Chows

I was wondering if there are parts in this country where purebred chows are still popular, so voice your observations. I like chows, but they haven't been common here since I was a child. My mom distrusts them worse than pittbulls. Anyway, I always see on shows like animal cops they automatically say dogs are chow mixes when they look like they could just as well be husky, golden retriever, border collie, or shepherd mixes. I think if you don't know the breed you shouldn't even bother giving it a bad rep by listing it for adoption as a chow mix. I wonder if they even have a lot of purebred unaltered chows in those areas to warrant a guess that a mixed dog is part chow. Chows are down on the registration stats, way after collies and goldens and shepherds and huskies. I just don't see it. I even looked up chows by breed on petfinder to see where they are still thriving and I think 90% of the dogs listed as chow mixes don't look a thing like a chow to me.