What do the Chow Chow and Chinese Shar-Pei have in common?  The obvious answer that even “lay people” know is that both are ancient breeds of Chinese origin.

But, in our best “As Seen on TV” voice: “But wait, there’s more!” Both the Chow Chow and the Chinese Shar-Pei share a cluster of facial structures that create each breed’s aloof or scowling expression. These features include a broad, relatively short muzzle, deep-set almond-shaped eyes, a heavy brow, and small, thick ears set high on the head.

In Shar-Pei, loose facial skin and pronounced wrinkles exaggerate this effect, while in Chow Chows, a dense ruff and coat around the neck and head frame a similarly dignified expression. Our homework suggests that these structural traits are largely polygenic; Read: they are controlled by multiple genes; BMP3 has been identified as one gene influencing muzzle length and width in dogs in general, while other loci that affect overall skull breadth, eye set, ear carriage, and soft-tissue thickness are less well mapped and can’t be tied to specific named genes in these two breeds with certainty.

In Shar-Peis, a well-documented duplication involving the HAS2 gene leads to excessive hyaluronic acid production and the characteristic thick, wrinkled skin, including on the face, which helps create padded brows and downturned outer eye corners; in Chow Chows, there is no single known “wrinkle gene,” of course, but selection for a broad head, deep-set eyes, tight but well-padded skin, and profuse coat around the head produces a somewhat milder but still “permanent” scowl.

Even though the exact genetic variants and degree of expression differ between the two breeds, their shared anatomical features give both breeds a reserved look that is described in their respective standards, and this leads us to the point of our post. The Chow Chow and Chinese Shar-Pei share one more thing that makes them unique among all AKC recognized breeds. They are the only breeds to mention the word, “snobbish” in their standards.

From the Chow Chow standard: “Expression essentially scowling, dignified, lordly, discerning, sober and snobbish, one of independence.”
From the Chinese Shar-Pei standard: “Temperament: Regal, alert, intelligent, dignified, lordly, scowling, sober and snobbish essentially independent and somewhat standoffish with strangers, but extreme in his devotion to his family.”

The “snobbish” expression required in both the Chow Chow and Chinese Shar-Pei standards wasn’t cosmetic but functional; Both breeds were once used as guard dogs, and the scowling was historically selected and bred for to intimidate bad guys into thinking twice about breaking, entering, intruding, robbing, or harming the dogs’ people. If you were up to no good, would you want to tangle with either of the dogs below?

Historically speaking, both breeds had other duties that included hunting, pulling carts, and, sadly, fighting and sometimes even as a source of food. But over time as they became companion and show dogs, their dignified appearances turned into a hallmark of breed identity, a visual signal of heritage. Both breeds can form deep bonds with their people and be loving companions; owners who understand these breeds respect them for their independence and strong character but still love the snobbiness because it so often contrasts with the dog’s real personality at home –often a combination of regal seriousness on the outside and quiet devotion (or even a streak of goofiness) on the inside.

For all their history as working farm dogs, hunters, and guardians, Chow Chows and Chinese Shar-Pei quietly share our homes and our lives. Their famously “snobbish” expressions hint at a serious past, but the reality for their owners is life with a dog who watches the world with a cool, appraising eye and then chooses, very deliberately, to give his or her heart to a trusted few. That contrast—between the aristocratic scowl on the outside and the fiercely loyal, sometimes silly companion on the inside—is exactly what keeps so many people happily under the spell of these “noble canine snobs.”

Top image: Chow Chow by ADalgePhotography/iStock; Chinese Shar Pei by marcelinopozo/iStock