Laizhou Hong - TOP 10 Interesting Facts - Chinese Red Dog

1) Origin
The history and origin of Chinese Red dogs can be traced to the end of 19th and beginning of 20th century, when Germans, who colonised Shandong province in China were in need of guard dogs. Because of that, they brought their own dogs with them, which included German Shepherds, Rottweilers and Great Danes. These three breeds were crossed with native Shandong breeds, most importantly with a Shandong sighthound known as Xian Hound, which led to establishment of Chinese Red Dog.
2) Utilization
If these dogs are working, than their main utilization is protection. They are naturally cautious, protective and alert, they have great senses which will alert them on incoming danger, they are loyal and faithful to its family and they have powerful body, big strength, courage and they are very brave, all very important traits for a good guard dog. The protective instinct can be vastly influenced by early socialization and training, but the dog should always be alert and cautious around strangers. If they are professionally trained for guarding, than they are absolutely outstanding at this purpose.
3) Training
As you can probably guess, this is not a dog breed for everyone and novices and unexperienced owners should rather look for another breed. It is not because these dogs would not be smart or trainable, quite the opposite, but if you fail the training and socialization with dog this powerful and this protective, you will have a lot of troubles. But with the right owner, with firm, bud kind, patient and most importantly consistent trainer, these dogs are capable of learning all the commands quickly and easily. The Chinese Red Dog is known for its great intelligence and trainability and they can truly learn a lot of tricks and commands very fast.
4) Companion
Of course, this is not only a protector and guard, but also a very good companion dog. The Chinese Red Dog is known for its friendlines and loyalty towards the whole family. They would defend its family with its own life if needed. They can also live with other dogs or pets in the family, especially if raised together from the puppyhood. The Laizhou Hong is also playful partner for kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised.
5) Coat
One of the first things you will notice about this breed is its beautiful coat and especially the coloration. The word Hong in their official name literally means red and the rich red markings are typical for the breed. These dogs must be black with well defined red markings on the cheek, muzzle, throat, chest and legs. The coat is short, but quite dense.
6) Size
This is a very athletic, healthy looking, muscular and quite big dog breed with average height between 64-79 cm, which is 25-31 inches and weight is usually somewhere around 80 pounds, which is 37 kg. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.
7) Tongue
Interesting fact is, that very often, these dogs have dark spots on the tongue. They can also have very dark gums. Not all dogs have these dark spots, but it is not uncommon for the breed and it is something they have in common with many other dog breeds from China. The Chinese Red dog also have broad and black nose, tight lips and very strong jaws, almond shaped eyes in color ranging from light amber to dark brown and ears that are pricked and set high on the head.
8) Exercise
As you can probably expect, the Chinese Red Dog is an athlete with great stamina, big energy level and relatively high exercise needs. They definitely need daily longer walks or jogs accompanied with some vigorous or task oriented playtime and they will always enjoy fun training sessions. It is important to properly exercise your dog, so they are relaxed and calm indoors. Without enough exercise, the Chinese Red Dog can develop some unwanted behaviour such as excessive barking or destruction.
9) Maintenance
The grooming and overall maintenance of this breed is quite simple. Their coat will look good even without any grooming. Of course, regular brushing is beneficial as it will remove dead hair, minimize the shedding, remove any dirt from the coat and keep the coat in best possible condition. But no other grooming needs are necessary. Just like with any other breed, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
10) Health
There is not enough scientific studies about the breeds health, but it should rather be healthy dog breed with good lifespan around 13 or 14 years. Of course, just like any other breed, they may suffer from some health issues, which may include hip dysplasia, ear infections, bloating or some dental issues.