About the Breed
In spite of its name, the Japanese Chin was first bred in China, and is one of the oldest of all toy breeds. It is thought that similar dogs were brought to Japan about AD 520 by Buddhist monks emigrating from China. In terms of appearance, the Japanese Chin has similarities to both the Pekingese and the Pug, and may share a common ancestry with them. They were accorded divine status by one Japanese emperor, and kept exclusively by members of the nobility, it is believed that the first pair of these dogs released from Japan to the West was given to on Commodore Perry in 1853, in return for establishing trade links with Japan. Queen Victoria, who was a keen dog-lover herself, soon acquired the breed, and Japanese Chins were first seen in the United States in 1882.
Although some of the original stock did not settle well after the long journey by sea from Japan, today’s examples of the breed are hardy and long-lived dogs. They have an attractive silky coat, which can only be kept in top condition by careful grooming every day with a bristle brush. The Japanese Chin is either black and white or red and white, with the red in this case being variable and encompassing shades of lemon, orange, brindle and sable. An even distribution of the coloured areas across the body is deemed preferable, with the tail curling down over the back. Puppies tend to have a less profuse coat than adults.
A Toy breed distantly related to Pekingese and Pugs, and almost as ancient as these fellow-Orientals. Lee, in his Modern Dogs, tells us that the ‘Japanese’ was exhibited at the Holborn Horse Repository in 1862, whilst it is known that they were on the bench of the Birmingham Show, 1873; thus the Japanese spaniel was introduced into Britain almost as early as the Pekingese. It has a small but devoted following.
Height 9 in max. (23 cm)
Weight 4-9 lb (1.8-4 kg).
Coat type/colour Coat long, profuse, silky and straight. Colour white with black, or any shade of red. Head broad, short-nosed and well cushioned; the eyes are large and dark but show the white at the inner corner. Legs light and feathered; tail gay, curled and well plumed.

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