A very interesting pet dog is the very unique mix between the Labrador and the Chow Chow. Want to find out more about this unusual cross between breeds? This article should give you enough info to have a great understanding of this dog.
A dog with multiple nicknames
The Labrador-ChowChow cross breed is called by a lot of different names like Labrachow, Chowbrador, Chabrador, Chowder, or Chow-Lab. You can basically have a different name for the breed for each day of the week.
As you know, this is just one of the many mixes between breeds of dogs nowadays. Due to their special and intentional mixing, these dogs are known as ‘designer breeds’. A cross between breeds is made for specific purposes and is created by having two pure-bred dogs of different breeds mating with each other.
You might also like my articles on other breed mixes like the daug, the Bichon Shih Tzu, or the Boxer Pitbull mix.
For example, when combining the Australian Shepherd with the Border Collie, you get a great working dog, that will be more agile and will outsmart both of his parents. In the same way, when mating an Old English Bulldog with a Mastiff, you get the Bullmastiff, perfect for curbing poacher menace and helping gamekeepers. Most of the time, a mix between breeds will create a healthier dog because it will take features and genes from both his parents.
Although most of the time breeders will choose to cross dogs with similar traits, this isn’t always the case, and from time to time some more unusual hybrids will also be created. A perfect example of two very opposite breeds being bred into an amazing dog is what you get from the mix between the Labrador Retriever and the Chow Chow, the Lab-Chow.
What makes this hybrid unusual is that its parents are very different one from another and not because the mix is rare. In fact, it is quite popular nowadays. The Chow is known to be aloof, very wary of strangers, but also protective, while the Lab is considered very social, affectionate, but also friendly with people and pets. Although Chow is loving as well to some extent, si is a better guard dog so he won’t deal as great with strangers. This is why the combination of these breeds will give out quite a weird dog. You will find out more about it below.
Appearance
This will clearly be a big dog. He will be anywhere between 17 and 25 inches tall, mostly depending on the parent he gets his height from. His weight can also vary quite a lot, between 50 and 75 pounds or 20 to 32 kg.
One interesting characteristic of the mix is that the Lab-Chow will have the blue-black tongue of the Chow and a longer head and muzzle like the Lab. This is one easy way to recognize these dogs. The tail will be long, while his ears will be either dropped or upright. Although some dogs might be born with blue eyes, most of them will have brown eyes.
If you want to describe this dog in just one word, probably ‘fluffy’ would be the most appropriate. The also has a pretty shaggy look with dense fur all over it. The breed has a coat that can range in color between yellow, brown, and black. This means that these dogs will be very diverse overall.
Personality Traits
This is actually the complicated part. The Chabrador isn’t your average mix of breeds. As I already said, the breeds of its parents are very different, especially when it comes to their personalities. This is why pinpointing the exact traits of this breed can prove to be quite challenging. Most of the time, you should expect this dog to be very loyal, a good companion, and a very loving creature. It may also inherit Some specimens might take some traits from the Chow parent, being intolerant to other animals, territorial, and pretty wary of strangers.
When it comes to its general behavior, you should expect a pretty difficult dog. It might show its independence and might even become aloof. If you want to turn the Lab-Chow into an outgoing dog and also a decent pet, then you should really consider some obedience training classes. If you want to avoid some pretty nasty personality issues when it reaches adulthood, then extensive socializing with people and other animals as early as is a must.
Grooming
If you don’t want the thick fur of this dog to become matted, then brushing it regularly is very important. It will shed a noticeable amount regularly but on top of that, it is also a seasonal shedder like both of his parents are. You won’t have to bathe him every single week. Baths once every month should be enough for your dog unless it gets really dirty for some reason.
Exercise
This dog, like many others, enjoys playtime. Don’t expect the Lab-Chow to only require two walks a day and spend the rest of its time sleeping around your house. You will have to give it enough activity for the animal to consume its energy. Along with playing with the pet all day long, you will also have to stimulate it mentally. If you don’t have an idea of what activities to add to its schedule, you should know that most Chabradors will want to swim a lot, so taking the pet to the water could be fun for both of you.
Its Training
As already stated, you will have to train this particular dog breed. Due to this unusual mix between two different breeds, the Lab-Chow will have a very versatile personality. Get on with proper obedience training and socializing right from its pup age to ensure that the dog will develop in an appropriate way. The sooner you start the training process the easier it will be because pups are not conformed to a particular personality just yet, which makes them more moldable. On the other hand, with age, a dog will become harder and harder to pull away from its old habits. You should take the training part really seriously when it comes to this breed.
Health Issues
This mix isn’t known to have any problems related to its health that might tamper with its life, which makes it a pretty healthy mix. These dogs are expected to live anywhere between 10 and 12 years.
Living Conditions
This is a big dog that wants to play all day, which means that you will have to offer it enough space for it to be happy. The Lab-Chow will love to live in a yard with enough space to move in, although as long as you give it enough exercise on a regular basis, it might have a happy life in an apartment as well.
This information should be enough for you to make an educated decision on whether you should own a Labrador-Chow Chow mix dog. This is a unique dog with a great, although diverse temperament and personality. Make sure you train it from a young age and you’ll have a great companion at your side.
