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Japanese ChinChin ~ Japanese Spaniel

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Canis lupus familiarisPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Justin Brough

     A toy spaniel breed, the Japanese Chin is a small indoor dog that doesn't need much activity, making it a great companion dog for apartment dwellers and those with more sedentary lifestyles.

    The Japanese Chin is beloved for its mild-mannered and affectionate temperament. While loyal to its owner, the Chin tends to get along with everyone in the household. This includes dogs and other pets as well. Chins are prone to genetic knee and heart problems. When choosing a Chin, it is wise to check its bloodlines and medical records for possible problems.

Common Name(s)     Japanese Chin, Chin, Japanese Spaniel

Breed Type     The Japanese Chin is a toy spaniel breed. This breed makes a great companion, and is best suited to areas with moderate climates. The Chin is sensitive to extremes in temperature.

Background     The Chin is thought to have originated in China or Korea. It was, however, developed in Japan and became a favorite of the country's royalty. The breed became very popular in 1853, when Queen Victoria received a pair of them as a gift from Commodore Perry. The Chin is divided into two classes by weight: Under 7 pounds and over 7 pounds.

Description     The Japanese Chin is 7-11 inches tall and weighs 4-15 pounds. Its long hair is white with patches of black, red, lemon, orange, sable, or brindle. The nose is short and wide, and its color matches the dog's markings. The Chin's eyes are large, protruding and dark, and its ears upside-down and V-shaped.

Care and Feeding     A Chin's diet should ideally consist of foods that contain fish, poultry, white rice, corn, and soy. They need an adequate amount of fiber in their diets. Teeth cleaning chews are also good for their dental health. This breed needs daily brushing to keep its coat in good condition. Dry shampoo is usually sufficient, and the dog should be bathed only when necessary. Its eyes and ears should be checked regularly for infection.
    The regular vaccination schedule is as follows; however, since some lines of Chins are prone to distemper, your veterinarian may choose to adjust the schedule:

• 6-8 weeks: Distemper, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvo, and Corona virus (DHLPPC)
• 10-12 weeks: Second DHLPPC
• 14-16 weeks: Third DHLPPC and rabies
• Annually: DHLPPC and rabies booster
  

    The Japanese Chin sheds year round, and blows its coat twice a year. Therefore, regular vacuuming is necessary.

Housing Your Dog     Chins are indoor dogs, and they do not require a lot of space. They are content in a house or an apartment, and with or without a yard. They require moderate temperatures.

Social Behaviors     Japanese Chins do well with other dogs and all sorts of other pets. They are also gentle with children, but are not recommended for smaller children who may not be as gentle with them.

Handling and Training     Housetraining may go slowly with the Chin at first, up to about 4 months of age. After that they usually do well. They are also good at learning obedience and tricks.

Activities     Chins do not need much exercise. Just a daily walk and normal play should suffice.

Breeding/Reproduction     When considering a mate for your Chin, it is important to check the potential mate's bloodlines for heart and knee problems. As with any small dog, females may need Cesarean sections when giving birth if the puppies are large.

Common Health Problems     Because of its large and protruding eyes, the Japanese Chin often suffers from eye problems. Corneal scratches and ulcerations are not uncommon, and depending on their severity may require emergency care. This breed often suffers from breathing problems due to the shape of its nose.

Availability     Japanese Chins are fairly easy to find from breeders. Prices average around $500.

References "Japanese Spaniel", Dog Breed Info Center, Copyright 1998-2008
"Japanese Chin", Wikipedia, Copyright 2008
Cusick, William D., "What to Feed a Japanese Chin", Referenced online, 2008
"Japanese Chin Puppies for Sale", Copyright PuppyFind.com, LLC, Referenced online, 2008

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I have owned two chins, and both of them run thru the house the same time everynight before they lay down to go to sleep at night. I have found their behavior is very similar to each other. Love their temperment. All around wonderful little dog. Pat Reply pat 2009-07-01
Our chin is 4 months old and still wants to pea everywhere unless she is shut in one room with her pea pad, or of course outside. She is also extremely active. She wants to run like she is a race horse and is very picky about her eating habits already. We are not at all sure how to break these habits. I don't mind the activity because we have a fenced in yard for her. Will she out grow the wild bitting and running. thx al Reply Alicia Mcdonald 2008-08-15
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Some of the bestest comments - here's the beef!
A Chin's diet should ideally consist of foods that contain fish, poultry, white rice, corn, and soy. WHAT, this is NONSENSE - and straight from a Dog Food product! Gee no wonder Chins don't live very long!!! Soy is a huge reason why dogs in general have so many skin conditions and infections 0 and Japanese Chins are particularly susceptible. Soy isoflavins are "estrogen precursors" and dog food companies KNOW this, but don't care, because it's a super cheap way to bulk up dog food. Isoflavens, being estrogen related compounds, play havoc with a Japanese Chin's reproductive system, and help make them far more suseptable to reproductive illnesses, because they're hormones are always way out of balance thanks to SOY! Corn, gluten? Gee if millions of humans suffer from the horrible condition known as ciliac disease from eating this, what do you think it does to a Japanese Chin? I mean we're omnivores and eat plant and animals. Japanese Chins no matter what they eat have a digestive tract designed to process animal products ONLY. If Corn and the often included gluten are so bad for us humans, it's can be toxic, life-threatening to Japanese Chins - thus they're much shorter than usual lifespan. IDEALLY, being a carnivore, Japanese Chins should have a diet consisting of meat by products, bone by products, bones, meat, animal organs. They'll eat lots of other things, but unless it's animal based, they won't be able to digest it, and quite often be hypersensative to plant compounds that are perfectly fine for humans. I'm an owner of many chins for several years, and NONE of mine EVER get sick. The only reason they've ever gone to the vet is for shots. They do NOT have skin problems, NO breathing problems, NO knee problems and so on and so on - and it's because I feed them the way carnivores should be fed. Reply Jonathan Seer 2009-09-18
Replies (1) Your comments make a lot of sense. I have a japanese chin and dont want to feed him processed pet food. What do you recomend a good homemade "carnivores" diet should be?... Kelly
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Questions - Answers
I just picked up an eleven month old male rescued chin on Monday. He had originally been with a breeder. No known abuse. The rescue foster dad had about 7 chins that ran around freely using wee-wee pads, covered mattresses, etc. Very happy environment for the puppies. I already have a 6 mo.old female chin who is almost completely trained. I have taken the dogs out at least every 3 hours, walked in the woods, walked on sidewalks, walked through the lawns, in streets, etc. My little guy will not go potty outside. I stay out for 20 minutes, often. He will come right back in, and may or may not go potty on the pads. More often than not he goes on the carpet. I am very discouraged. I am at home all day, retired, and he has not been crate trained so I feel like a prisoner. Help! I love watching them play. They are so sweet, and sleep all night with us, but what can I do to transition him from his complete freedom to an outdoor potty pup? Reply Beverly 2010-03-12
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