Content
- Why Chow Chow Has a Blue Tongue: Scientific Explanation
- Blue tongue in chow chow dog: legend
- Chow chow dog personality and characteristics
The reason why chow-chow has a blue tongue it's in your genetics. Both their mucous membranes and their tongue have cells that other races usually do not have, or have in small concentrations. When we think of dog breeds from the east, Japanese and Chinese breeds come to mind, such as the shiba inu, the akita inu and the chow-chow. Thus, it can be said that the chow-chow is the most popular dog of Chinese origin among the others. However, few know the details of this precious dog, such as its very reserved character. When we talk about this peaceful animal, the particular color of the tongue is almost always mentioned, but how many know what it represents? In this Animal Expert article, we're going to talk about the blue tongue of chow chow, the scientific explanation and the myths surrounding it.
Why Chow Chow Has a Blue Tongue: Scientific Explanation
The tongue of the Chow-Chow is blue, purple or purple, due to the presence of pigment cells, that is, cells that contain elements called pigments, and provide such an exotic color. Genetically, these dogs have a higher concentration of these cells, therefore, they have a different color from the rest of the breeds. In addition to being located in the tongue, these cells are mainly found in the mucous membranes. Therefore, this Chinese breed is the only one that has lips, gums and palate, characterized by a dark blue tone, almost entirely.
There is a curious fact about this peculiarity, as it does not only appear in certain dogs, such as the chow-chow. Pigmentation is also present in the mucous membranes of other animals such as giraffes, the Jersey cattle breed and some bear families such as the polar bear. Some studies conclude that chow-chow comes from the Hemicyon, a species of mammal that is among the dog and bear families already extinct, and lived in the Miocene epoch. However, no definitive scientific evidence has yet been found to support this suspicion, so it is only a hypothesis. However, the chow-chow has 44 teeth, just like the bears, a possible coincidence that would confirm these suspicions, as a regular dog has an arcade of only 42 teeth.
Another curious fact that we have already mentioned is that the chow-chow is not the only dog with lips and a palate characterized by its dark blue color. In fact, there are many breeds of dogs and other crossbred mammals that have patches of this color, however, their mucous membranes are not completely dark. It is important to note that the chow-chow not necessarily born with a completely purple tongue, but from 2 to 3 months of age, we start to show coloration. Therefore, if your furry friend does not yet have a blue tongue, it may be the result of a non-"pure" cross, and between your parents (or even another ancestor) there is a dog of another breed, or simply in your lineage. genetically, this gene remained a recessive gene rather than a dominant gene. If you wish to present your pet in a competition, please note that FCI does not accept animals without a blue/purple or dark blue tongue.
Another breed of dog that is characterized by its blue tongue is the shar pei. Therefore, it is important to clarify that another dog may have pigmented spots or dots of blue, purple or dark blue on the tongue. This does not mean that he is descended from a chow-chow or other Chinese dog, as more than 30 dog breeds have tongue spots.
Blue tongue in chow chow dog: legend
Did you know that there are some legends that explain why the chow-chow dog has a blue tongue? As a dog originally dedicated to guarding and protecting Buddhist temples, legend has it that one very cold day a monk became seriously ill and was unable to go out to fetch wood to light the fire. So, the dog that was in the same temple went to the forest to collect wood and found only charred pieces. He took them to the monk. When he touched the charred wood with his mouth, his tongue turned blue due to contact with coal.
The second legend says that the tongue of the chow chow is blue (or purple) because one day a dog of this breed followed Buddha when he painted the sky blue. As the paint brush left traces, the dog licked all the dropped drops. From that day on, the breed is recognized as the blue-tongued dog.
Chow chow dog personality and characteristics
Of course, when thinking about chow-chow, the first feature we think of is its blue or purple tongue. However, he should not be a dog recognized solely by this physical attribute, as he is, in general, a very special animal.
With an appearance of a miniature lion, the chow-chow is a calm and peaceful animal that has the aptitude for being a excellent guard dog. Originally, this race used to protect Asian temples in countries like China and Tibet. So it can be said that your guardian instinct is in the DNA. In addition, he has already been designated a hunting and herding dog, facts that explain his character and temperament.
A curious fact is that in certain Western cultures he is called Fu Lions, also known as Buddha Lions or Chinese Lions, Fu Dogs or Fo Dogs (Foo Dogs), due to a confusion that relates guardian lions with these dogs of Chinese origin, due to their physical appearance and their origin as guard dogs.
Your bulky cloak and his adorable expression made this dog one of the most popular in the world. However, it should be noted that to keep it in perfect condition it is essential to take proper care. Therefore, we recommend going to the canine hairdresser once a month or every month and a half.
