Chinese Dog Breeds
Dogs in China have had a complicated history, to put it mildly. On the one hand, they have been revered as guardians, and small dogs like the Pekingese were symbols of royalty. Conversely, dogs were initially bred for labor and livestock, and keeping them as pets came with a stigma. Dog ownership was banned in the 1980s, relaxed to allow small breeds about a foot long before finally being allowed as “companion animals” from 2020 onwards.
While its name indicates otherwise, the Chinese Crested dog originated somewhere in Africa, not China. Similarly, the Japanese Chin is believed to have come from China, the actual origins of the dog cannot be concluded decisively.
List of Dog Breeds from China
Chinese Dog Breeds
- Chongqing Dog
- Chow Chow
- Chuandong Hound
- Hebei Xigou
- Kunming Dog
- Laizhou Hong
- Liangshan Dog
- Mongolian Xigou
- Pug
- Shandong Xigou
- Shanxi Xigou
- Shar-Pei
- Tang Dog
- Tugou
Tibetan Dog Breeds
- Lhasa Apso
- Shih Tzu
- Tibetan Kyi Apso
- Tibetan Mastiff
- Tibetan Spaniel
- Tibetan Terrier
Taiwanese Dog Breeds
Chinese Dogs by Size
Large Chinese Dog Breeds: Laizhou Hong, Tibetan Kyi Apso, Kunming Dog, etc.
Medium Chinese Dog Breeds: Taiwan Dog, Chongqing Dog, Chuandong Hound, etc.
Small Chinese Dog Breeds: Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Pug, etc.
FAQs
Several large and medium Chinese breeds have become rarer over time, but the rarest is the Chongqing Dog. There are only about 2000 of them left.
The Shar-Pei has also been called the Chinese Fighting Dog.
Shih Tzus, originally from Tibet, is a common lap dog now found worldwide.
Several Chinese breeds, including the Chongqing and the Xiasi Dog, have been used for hunting.
