Cinnamon Chow Chows: Separating Fact from Fiction

Cinnamon (Fawn) Chow Chows: History, And Genetics 

Among the five standard colors of the purebred Chow Chow, cinnamon is perhaps the most visually nuanced—and the most frequently confused with other shades. Ranging from a delicate, silvery-fawn to a rich, warm cinnamon spice, this classic color is often mistaken by casual observers for a light red Chow, a cream Chow, or even a non-standard "chocolate" or "lilac."

Yet cinnamon has been an officially recognized, celebrated part of the Chow Chow's heritage for over a century. Here is a closer look at the real history, genetics, and breed standards behind the cinnamon Chow Chow—separating verifiable fact from common misconceptions.

1. Is Cinnamon an Original, Historic Chow Chow Color?

The Verdict: Fact—documented in early Western registries, show rings, and Chinese breeding records for well over a century.

When Chow Chows were first imported from China into England and North America in the late 19th century, cinnamon dogs were already present alongside reds, blacks, blues, and creams:

• Early Terminology ("Fawn" vs. "Cinnamon"): In early British and American kennel club records from the late 1800s and early 1900s, cinnamon Chow Chows were commonly referred to simply as "fawn" or "shaded fawn." Over time, the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the Chow Chow Club, Inc. (CCCI)standardized the official color name as Cinnamon, while the UK Kennel Club and FCI registries continue to use the term Fawn for the exact same genetic color.
• Early Show Ring Recognition: Historical records from the 1910s and 1920s document distinguished fawn/cinnamon Chow Chows competing successfully in both England and the United States, prized for their soft, velvety undercoats and striking contrast between their warm coats and dark facial features.
• Official Breed Standard Status: Under the CCCI, AKC, UK Chow Chow Breed Council, and FCI standards, cinnamon (fawn) is one of the five solid standard colors of the breed—spanning everything from light fawn to deep cinnamon, with lighter shading frequently appearing on the ruff, tail, and breeches.

2. Why Cinnamon Chow Chows Look So Distinct

A true cinnamon Chow Chow has a signature color harmony that sets it apart from both red Chows and non-standard outcrosses:

• Coat Tone: Unlike a red Chow (which has rich golden, copper, or mahogany pigment), a cinnamon Chow's coat has a cooler, muted, or dusty warmth—often described as toasted almond, fawn, or ground cinnamon, frequently accompanied by a pale cream or silvery-fawn undercoat and feathering.
• Nose, Eye, & Tongue Pigment: Unlike a cream Chow (e/e), which may legally have a flesh-colored or mottled nose, a standard cinnamon Chow Chow must have a solid black or slate-gray/blue-black nose (reflecting its dilute status), dark brown eyes, dark eye rims, and a solid blue-black tongue.
• Puppy-to-Adult Transformation: Cinnamon Chow puppies are often born looking very pale—sometimes appearing nearly silver-cream or smoky beige at birth—before their warm cinnamon guard hairs gradually come in as they mature.

3. Separating Fact from Fiction: Common Myths About Cinnamon Chow Chows

Myth 1: "Cinnamon and Fawn are two different Chow Chow colors."

• Fact: Cinnamon and fawn are simply different regional names for the exact same genetic color. The AKC and CCCI use Cinnamon, whereas The Kennel Club (UK) and FCI clubs use Fawn. Whether a pedigree lists a purebred dog as "Cinnamon" or "Fawn," the underlying genetics (Aʸ/Aʸ d/d) are identical.

Myth 2: "Cinnamon Chow Chows are the same thing as 'Chocolate' Chows."

• Fact: Cinnamon and chocolate are completely unrelated genetically. Cinnamon is an authentic, purebred Chow Chow color created by the native dilution gene (d/d) acting on a red/sable coat (Aʸ/Aʸ), leaving the dog with a black or slate-gray nose, dark brown eyes, and a solid blue-black tongue. In contrast, non-standard "chocolate" (b/b) is a foreign mutation introduced through outcrossing to other breeds, stripping away dark eumelanin and leaving the dog with a brown/liver nose, light amber/green eyes, and a pinkish-lavender tongue.

