Chinese Chongqing Dog

The Chinese Chongqing Dog is an old mastiff-type dog from Chongqing in China, one of the country’s native dogs known as tugou. It was used for hunting and guarding, and today it is valued as a fearless, tough protector of home and family.

The name is sometimes also given to the Chuandong Hound. The two share the same foundation stock.

History

Like other tugou, the Chongqing Dog is a Chinese native, and it is believed to go back to the Han Dynasty. Ceramic statues of dogs of this kind, dated to roughly 206 BCE to 220 AD, have been found guarding graves in the Jiangbei area of Chongqing.

It was developed as a hunting dog in the mountains of eastern Sichuan. When Chongqing grew quickly into a large city, the number of dogs fell sharply. Serious efforts to restore the breed have been under way since the 1970s, and it has since become popular as both a working dog and a companion.

Appearance

The Chongqing Dog is medium-sized, with a compact, muscular body. The notes give a height of 35–45 cm and a weight of 33–55 lb (about 15–25 kg).

The head is square with a pronounced stop, and the tongue is blue-black. The ears stand up naturally and are not cropped. The tail is short and carried upright, and is often compared to a bamboo stick. The coat is short and coarse, and either reddish-brown or black.

Temperament

These are dogs of strong character: outgoing, confident, and keen to explore and play. They are friendly with children and make alert guards for a family.

They also have a strong prey drive and an excellent nose. As hunters they can work alone or in a pack, on game ranging from rabbits to badgers, foxes, boar, goats, deer and small bears.

Care and health

The notes say little about health beyond the breed’s long life: Chongqing Dogs can live for up to 15 years.

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