Chow Chows are one of the most recognizable dog breeds around because of their thick, puffy mane and bushy tails. They originated from northern China and were bred mainly for herding, sled pulling, and as guard dogs.
Chow Chows have a dense double coat that can either be coarse and medium in length or smooth in texture but short. They have a woolly body coat with considerable thickness around the neck and head area that forms a ruff around the neck and a well-feathered tail that curves towards the back. The coat can be styled in many ways, like the unique-looking Mohawk.
Listed below are some hairstyle options you can choose for your Chow Chow based on their individual needs. Some of these hairstyles can be done by you, while some require the hands of a professional dog groomer.
16. Medium Cut
This cut differs slightly from the Classic Cut, wherein the body hair is trimmed very minimally to shape the natural contours of the coat. The hair on the face and the neck are left naturally and only trimmed to remove excess hairs around the eyes.
This is a cut you can do yourself at home by using a pair of scissors. Trimming with a shaver is best done by professional groomers to avoid uneven cuts along the edges.
15. Clean Face With Adornments
This cut involves trimming the fur around the eye area and the muzzle close to the skin and keeping the fur around the edge of the face intact. The edges of the trimmed area are clearly defined, giving the center of the face a clean look. To add to the cuteness factor, you can place adornments, such as a bow tie around the neck or a colorful clip on their forehead.
14. Fluffy Hairstyle
Achieving a fluffy hairstyle is easier with a Chow Chow that has a medium-length rough coat than those with shorter and smoother coats. Additionally, those with a denser undercoat can be made to look fluffier since they can hold more volume when brushed properly.
After shampooing and drying your Chow Chow, brush their coat from the roots in an upward manner with a slicker brush by segments. Continue brushing their coat until you have covered every part of their body.
13. Bear Cut
A Bear Cut resembles the Teddy Bear Cut but only with less roundness around the face and shorter in length. The hair in the entire body is cut at a uniform 1 to 2 inches in length, which is almost similar to the Puppy Cut.
The goal is to make them resemble a bear with the hair around the face and the neck area trimmed somewhat flat, making the ears more prominent.
12. Shaved Legs
As the name of the cut suggests, the leg hairs are given a shave or a very short cut, leaving the rest of the body hair as is. This cut would emphasize more the fluffiness and volume of the body coat and the tail.
This cut is ideal if you want to keep the dirt and grime from adhering to the Chow Chow’s legs, making it easier to rinse after a walk or a run.
11. Lion King (Lion Cut)
One of the more popular cuts for the Chow Chow is the Lion King or Lion Cut since it emphasizes the thick ruff around the neck, giving them a rough resemblance to the King of the Jungle.
The cut involves shaving or trimming the hair very short in the entire body, including the legs, leaving only the thick fur around the neck and face intact. The tail can either be left untouched or shaved with some tufts of hair at the tip. Sunscreen should be applied on shaved areas to protect their skin from sunburn.
10. Teddy Bear
This cut is similar to the Puppy Cut except for the mane around the neck, and the face is rounded out to resemble a teddy bear. The hair around the ears is trimmed short, as well as around the eyes, to make it pop.
The roundness of the muzzle is also emphasized by sculpting with a curving scissor and also around the paws, while the length of the body hair is trimmed uniformly.
9. Summer Cut
Summer Cut is similar to the Puppy Cut but much shorter. The length is typically around ¼ of an inch to 1 inch throughout the body. The length leaves enough hair to protect them from sun exposure but long enough not to give them sunburn.
This style lets them cool off during the warmer months allowing air to get through and circulate on the skin. The remaining hair can trap the cool air and prevent them from overheating.
8. Classic Haircut
This is the style most often seen in conformation shows. The hair is trimmed minimally around the face, ears, and legs to trim off excess hair, while the body coat is left almost untouched with only necessary paw and sanitary trimmings. The coat is brushed thoroughly to reveal its full glory, which emphasizes its fluffiness as it stands off its body.
Chow Chows with a smooth and shorter coat naturally would not appear as puffy or billowy compared to ones that have a rough and medium-length coat.
7. Puppy Cut
Puppy Cut is a simple trim wherein the coat is cut at a uniform length throughout the body, preferably 1 to 2 inches from the body. The hair on the face and chest can be trimmed just a bit to keep the overall Chow Chow look.
It is advisable to consult with the groomer about the particular length of the cut since many have a different interpretation of how a Puppy Cut will be executed.
6. Short Haircut
If you are a busy Chow Chow owner, then a short haircut is an option for a low-maintenance grooming routine. It usually takes around 30 minutes to brush the thick mane of the Chow Chow, and they need to be bathed twice a month the most.
The cut involves trimming most of their hair close to the body but keeping the hair around the face and tail with some length. Brushing is still necessary to prevent the formation of cobweb matting that can form close to the skin.
5. Shaved Look
Shaving a Chow Chow is really not recommended since their undercoat serves as protection against the elements, whether from heat or cold. The only reason for shaving a Chow Chow is when there is excessive matting on their coat or other health reasons.
Similar to the Lion Cut, a shaved look may include the hair on the head being trimmed short as well.
4. Fluffy Face
To achieve this look, most of the body hair is trimmed short, including around the leg area. This would make the head look bigger because of the thickness of the hair around the neck. This can be almost similar to the Lion Cut without the body hair or a cut very close to the body.
To make a face appear even much bigger, brush the hair with a slicker brush with an upward motion to give it more volume.
3. Panda Look
This look might work well for a white or light-colored Chow Chow. A canine-friendly dye must be used and not the dye commonly used by humans. The process involves dyeing Chow Chow’s hair with black coloring, specifically around the ears, the edges of the eyes, and the legs. A black dye can also be applied to some parts of the body, similar to the coat patterns found among Pandas.
The dye typically stays on the coat for about six weeks, and further touch-ups can be done by the groomer if you want to continue with the look.
2. Round Face Haircut
This cut involves sculpting the hair around the head to emphasize its roundness. The cut is not as short as that of the Teddy Bear Cut, while the hair around the ears and the eyes are slightly trimmed for neatness. Only the edge of the mane is rounded to achieve the look.
The rest of the body hair is also kept naturally and only trimmed minimally to clean out the edges.
1. Mohawk Haircut
The Mohawk Cut involves trimming most of the body hair very short, including both sides of the head, leaving only a small strip of hair on top of the head all the way to the upper back with the edges slightly curved.
The Mohawk hair is brushed straight up, and a finishing spray can be applied to keep it in place and give it a sheen.
Related Questions
Will My Chow Chow’s Hair Grow Back? Yes, but It typically takes a year for their hair to grow back if it is shaved. Chow Chows generally do not need to be clipped or their hair trimmed short other than the usual sanitary and paw trims. Their coat acts as a natural protection against the elements, and shaving them frequently will damage the condition of the hair in the long run.
How Often Should A Chow Chow Be Groomed? A Chow Chow should be brushed almost daily with a slicker brush to keep their double coats in good condition since their undercoat tends to mat easily. Brushing also removes loose hairs and keeps their coat free from dirt. Their coat also needs to be washed once or twice a month, depending on their lifestyle.
Does Chow Chow Shed A Lot Of Hair? Yes, Chow Chows do shed a lot throughout the year because of their thick double coats. They typically shed heavier during the fall months to prepare for more undercoat growth for the cold winter and during the spring months when they blow their coat to adapt to warmer temperatures.
