I am a female chow chow (some people believe chows to be dogs but we and our close friends know that is not quite true) with a red, heavy, rough coat. I'm sort of small for a chow weighing 20.3 kilos or about 45 pounds. But, as you can see from my pictures, I'm very cute! I was born in the spring of 1994, or maybe 1993. I don't know and neither do my friends. You see, like millions of other pets each year, I was abandoned.
When I was about 2 years old my former owners left me outside a vet's clinic south of Ottawa, Canada. I was well-trained by these people and can still 'heel' and 'fetch' and 'stay' and do all that stuff whenever I feel like it. But for some reason my previous owners could not or at least did not keep me. The nice vet woman had a client, Olla, who had a chow chow kennel in the area. Olla agreed to take me in. I know they searched for my former family but could find no information. I had no tattoo or microchip so I was probably the product of a puppy-mill! With no Canadian Kennel Club registration, I could not be used for breeding purposes. In any event (and much to my surprise), there is a rumour that some people do not believe I am a great example of the chow breed!
I lived with Olla and her family for about a year and a half. Unlike the chow chows she was breeding for show and for families who wanted them, I got to live in the house and go out and play when I wanted to. The kids took me for walks and I got plenty of exercise. Oh yes, the family called me Candy and now I no longer remember what my old name was.
One day in the autumn of 1997, instead of sleeping in the house as usual, Olla had me sleep in the back of her van. The next morning we went for a long drive. (To tell the truth, I am a poor passenger - possibly an association with my abandonment.) Well, to move this tale along, we drove to Ottawa and parked in a parking lot and waited in the cool November rain. I was upset because I did not know exactly what was happening and I had been a bit sick in the van - sorry Olla. After a time two guys came by and each made a big fuss of me. They had a new collar which they put on me and to it attached a maroon lead. After chatting a bit with Olla and looking at some papers, the two fellows took me for a walk. Eventually I came to know them as Victor and Richard and figured out that they were my new dads.
We live in a house in Ottawa right across from a park. The guys love me a lot. We go for walks, play and often I get treats! I have been to a new vet; had my shots attended to; been spayed (not much fun but a good idea); and had a PETNET microchip implanted in case I get lost. All this since moving to the "big city". Now the guys are letting me share my life with all of you here on the Web.
Just in case you want to send me greetings, my special day is November 2 - the anniversary of my permanent adoption by Victor and Richard. My dads have again changed my name this time to one reflecting my Chinese origin. It is now Kangting, the name of a city in southwestern China. I'm quite used to the name now and think it suits me very well.
Chow!
For me, life is now good. But that is not true for many dogs. If you are planning to share your life with one of us, think about adoption. Your local SPCA or Animal Shelter has dogs of various sizes, ages and levels of activity. PLEASE! Consider an adult, not just a pup. We, mature canines have lots of love to give and are house-broken as well as past the "chew everything" stage.
Did you know that in Canada and the U.S. some 65 million dogs are destroyed by animal shelters. EVERY YEAR!
Here are some links to places where you can find more information about rescuing one of my friends.