Myth 3: "Cinnamon Chows are just 'faded' or 'washed-out' red Chows."

• Fact: A light red Chow (Aʸ/Aʸ D/-) still carries full, undiluted pigment (D), giving it a jet-black nose and vibrant golden-orange fur. A cinnamon Chow (Aʸ/Aʸ d/d) carries two copies of the recessive dilution allele (d/d), which structurally alters how melanin granules are distributed in the hair shaft—creating that unmistakable soft, dusty cinnamon hue and slate-toned nose leather.

Myth 4: "Cinnamon is a 'rare' or 'exotic' designer color."

• Fact: While cinnamon appears less frequently than red or black because both parents must carry the recessive dilution gene (d), it is a traditional, standard color with over a century of documented breed history. Ethical preservation breeders never market cinnamon puppies as "rare" or charge inflated "exotic" color fees.

4. The Genetics Behind the Cinnamon Coat

Genetically, a cinnamon Chow Chow is the dilute counterpart to a red Chow, just as a blue Chow is the dilute counterpart to a black Chow:

A cinnamon Chow Chow carries the clear sable allele at the Agouti locus (Aʸ/Aʸ or Aʸ/a) alongside two copies of the recessive dilution allele (d/d) on the melanophilin (MLPH) gene —specifically the breed's native d² variant.

While d/d dilutes black eumelanin into slate-blue, it softens red/sable phaeomelanin and dark guard-hair tipping into warm fawn/cinnamon, while diluting the nose and paw-pad pigment from jet black to slate-gray or blue-black

.Breeding Outcomes:

Because d is recessive, two red Chows that both silently carry dilution (D/d) can produce cinnamon puppies (d/d) in a standard red litter. Similarly, breeding a blue Chow (Kᴮ/- d/d) to a cinnamon Chow (kʸ/kʸ d/d) will produce 100% dilute puppies—either blue or cinnamon, depending on whether the blue parent carries kʸ.

Just like blue Chow Chows, cinnamon Chows carry d/d dilution and can occasionally be prone to

if bred carelessly. Preservation breeders protect coat quality by selecting for harsh, dense double coats and avoiding repeated dilute-to-dilute pairings that weaken coat texture.

Conclusion: 

The cinnamon Chow Chow is a quintessential part of the breed's authentic color palette—prized by early fanciers as "shaded fawn" and preserved today by dedicated breeders around the world. By understanding how the native d² dilution gene transforms red/sable into cinnamon while preserving dark eyes, slate-black nose pigment, and a solid blue-black tongue, puppy buyers and breeders can easily distinguish a true, health-tested cinnamon Chow from mislabeled outcrosses and celebrate one of the breed's most timeless colors

.References

1. Bauer, A., Kehl, A., Jagannathan, V., & Leeb, T. (2018). A novel MLPH variant (d²) in dogs with coat colour dilution (documented in Chow Chows, Thai Ridgebacks, and Sloughis). Animal Genetics, 49(1), 94–97. nih.gov
2. Chow Chow Club, Inc. (CCCI). Official Breed Standard & Accepted Coat Colors (Black, Blue, Cinnamon, Cream, Red). chowclub.org
3. ChowTales Archives. Circa Late 1800s – A Matter of Original Chow Colors & Early Fawn/Cinnamon Records. chowtales.com
4. Coats and Colors. Chow Chow Coat Color Genetics (A, K, E, B, and D Loci). Canine Coat Color Genetics Database. coatsandcolors.com
5. The Chow Chow Breed Council (UK). Breed Standard Colours (Red, Black, Blue, Fawn, Cream) & Pigmentation Guidelines. chowchowbreedcouncil.com
6. UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL). Dilute (D Locus / MLPH) & Agouti (A Locus / ASIP) ASIP Canine Coat Color Genetics. University of California, Davis. ucdavis.edu & ucdavis.edu
7. Five Colors and Nothing Else: the Chow Chow Palette - Chow Chow Guide 
8. A Third MLPH Variant Causing Coat Color Dilution in Dogs. - Abstract - Europe PMC