and comb thoroughly.
Ears should be washed and wiped as needed. It happens that the furry friend himself hints about this, constantly scratching his ears and shaking his head. After each walk, it is recommended to wipe the paws with a clean cloth or simply wash away the dirt between the pads.
The claws grow quickly and often split. You can help your dog with regular haircuts using one of the following devices: a nail clipper, a guillotine trimmer, sharp scissors and a hard file. The fluffy will be very grateful to you for such a “pedicure”, since long and sharp claws greatly interfere with his active play, running, washing and moving.
The main condition for a pet’s healthy life is a timely examination by a veterinarian. This is especially important for older animals!
Tips for choosing a puppy
If you decide to get a puppy, choose a seller who is responsible and verified by reviews. The most correct thing would be to contact a breeding nursery with a good reputation and official confirmation of breeding of this particular breed. Professionals will help you choose a puppy, correctly draw up documents about its health status, a certificate of pedigree and characteristics of breeding qualities.
First visit the premises and make sure the puppies are well cared for, kept clean and appear healthy. Examine the baby you like from head to tail. The ears should be clean, the eyes clear, the teeth white, the gums pink, and the coat soft. Observe the movements of the chin. Any strange behavior or repetitive action may indicate a possible medical condition.
Find out about the health of the parents, especially the mother of the puppy during pregnancy. Any complications during gestation can lead to the development of pathologies in puppies, including hydrocephalus (impaired circulation of the fluid that washes the brain).
It is very important to take a closer look at how other Japanese Chin puppies from the same litter behave. If you are choosing an animal to participate in exhibitions, it is better to see both parents. This will allow you to understand how fertile the quin you have chosen is.
How to choose a puppy
Whatever kind of Japanese Chin puppy you decide to buy - a show-class dog or just a pet, it is important, first of all, to choose a seller. This can be a reliable, responsible breeder, and ideally, the owner of a breeding nursery that has a good reputation and a documented history of breeding the breed in this particular nursery. Professionals in their field will always select exactly the puppy you dream of, issue documents confirming that he is healthy, a certificate of pedigree, and characteristics of his potential breeding qualities.
First, make sure that the puppies are kept in a clean room and observe them. Check to see if all puppies from the same litter look healthy, are active, and are well fed. Examine the baby that you like the most from head to tail. Make sure that his ears are clean, without redness, his eyes are clear and playful, his gums are pink, his teeth are white, his fur is silky and shiny. Suspicion should be raised by any sign of underbite or overbite.
Take a closer look at the Chin you like at the moment when he plays. Such an observation will help to notice whether he has noticeable defects: a “cow-like” stance of the hind legs, their instability, an excessively lowered sternum. These shortcomings are rarely leveled out with age.
It is very important to make sure that the parents of your potential pet do not have diseases, and also to clarify whether the bitch was ill during pregnancy, since in this case the puppies may develop pathologies, including such a dangerous disease as hydrocephalus. You also need to take a closer look at the puppy’s mother, and if you choose a Japanese Chin with show prospects, it is advisable to see both parents.
How much does a Japanese chin cost?
A puppy can be purchased from ordinary owners for an amount from 4.5 to 10 thousand rubles. However, in this situation, purebred is not guaranteed. The baby may turn out to be a mixed race. Often, unscrupulous breeders breed this breed with the Pekingese.
For a class below average, nurseries usually set the price in the range of 10-12 thousand rubles. For a more common breed class, the price of a Japanese Chin will be from 15 to 17 thousand rubles. Representatives of the show class, who are more often chosen to participate in future exhibitions, cost at least 25-26 thousand rubles and more. The most thoroughbred, purebred and beautiful puppies are sold for 60 thousand rubles. The price range depends not only on the quality of the puppy, but also on the kennel/breeder itself.
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