12 Unique Dog Breeds That Come From China

These Chinese dog breeds have some fascinating histories

By
Christina Donnelly
Christina Donnelly
Christina Donnelly is a small animal expert focusing on dogs and writer with over 12 years of experience in animal welfare. She has volunteered for shelters and organizations, including the ASPCA and Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary.
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Updated on 06/07/22
Cream-colored pug laying on grass with tongue out

The Spruce / Kristie Lee

Dogs have been a part of Chinese culture for more than 7,000 years. Dogs have been woven in cultural stories, found in artworks, and skeletal remains from Chinese archaeological digs. They have been used as guardians, hauling, herding, hunting, and regal companions from the time they were domesticated. The breeds span all types and sizes, from fluffy lapdogs like the shih tzu to wrinkly-faced guard dogs like the well-known shar-pei and rarely mentioned Kunming wolfdog.

Tip

All dogs have basic needs, like food, shelter, exercise, and medical care, but do not forget the emotional and social support that our domesticated friends have come to need and expect. Without security, trust, and bonding, they can become feral, more wild canines—not suitable for life in the home.

Breed Characteristics

The breeds span all different body types and sizes and are as unique as the varied regions of China, from the colder mountain zone to the tropical, coastal areas. It is believed that the emperors and nobles greatly appreciated the flat-faced look; hence many—although not all—have shorter snouts and folds in their faces. Flattened faces gave the dogs almost a "lion dog" appearance, an important symbol of protection in Chinese lore. Another unique quality—the shar-pei, chow chow, and Chongqing dogs have blue-black tongues—a rare quality in dogs. Most Chinese dogs are in the toy to the medium-sized range; a few breeds go up to 80 pounds but not more than that.

These 12 unique dog breeds hail from all parts of China.

  • 01 of 12

    Pugs

    Cream-colored pug with tongue out while laying on grass

    The Spruce / Kristie Lee

    Pugs are one of the most popular family dog breeds due to their sweet, friendly demeanor and manageable size. They're also one of the world's oldest breeds. The pug likely originated in China around 400 B.C. as a Tibetan Buddhist monk companion. Hypotheses swirl tying pugs to Tibetan mastiffs while others claim it's related to the Pekingese, another Chinese dog hailing from China. Formerly a mischievous companion of emperors, this comical, loving pup warms hearts everywhere it goes.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Toy (AKC)

    Height: 10 to 13 inches

    Weight: 14 to 18 pounds

    Coat and Color: Short, smooth coats that typically come in fawn or black

    Life Expectancy: 13 to 15 years

  • 02 of 12

    Pekingese

    A Pekingese dog looking into the camera.

    Alan Shapiro / Getty Images

    Also called "Pekes," "lion dogs," or "sun dogs," Pekingese were initially kept as companion pets to Chinese royalty and were ingrained in Chinese folklore. One story says that Pekingese were created when Buddha shrunk a lion down to the size of a small dog. In reality, Pekingese were most likely the result of breeding a larger dog with toy-sized dogs in China. They were a favorite—and much looked-after—pet among Chinese royalty for thousands of years.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Toy (AKC)

    Height: 6 to 9 inches

    Weight: Up to 14 pounds

    Coat and Color: Long, thick double coat with a lion-like mane in gold, sable, or red, gray, black, tan, and cream

    Life Expectancy: 12 to 14 years

  • 03 of 12

    Shih Tzus

    Shih tzu dog lying on a newspaper
    Geri Lavrov / Getty Images

    The shih tzu, a small toy dog with a playful personality, is named for its lion-like appearance. Its name comes from the word "lion" in Chinese. Like the Pekingese and pugs, Shih Tzus were treasured by Chinese nobility for centuries and were considered the noble dog of China. The shih tzu can be traced back to ancient dog breeds but are more closely related to wolves than other dog breeds.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Toy (AKC)

    Height: 8 to 11 inches

    Weight: 9 to 16 pounds

    Coat and Color: Long, double coat that comes in numerous color variations, most commonly in black, white, blue, gold, or liver

    Life Expectancy: 10 to 16 years

  • 04 of 12

    Shar-Peis

    Shar-Pei runs near canal water.

    Paulo Hoeper / Getty Images 

    Known for their distinctive, wrinkled faces, petite ears, and blue-black tongues, shar-peis are a unique and rare breed with roots in ancient China. Shar-peis, meaning "sand skin," were initially bred as hunting and guard dogs 2,000 years ago in southern China. Sadly, during China's communist revolution in the mid-1900s, shar-pei populations were decimated, almost making the breed extinct. Sometime during the 1970s, a Chinese shar-pei enthusiast rallied American breeders to propagate the breed, and numbers rose once again.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Non-sporting (AKC)

    Height: 18 to 20 inches

    Weight: 45 to 60 pounds

    Coat and Color: Short, bristle coat, commonly in black, chocolate, blue, and cream

    Life Expectancy: 8 to 12 years

    Continue to 5 of 12 below.
  • 05 of 12

    Chow Chow

    Black chow chow dog laying on grass with tongue out

    The Spruce / Kristie Lee

    Chow chows are among the most ancient Chinese dog breeds, with evidence dating back to 206 B.C. They were originally employed as hunting and guard dogs. Like the shar-pei, chows have a very distinctive appearance: Their faces are somewhat bear-like with deep facial folds and a blue-black tongue.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Non-sporting (AKC)

    Height: 17 to 20 inches

    Weight: 40 to 70 pounds

    Coat and Color: Coats can be rough or smooth in black, blue, cinnamon, cream, or red

