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Merrymaker
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![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://rightpet.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/20102014_23374340419202DogBreed_01ChowChow.jpg&media=https://rightpet.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/20102014_23374340419202DogBreed_01ChowChow.jpg&description=First of all, I have to admit that I've never actually owned a Chow Chow. However, my best friend did, and I used to spend all day at her house over the course of five years. I would also stay over every weekend, and whenever my parents were out of town. I practically lived over at her house, so I would say I do know a thing or two about this breed.<br><br>When Audrey, my best friend, first got this Chow Chow for her birthday, we were fascinated with how small and adorable it looked with its teddy-bear-like face. But be warned! Before you know it, this breed will start sprouting a lion-like mane, making it look huge in size.<br><br>One thing that struck me was the Chow Chow's blue lips and tongue -- I had never seen any other breed with such colors on their lips and tongues. <br><br>And being two young girls who had no experience with training a dog, this Chow Chow soon became a terror. It soon believed it was the head of the pack, and became extremely stubborn and overprotective. This is a dog which requires firm and strict handling, so if you are the "lax" sort of person, you should consider owning another breed. Legend has it that if properly trained and socialized from young, Chow Chows can become well-behaved and obedient dogs. But that wasn't what I personally experienced (and this was in part also our fault since we didn't know what to do to properly train a Chow Chow. Homeowners, please don't buy a dog just because it looks cute!)<br><br>Another thing which struck me about the Chow Chow was that it shedded heavily. We had to brush the dog frequently because its fur was always getting knotted.){kind=link}
![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://rightpet.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/19102014_2313064719202DogBreed_CaoPoodleMin.jpg&media=https://rightpet.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/19102014_2313064719202DogBreed_CaoPoodleMin.jpg&description=Cookie, my miniature poodle, was given to me by a friend who was leaving the country. Cookie came to me with the full-blown "Small Dog Syndrome", and would obsessively guard her territory without allowing anyone near (she would bite.)<br><br>Over time, Cookie became loving and responsive, but I suspect she never got over the fear of being abandoned. This is a breed that requires constant attention, and because of their high intelligence, you'd do well to not only provide them with a lot of physical exercise, but mental exercises too.<br><br>Cookie was able to pick up new commands, and learned things quickly. However, if you think you'd be able to command this breed easily, you'd need to think twice! This little poodle has a mind of her own. And she's extremely smart. She prefers doing things the way she believes is right, so be sure to spend time training your poodle or suffer the consequences of her disobeying your every command.<br><br>In the three years I've had Cookie, I've seen her transformed from a frightened animal into a loving and sweet little dog. Deep down, all dogs just want to be loved. She never got over her fear of abandonment, and one day, while we were leaving the house, she thought we were abandoning her. She dashed out to chase after us, and from that day on, she went missing. I haven't been able to find her, and pray that she's alright.){kind=link}
![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://rightpet.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/19102014_22371384819202DogBreed_KiyoMiniatur.jpg&media=https://rightpet.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/19102014_22371384819202DogBreed_KiyoMiniatur.jpg&description=Snuffles, my miniature schnauzer, is one of the best friends I've ever had. She's highly intelligent, gentle, loving, playful, agile, and has such a sweet-nature. She tends to be a little stubborn at times -- however, that isn't much of a problem because she's always eager to please. She would do anything just to see me smile.<br><br>She was extremely easy to house train, and with minimal training, she has learned to do the following:<br>- Play dead when I say "Bang!"<br>- Roll over<br>- Obeys commands such as: Go away, no, come, up, sit, down, stop.<br>- Dance on her hind legs<br><br>Snuffles is not an aggressive dog, and she has never displayed irritation or anger toward the 4 kittens and rabbit that I once had. These small animals could be frequently seen crawling all over Snuffles without a fear in the world as she sprawled onto the ground!<br><br>Snuffles is extremely friendly, and the neighbors love her. She makes a good guard dog because she will howl the house down if a stranger comes to the door (i.e. a postman she does not recognize). However, she does not bark incessantly, and she does not pester anyone even when she's bored.<br><br>Now that she's old, she does have some hearing problems. She also had a mast cell tumor removed recently. Miniature schnauzers tend to suffer for mast cell tumors as they age, so be sure to send yours for yearly check ups.){kind=link}