The Japanese Chin, also known as the Japanese Spaniel is the dog of Japanese Royalty. A lap dog and companion dog, this toy breed is a small spaniel with a distinctive heritage.
Appearance
Japanese Chins stand about 20 to 27 cm (8 to 11 in) in height at the withers and weigh 2 to 7 kg (4 to 15 lb). They have straight, silky, profuse long hair that is most often black and white or red and white, or less often black and white with tan points. They have feathered tails that curl up over their backs. Their faces have an "oriental" appearance, with a short, upturned muzzle and large, wide-set eyes that have white visible in the inner corners, creating an astonished expression.
These dogs commonly have a white spot or blaze in the middle of their foreheads known as Buddha's Thumbprint. This designation can be attributed to the Buddhist Emperor Ming of Han China, who owned many of these dogs.
Temperament
The Japanese Chins breed is considered one of the most cat-like of the dog breeds in attitude: it is alert, intelligent, and often independent, and it uses its paws to wash its face. A companion dog, it is loving and loyal to its owner, but is distrustful of new people. Chins prefer familiar surroundings, and are very uncomfortable in unfamiliar areas and with new situations. They are a quiet breed, with a much deeper bark than the high-pitched yap commonly associated with many of the toy breeds and are naturally clean.