Instructions
Make sure your chow puppy comes from a reputable breeder. Unscrupulous people trying to profit off the popularity of the breed may be raising puppies without any regard to their temperament. Seeing the behavior of the puppy's mother and father is one useful way to gauge what the personality of the puppies may be.
Start socialization early. Play with your puppy frequently, allow it to meet other dogs in a safe environment and let other humans hold and pet it gently. Chows, unlike some other dog breeds, tend to be reserved with strangers, so early exposure to other humans and dogs is key to future training success.
Be gentle and consistent. Chows can be stubborn, so it's important to be uniform with training. Excessive or painful punishment can create a timid dog; instead reward your chow puppy with lavish praise when he does something well.
Distract your chow when it does something it is not allowed to instead of yelling or responding with physical punishment. For example, if your puppy is chewing on something dangerous or forbidden, take away the item and give the puppy a chew toy instead. Chows need to see their owners as the leaders in the home.
Start off with the basic commands. Sit, stay, come and heel are essential commands that every dog should learn. Chows can start learning obedience commands at four to six months old. Also, the younger the chow, the shorter the training session should be. Several short sessions of 10 minutes are better for young chows than one long training session.
Enlist outside help. Many organizations and private groups offer puppy training courses. Some of them can be found in large pet stores. The American Kennel Club offers a training program for puppies that provides a foundation for more advanced obedience education. Many states also have chow fan clubs that can offer breed-specific advice.
How to Dog Train a Chow
With their lush fur, lion-shaped heads and characteristic blue tongues, chows (also called chow chows) are a distinctive breed. Though today they are popular companion animals, their pedigree stretches back over 2,000 years to ancient China where they were hunting, herding and guard dogs. Chows are strong-willed animals that need kind but firm owners who will train them to be on their best behavior.