Red and Black Chow Chows: Separating Fact from Fiction

When most people picture a Chow Chow, they immediately imagine the iconic lion-maned red dog or the striking, bear-like black dog. As the two dominant foundation colors of the breed, red and black Chow Chows have anchored the breed's visual identity for thousands of years—from ancient Chinese dynasties and working hunting packs to the earliest Western show rings of Victorian England.

Yet because red and black are the most familiar colors in the breed, they are often surrounded by misconceptions regarding "shaded" coats, sun-bleaching, and whether black Chows carry different temperaments or ancestry than reds. Here is a closer look at the real history, genetics, and breed standards behind red and black Chow Chows—separating verifiable fact from common fiction.

1. Are Red and Black the Original Foundation Colors of the Breed?

The Verdict: Fact—genomic research and ancient Chinese artifacts confirm red and black as the breed's primary ancestral colors.

• Ancient Chinese History & Imperial Kennels: Genomic sequencing confirms that the Chow Chow is one of the world's oldest basal dog breeds, originating in Northern China over 2,000 years ago The ancient origins of the Chow Chow - BMC blog network. Tang Dynasty records (7th–10th centuries AD) famously describe emperors maintaining vast kennels of thousands of heavy-boned, lion-headed hunting and guard dogs—predominantly rich reds and deep blacks.
• The First Western Imports (Late 1800s): When British merchants and diplomats began importing Chow Chows from Canton (Guangzhou) and Northern China in the late 18th and 19th centuries, the overwhelming majority of foundation dogs registered with The Kennel Club (UK) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) were red or black 1865-1930 HISTORY TIMELINE- Earliest Chows and Breeders of England and America - ChowTales. Early Victorian pioneers—including Queen Victoria, who owned a famous red Chow Chow in the 1860s—helped catapult these two classic colors onto the world stage.
• Genetic Bedrock of the Other Three Colors: Genetically, red and black are the undiluted parent colors from which the other standard Chow colors arise: cinnamon is genetically diluted red, blue is genetically diluted black, and cream is recessive red (e/e) masking the underlying red or black genotype Chow Chow Colors | Coats and Colors.

2. Why Red and Black Chow Chows Have Such Rich Variety

Under official breed standards established by the Chow Chow Club, Inc. (CCCI), the American Kennel Club(AKC), and the UK Chow Chow Breed Council, both red and black encompass specific natural variations:

• The Spectrum of Red: Red Chow Chows range from light golden-red to vibrant copper, clear orange-red, and deep mahogany. Many red Chows feature lighter golden or cream shading on the ruff, tail, and breeches, as well as subtle dark overlay shading along the back and ears—all completely standard as long as the coat is not patterned or brindled.
• True Jet Black: A standard black Chow Chow has a dense, solid black outer coat paired with a dark charcoal or brownish-black undercoat, jet-black nose leather, dark brown eyes, and a deep blue-black tongue.
• Sun-Bleaching ("Rusting") in Black Coats: During warm, sunny months—or when a black Chow is preparing to blow its seasonal undercoat—exposure to UV light naturally oxidizes dead black hair shafts into a reddish-brown or rusty bronze hue. This temporary sun-bleaching is completely normal and sheds out when the fresh black coat grows in.

3. Separating Fact from Fiction: Common Myths About Red & Black Chow Chows

Myth 1: "Black Chow Chows are more aggressive or aloof than Red Chow Chows."

• Fact: Coat color has zero proven link to temperament in purebred Chow Chows. Whether red, black, blue, cinnamon, or cream, all well-bred Chow Chows share the same breed-typical personality: dignified, loyal, discerning with strangers, and deeply bonded to their family. Differences in temperament come from genetics, early socialization, and responsible breeding—never coat pigment.

Myth 2: "Dark mahogany reds or sun-bleached blacks are actually 'Chocolate' Chows."

• Fact: Historical breed texts from the 1920s occasionally used the word "brown" to describe either deep mahogany reds or sun-rusted black coats HOW NOW BROWN CHOW? THEY EXISTED IN 1922 Chow Chow Colours and Coat Types — Complete Guide. However, both dark reds and sun-bleached blacks retain jet-black noses, dark brown eyes, and solid blue-black tongues (B/B) Chow Chow Colours and Coat Types — Complete Guide. True non-standard "chocolate" (b/b) is an outcross mutation that eliminates black pigment entirely, leaving a brown/liver nose and pinkish-lavender tongue B-Locus (Brown/Chocolate/Liver) - Animal Genetics Chow Chow Colours and Coat Types — Complete Guide.

Myth 3: "Red Chow Chows with dark muzzle shading have 'black masks' like a Pug or Mastiff."

• Fact: While red Chow puppies are frequently born with dark charcoal shading on their muzzles and ears, this puppy shading typically clears as they mature. Genetic testing shows purebred Chow Chows carry the clear sable (Aʸ) allele rather than the dominant melanistic mask (Eᵐ) gene found in breeds like German Shepherds or Mastiffs Chow Chow Colors | Coats and Colors.

