Chow Chow: gear and buying guides

🍖 Feeding a Chow Chow: portions, kibble and budget

The right daily ration for a Chow Chow

The baseline for a 20 to 32 kg Chow Chow: 160 to 270 g of complete kibble daily, served in two meals and corrected for age, neutering and activity. Its laid-back temperament predisposes it to weight gain: weigh the ration rather than eyeballing it, and subtract the treats. The reference is the weight curve: you should feel the ribs without seeing them.

Matching the food to the breed

At 20 to 32 kg, the Chow Chow needs standard kibble: judge the bag on its ingredient list, named animal proteins first, rather than the marketing. Treats count towards the ration: past 10% of daily intake, the complete food is no longer balanced.

Budget and smart buying

Plan €30 to €60 monthly to feed a Chow Chow properly. Big-bag buying pays off as long as an airtight bin and a six-week turnaround protect the food. All our label-reading pointers are on the full Chow Chow profile.

Quick answers

How much kibble per day for a Chow Chow?

160 to 270 g daily over two meals for an adult of 20 to 32 kg, adjusted for activity and the food’s density — the bag’s table gives the starting point, body condition the correction, the vet the verdict.

How many meals a day for a Chow Chow?

Two meals for an adult, three to four for a growing puppy.

See it in the Planète Pets shop: Spiral slow-feeder dog bowl, 23 cm (€22.90) · the whole shop

Outside our shipping area? The downloadable practical guide: Raising Your Puppy: The First Six Months (€19)

🎾 Toys for a Chow Chow: durability, exercise and enrichment

Toys that survive a Chow Chow

Its powerful jaw shreds entry-level toys in minutes: go for the heavy-chewer range — solid rubber, nylon, sized bigger than its mouth to prevent swallowing. Bin any split or gutted toy: swallowed pieces are a classic veterinary emergency.

How much daily activity?

Plan 60 to 90 minutes of genuine daily activity: steady, unhurried outings suit it better than long intense sessions.

Mental work: the real boredom-buster

To occupy a Chow Chow while you are away: nose-work (mats, boxes), dispensing toys, puzzles with progressive difficulty — a quick first win conditions everything after. Two or three ten-minute sessions beat an hour on Sunday.

Quick answers

Which toys should I pick for a Chow Chow?

Its powerful jaw shreds entry-level toys in minutes: go for the heavy-chewer range — solid rubber, nylon, sized bigger than its mouth to prevent swallowing.

How much exercise does a Chow Chow need daily?

A fit adult calls for 60 to 90 minutes of genuine daily exertion — a figure adjusted to age, health and the day’s weather.

In our shop, for this use: Felt snuffle mat for dogs (45 × 50 or 90 × 90 cm) (€32.90) · the whole shop

Outside our shipping area? The downloadable practical guide: Raising Your Puppy: The First Six Months (€19)

🏠 Bed and sleeping setup for a Chow Chow: size and materials

What bed size for a Chow Chow?

Standing 46 to 56 cm at the withers, the Chow Chow needs a bed around 95 cm long — enough to stretch flat on its side, not just curl up. When torn between two sizes, always take the larger.

Materials and comfort

Demand a zipped cover washable at 60°C — this breed’s moult will send it through the machine weekly, bolster edges as headrests and a base that grips tiled floors.

Where to put it?

The Chow Chow handles cool air well and even seeks out tiles in summer: offer two spots, a soft quiet bed and a cool corner. Overheating bothers it more than cold. An adult dog sleeps 12 to 15 hours a day: placement matters as much as the bed.

Quick answers

What bed size suits a Chow Chow?

Count on 95 cm long — the measure that lets an adult of 46 to 56 cm at the withers lie fully stretched, deep-sleep position included.

Can a Chow Chow sleep outside?

Its hardiness allows it, with an insulated, raised kennel facing away from the wind — but family life indoors remains its real need.

In our shop, for this use: Ice-silk cooling mat for dogs (62 × 50 to 100 × 70 cm) (€40.90) · the whole shop

In our shop, for this use: Folding 3-step wooden pet stairs for beds and sofas ($75.90, ships from the US) · the US shop

Our products don’t ship to you yet, but the PDF practical guide is instant: Raising Your Puppy: The First Six Months (€19)

🧳 Travelling with a Chow Chow: car, crate and rules

In the car with a Chow Chow

For its 20 to 32 kg, two serious options: a rigid crate of about 90 cm strapped in the boot, or a crash-tested safety harness clipped to ISOFIX. An unrestrained dog of this weight becomes a projectile under braking — and a possible fine for distracted driving.

Trains, planes, holidays

Too big for the cabin, the Chow Chow flies in the pressurised hold in an IATA-approved crate — an ordeal to reserve for unavoidable trips. On trains, a muzzle and lead meet the rules. Plan the habituation: a Chow Chow that eats and naps in its open crate at home will treat it as a den, not a trap.

Identification and good habits

Identification (microchip or tattoo) is mandatory, with vaccinations up to date for boarding or border crossings (EU passport, rabies shot). In hot weather, never leave a Chow Chow in a parked car, even “for five minutes”: the cabin turns lethal within a quarter of an hour.

Quick answers

What crate size for a Chow Chow?

Aim for 90 cm long for an adult: it must stand head-up and turn around freely — and for flying, only the model’s IATA dimensions count.

Can a Chow Chow fly in the cabin?

No, it exceeds the cabin limit (8 kg including the bag): it travels in the pressurised hold in an IATA crate — avoid it when you can.

An accessory from our shop for this use: USB-C rechargeable LED light-up dog collar (€22.90) · the whole shop

An accessory from our shop for this use: Folding wire dog crate 24 in (61 cm), single door, with tray ($62.90, ships from the US) · the US shop

Outside our shipping area? The downloadable practical guide: Raising Your Puppy: The First Six Months (€19)

🧰 Accessories for a Chow Chow: harness, bowls and essentials

Harness and lead sized for the Chow Chow

The right harness for a 20 to 32 kg Chow Chow: Y-cut, size M to L, two adjustment points minimum — too loose it twists, too tight it blocks the shoulder. A 2-metre lead in town and a longer one for strolls match its steady pace.

Bowls and daily kit

A stable stainless bowl sized for its 160-270 g a day — switching to slow-feed once meals vanish in under a minute. Complete the set with an always-full water point, a mat under the bowls and an airtight bin for the kibble.

The extras that genuinely matter for this breed

an undercoat tool (soft de-shedder) and a lint brush for textiles — each under €40. The detailed picks are on the full Chow Chow profile.

Quick answers

What harness size for a Chow Chow?

Size M to L for an adult of 20 to 32 kg, in an adjustable Y-cut — measure the girth behind the elbows to decide between two sizes.

What starter budget for a Chow Chow?

Expect €150 to 300 for the full kit (bed, harness and lead, bowls, crate, toys, brush), food excluded.

In our shop, for this use: 1.5 m reflective round rope lead with padded handle, for dogs (€20.90) · the whole shop

Outside our shipping area? The downloadable practical guide: Raising Your Puppy: The First Six Months (€19)