The Japanese Chin or Japanese Spaniel Dog Breed Facts

The Japanese Chin is renowned for being remarkably cat-like in terms of characteristics. This incredibly intelligent little animal will walk delicately and carefully across a coffee table without knocking over any cups or vases, will sleep on the back of a couch or on a windowsill (any high surface they adore) and will come to sit on your lap almost every time you sit down.

Despite being a small dog, they are not 'yappy' and will generally only bark to alert you that you have a visitor.

If I could have just one breed of small dog, it would be the Japanese Chin. Read on to find out why.

Japanese Chins were famously kept by Japanese royals, although the breed actually originates from China, as companion and lap dogs. They have beautiful, long, silky coats, but despite being a long-haired breed require very little maintenance in terms of grooming. They are also known as Japanese Spaniels, though this is a less common name for the breed. Colour varieties include chestnut and white, black and white and red and white.

As mentioned before, they are very amusing to watch because of their cat-like qualities - they even wash their face by licking their front paws and then wiping their face!

Japanese Spaniels are incredibly sweet-natured and are commonly used as therapy dogs, for their excellent temperament and the fact that they will never get bored of attention. This breed loves people of any size, age or gender and make wonderful family dogs as they are so good with children. As with any dog, early socialisation is an important factor for a well-balanced, happy dog and the Chin is no exception.

Because of their docile nature, extraordinary intelligence and their love of people, they are exceptionally easy to train. They can be taught a few tricks that are specific to this breed - for instance, Japanese Chins can be taught to do a 'dance', known as the 'Chin Spin', where the little dog stands on it's hind legs, touches it's two front paws together and turns in rapid circles. They also 'sing' - the sound varies from dog to dog, but can be a high-pitched 'wooo' or a deeper, lower sound.

If you want a dog for companionship you would be hard pressed to find a more perfect match than this little creature. Chins follow their owners around the house from room to room and give nothing but complete adoration to their families.

Japanese Chins are a teacup breed, varying between 4lbs and 15lbs in weight, with an average of about 7lbs, and usually measure at around 8-11 inches tall.

Their facial appearance is favoured by many for it's 'pug-like' look. It has a broad forehead, large eyes that are set wide apart and large ears. The body is small, delicate and elegant and for this reason families with younger children should always ensure the dog is not involved in rough play (though tug of war or squeaky toys are always appreciated).

Due to the fact that this is a long-haired breed their coats will benefit from daily brushing to prevent matting, but the Japanese Chin's fur is generally straight, smooth and incredibly silky.

Japanese Chins tend to live for 7-10 years.