Japanese Chin

　　The Japanese Chin has a long history and is a descendant of Chinese dogs. It has an elegant posture, with a light and elastic gait. The character is tenacious, lively, alert, and sometimes mischievous. Popular worldwide as an ornamental and companion dog.
　　1. Appearance
　　The expression is lively, curious, alert, and intelligent. A large and wide head, widely spaced large eyes, short and wide muzzle, ears with feathering and facial markings form the unique Eastern expression of the Japanese Chin. The eyes are widely spaced, large, round, dark, and glossy. A small amount of white is visible at the inner eye corner, unique to this breed, making them look surprised. The ears are drooping, small, V-shaped, widely spaced, positioned relatively low on the head. When alert, ears turn forward and downward. The ears are long with feathering, creating a rounded outline with the head. The skull is large, wide, slightly rounded between the ears but not dome-shaped. The forehead is prominent, level with the nose leather. The width is roughly equal to the distance between the eyes. From the side, the forehead and muzzle are in the same vertical plane, forming a right angle with the horizontal plane of the headtop. The stop is deep. The muzzle is short and wide, with wrinkled cheeks and lips just covering the teeth. The nose is very short and wide, with open nostrils. The nose tip is level with the eyes and centered, slightly upturned. The lower jaw is wide with a slight undershot bite. The neck is of moderate length and thickness, placed properly on the shoulders so the dog can proudly hold its head high while walking. The topline is level. The body is square-shaped, with a rounded ribcage creating a moderately broad chest. The chest is moderately deep, level with the elbows. The tail root is high, curled over the back, resting on one side of the body.　The front legs are straight with fine bones, elbows close to the body. Dewclaws may be removed. The feet are rabbit-shaped, with feathering at adult dog’s toes. Toes are straight or slightly turned out. The rear legs, viewed from behind, are straight with fine bones. The stifle joint is moderately bent. Feet also rabbit-shaped with feathered toes. Toes straight.
　　The coat is thick, straight, single-layered, and silky soft. The texture is springy and stands off the body, especially forming a thick mane or collar around the neck, shoulders, and chest. The tail has a thick feathered coat. The rear is covered with thick fur. The head and muzzle are covered with short hair except the ears, which have dense feathering. The front legs have short hair but with much long feathering on the back. Coat colors are three: black and white, red and white, and black and white with tan markings.
　　2. Temperament
　　Affectionate with familiar and liked people but reserved with strangers or new situations. Though small in size, it is sturdy and enjoys walks, outings, and hiking with its owner. It is sensitive; when affection is refused, it often appears sentimental. It behaves properly, elegant and dignified, with a noble bearing, humor, and loves to show off, also an excellent show dog. The Japanese Chin’s status in the dog world is prominent due to the favor of royalty and shoguns.
　　3. Daily Care
　　As a long-haired breed, grooming the Japanese Chin requires effort. It’s best to spend an hour daily brushing and combing its coat to prevent tangles and promote coat growth, enhancing its beauty. Minimal activity space is needed; apartments with or without yards are fine. Indoors, it is very energetic and requires over an hour and a half of exercise daily. Many Japanese Chins may suffer from excessive eyelid length causing wrinkles that affect eye health, sometimes requiring corrective surgery.
　　Besides daily brushing, boric acid solution should be used to wash the eyes regularly to maintain cleanliness; ears should also be frequently cleaned to prevent dirt buildup. The short muzzle and nasal passages mean heatstroke prevention is important during hot summer months.
　　The Japanese Chin is intelligent, curious, lively, spirited, full of emotion, and loyal to its owner. It is very enjoyable when raised as a family dog.