SELECTING A JAPANESE CHIN PUPPY by Dale Martenson
T he first step to breeding and rec- ognizing the desired quality of Chin is to be familiar with the breed standard. With the first two descriptive words being “A small” and the multiple references to fine boned it is clear the desired traits are with the smaller dog. Our desired size in addition to the eight to 11 inches would be five to sev- en pounds as an adult, roughly trans- lated that puts a seven pound adult at
no more than two and a half pounds at 12 weeks. The 12 week size can be doubled with one additional pound for a fine boned dog and two to three pounds for a heavier boned puppy. Well balanced is the key, check the size of the head to the circumference of the ribcage as they should be close to the same. Many of times I have heard “This one had the biggest head.” That could be a statement of quality, if only it were on
a small specimen. A 10+ pound Chin with a big head is nothing more than a big dog, there is no stylish, aristo- cratic movement or presence. When looking at aChinpuppyor adult standing or moving, there should be the appearance of a one piece dog that demonstrates the lively movement in a square package. Next is the expression, the hallmark of the breed and those dark lustrous eyes that set the Chin apart from all
50 • T op N otch T oys , M arch 2020
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