Appearance
The Chow is a sturdily built dog that is square in profile with a broad skull. They have small triangular ears that are rounded at the tip. Chows are distinguished by their unusual blue-black, purple tongue and very straight hind legs, which gives them a stilted gait.
The blue-black, purple tongue gene appears to be dominant, as almost all mixed breed dogs who come from a Chow retain the tongue color. This is not to say, however, that every mixed breed dog with spots of purple on the tongue are descended from Chows, as purple spots on the tongue can be found on a multitude of pure breed dogs.
Coat and Color
The breed has a very dense coat that is smooth or rough. The fur is thick, especially around the neck, giving the distinctive ruff or mane. The coat may be one of five colors: red, black, blue, cinnamon and cream. Individuals with patchy or multicolored coats are considered to be outside the breed standard.