    Life Expectancy: 10 to 12 years

  • 06 of 12

    Chinese Crested

    A Chinese Crested dog outdoors.

    tsik / Getty Images

    Because the Chinese crested has extremely early origins, no one is exactly sure when or how the breed was developed. Some assume that hairless dogs from Africa were brought to China and bred with smaller, toy-sized dogs to give the crested its unique, hairless appearance. Chinese crested dogs were popular for use on Chinese trading vessels to hunt vermin.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Toy (AKC)

    Height: 11 to 13 inches

    Weight: 8 to 12 pounds

    Coat and Color: Soft, silky hair only on the head, feet, and tail, the rest of its body is hairless with grayish-pink skin; a less famous coated "powederpuff" variety has a silky coat with white and gray coloring

    Life Expectancy: 13 to 18 years

  • 07 of 12

    Xiasi

    A Xiasi Quan dog outdoors

    LauraKelsch / Wikimedia Commons / Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

    The Xiasi, pronounced "she-ah-seh" is a lean, muscular hunting dog that originated in the Guizhou region of China, sometime around 1080. Although the breed is typically used for hunting or guarding, it is widely believed in the Guizhou province that owning a Xiasi dog can bring wealth to the family.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Not recognized by the AKC

    Height: 17 to 20 inches

    Weight: 22 to 60 pounds

    Coat and Color: Coat is short, wiry, and white

    Life Expectancy: 12 to 14 years

  • 08 of 12

    Kunming Wolfdog

    A Kunming Wolfdog resting indoors.

    Ryhor Bruyeu / Getty Images

    A wolf-dog hybrid, the Kunming wolfdog, is related to German shepherds introduced to China in the 1950s. It is sometimes called the Chinese German shepherd. Like German shepherds, Kunming wolfdogs are trained as military assistance dogs, fire dogs, and search-and-rescue. Named after the capital city of the Yunnan province, they're also a popular family dog throughout China.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Not recognized by the AKC

    Height: 25 to 27 inches

    Weight: 65 to 85 pounds

    Coat and Color: Long, double coat that comes in black, brown, rust, cream, and other color variations

    Life Expectancy: 12 to 14 years

    Continue to 9 of 12 below.
  • 09 of 12

    Japanese Chin

    A Japanese Chin dog smiling.

    Heather Bensen / Getty Images

    Despite its name, the Japanese chin is believed to have originated in China. Closely related to Tibetan spaniels, they were likely a gift from the Chinese emperor to Japanese royalty. Known for their cat-like, calm, and affectionate behavior, the Japanese chin became extremely popular among Japanese nobility over 1,000 years ago. Later, when Japan began to trade with other countries, the Japanese chin was a traditional gift to naval officers or sold to traders and sailors.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Toy (AKC)

    Height: 8 to 11 inches

    Weight: 4 to 9 pounds

    Coat and Color: Long and silky coats in black and white, lemon and white, sable and white, black, and other color variations

    Life Expectancy: 10 to 14 years

  • 10 of 12

    Formosan Mountain Dog (Taiwan Dogs)

    A Formosan Mountain Dog outdoors.

    Corpse80719 / Getty Images

    Formosan mountain dogs or Taiwan dogs have been genetically traced to 10,000 and 20,000 years ago, making them one of the oldest and most primitive dog breeds in the world. The Formosan mountain dog is a small- to medium-sized dog that hails from south Asian dog stock in the Taiwanese mountains. Although Formosan mountain dogs were considered wild, they're now domesticated as hunting dogs, guard dogs, rescue dogs, and family dogs.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Primitive, hunting dog (FCI), not recognized by the AKC

    Height: 13 to 16 inches

    Weight: 25 to 40 pounds

    Coat and Color: Short and smooth coats in black, fawn, brindle, white, and combinations of these colors

    Life Expectancy: 9 to 13 years

  • 11 of 12

    Chinese Imperial

    Shih Tzu Running On Grass
    Tara Gregg / EyeEm / Getty Images

    Closely related to the shih tzu, the Chinese imperial dog is also known as a teacup or micro shih tzu. It is considered by many to be a separate Chinese breed, although not by the AKC, which calls it a smaller shih tzu. As its name implies, this was another small companion dog kept by dynastic Chinese emperors.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Not recognized by the AKC

    Height: 7 to 8 inches

    Weight: 4 to 7 pounds

    Coat and Color: Luxurious, long dense coat with a fluffy and curly tail in fawn, brown, silver, white, black, pied

    Life Expectancy: 10 to 15 years

  • 12 of 12

    Chinese Chongqing

    Chongqing

    Markus Monroe / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    This breed after the city of Chongqing has a wrinkly face similar to a shar-pei, a signature look for many Chinese breeds. This rare hunting and guardian dog breed is rare in modern China but still exists in some rural areas. It is believed to have first appeared 2,000 years ago during the Han dynasty in southwestern China. It is sometimes called the bamboo ratter due to its unusual tail that looks like a straight, slender, and hairless bamboo stick.

    Breed Overview

    Group: Not recognized by the AKC

    Height: 16 to 19 inches

    Weight: 44 to 54 pounds

    Coat and Color: Short, flat, sparse, and harsh coat in deep brown or mahogany

    Life Expectancy: 10 to 13 years

Breeds to Avoid

If you're in love with Chinese breeds, then dogs that might not interest you as much would be floppy-eared hound-type breeds or giant breeds like Great Danes or Newfoundlands. Most Chinese breeds were lapdogs for royalty, and others served as lion-looking guardians. Fu dog statues are Chinese protection symbols that typically “guard” the entranceways to buildings and homes. Even though they're called "dogs," they depict lions.

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