Myth 4: "Two Red Chow Chows can produce a Black puppy."

• Fact: Because dominant black (Kᴮ) is dominant over red/sable (kʸ), a genetically red Chow Chow (kʸ/kʸ) does not carry the dominant black allele (Kᴮ) to pass on Chow Chow Colors | Coats and Colors. Two true red Chow Chows can produce red, cinnamon (if both carry d), or cream (if both carry e), but cannot produce a black or blue puppy. Conversely, two black Chow Chows that both carry recessive kʸ (Kᴮ/kʸ) can produce red puppies alongside black puppies in the same litter.

4. The Genetics Behind Red and Black Coats

Genetically, red and black represent the undiluted (D/-), full-pigment (B/B, E/-) baseline of the Chow Chow breed Chow Chow Colors | Coats and Colors:

• Black (Kᴮ/- at the K-Locus): Dominant black is controlled by the CBD103 (K-locus) gene Chow Chow Colors | Coats and Colors. A dog needs only one copy of the dominant Kᴮ allele (paired with at least one undiluted D allele and one E allele) to express a solid jet-black coat.
• Red (kʸ/kʸ + Aʸ/Aʸ at the K and A Loci): When a Chow Chow inherits two copies of the recessive kʸ/kʸ allele at the K-locus, it allows the Agouti (ASIP) clear sable (Aʸ/Aʸ) gene to express—producing the classic golden-to-mahogany red coat Chow Chow Colors | Coats and Colors.
• Carrying Hidden Standard Colors: Because red (kʸ/kʸ) and black (Kᴮ/-) sit at the top of the dominance hierarchy, red and black Chow Chows frequently serve as vital genetic anchors in preservation breeding programs—carrying recessive dilution (d) or cream (e) while reinforcing strong dark eye rims, jet-black nose leather, and deep blue-black tongues across generations.

Conclusion:

Red and black Chow Chows are the enduring pillars of the breed—carrying forward the exact look, pigment, and heritage that captured the imagination of emperors, explorers, and dog lovers across centuries. Together with blue, cinnamon, and cream, they form the complete, time-tested palette of the purebred Chow Chow—a living legacy preserved today by ethical breeders committed to breed standard integrity and comprehensive OFA/CHIC health testing.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR PROSPECTIVE CHOW BUYERS: Since the very first CHOW STANDARDS were penned in 1906, both the English and American versions have stated only solid colored chows are acceptable, with the most recent Chow Standard stating only 5 distinct colors can be registered. Those being RED, BLACK, BLUE, CINNAMON (or fawn), AND CREAM. 

Over the years the breed has seen short lived "fads" of non conforming colors or "uniques" such as parti colored, piebald, black and tan and brindle striped, and blue merle chows being marketed to the public. These colors most often indicate mixed breed heritage and have never been a part of the Official Chow Chow Breed Standard in any country, at any time, and cannot be given a registration number as one of the unorthodox colors in purebred registries.

 Additionally, the blue merle gene can carry with it a host of health issues including deafness and blindness ……. buyers, please do your research and talk to multiple breeders, your veterinarian, and your local purebred breed clubs about your potential new addition before purchasing. 

Also, be aware that NO COLOR IN THE CHOW BREED IS CONSIDERED ANY MORE VALUABLE THAN THE OTHERS.

Laura P

Owner, Hoku Kennels

Diary Of A Mad Chow Breeder

References

1. Chow Chow Club, Inc. (CCCI). Official Breed Standard & Accepted Coat Colors (Black, Blue, Cinnamon, Cream, Red). chowclub.org
2. ChowTales Archives. 1865–1930 History Timeline: Earliest Chows and Breeders of England and America. chowtales.com
3. Coats and Colors. Chow Chow Coat Color Genetics (A, K, E, B, and D Loci). Canine Coat Color Genetics Database. coatsandcolors.com
4. Karlsson, E. K., Baranowska, I., Wade, C. M., et al. (2007). Efficient mapping of Mendelian traits in dogs through genome-wide association (CBD103 K-locus dominant black). Nature Genetics, 39(11), 1321–1328. nih.gov
5. The Chow Chow Breed Council (UK). Breed Standard Colours & Pigmentation Guidelines.chowchowbreedcouncil.com
6. UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL).Dominant Black (K Locus / CBD103) & Agouti (A Locus / ASIP) Canine Coat Color Genetics. University of California, Davis. ucdavis.edu & ucdavis.edu
7. Yang, H., Wang, G., Wang, M., et al. (2017). The origin of Chow Chows in the light of the East Asian breeds. BMC Genomics, 18, 174. nih.gov
8. Chow Chow Colours and Coat Types — Complete Guide | Chow Chow Africa 
9. B-Locus (Brown/Chocolate/Liver) - Animal Genetics
10. The origin of chow chows in the light of the East Asian breeds. - Abstract - Europe PMC