How to Adopt a Chow Chow in Virginia

The chow chow is a one-of-a-kind dog that appears soft on the outside but has one of the fiercest personalities. These guard dogs are versatile canines that can be an ideal companion for Virginia owners planning to get a dog that’s affectionate and playful around family members but vigilant when strangers are present.

Naturally, the chow chow is a dog to adopt only for experienced owners who can handle a dog like this. If you want to learn more about why this is the case, we highly recommend checking out our chow chow breed guide. It will help you decide whether you should continue reading this chow chow adoption guide for Virginia or look for another breed.

Once you have an answer and are confident that the chow chow can be an ideal dog for you, read on below to get your guide. We will cover everything you need to know about adopting a chow chow in Virginia by going over the entire process from start to finish and training your newly adopted chow chow.

Chow Chow Adoption in Virginia

Looking up how to adopt a chow chow in Virginia is the first step to finding your new pal, but it’s also the easiest. The chow chow isn’t particularly a popular dog in Virginia, which makes it difficult to find one for adoption. Just like many other purebred dogs, shelters typically have limited availability. With the lack of a breed-specific chow chow rescue in Virginia, locating one of these dogs for adoption is a challenging task for prospective owners looking to adopt and not buy.

Fortunately for those interested, Dog Academy’s adoption listing brings up-and-coming chow chow owners and their future dogs closer. Our adoption listing is one of the largest in the nation, allowing those interested in adopting a chow chow in Virginia to locate a dog to adopt in their area.

Whether you’re in a big city like Virginia Beach or Norfolk or the remote regions of Virginia, you will find a chow chow to adopt within a reasonable distance away. Start checking out the adoptable chow chows in your area and begin the adoption process.

However, note that the adoption process for a chow chow tends to be quite extensive. Shelters, rescues, and foster homes will want to make sure you have adequate experience and space to care for a chow chow. Because of this, be prepared to fill out a detailed adoption application form and go through a house visit.

All these can take up to a week, depending on how fast your application is processed, so adopting a chow chow also takes more time than it does for other dog breeds. As soon as you get the approval, however, everything will move pretty quickly. You will be invited to sign the adoption paperwork, pay the fee, and take your newly adopted chow chow to your Virginia home.

How Much Does It Cost to Adopt a Chow Chow in Virginia? Adopting a chow chow isn’t costly; expect to pay an average adoption fee, which should be anywhere between $200 and $350. If somehow you come across a chow chow puppy to adopt, it is safe to say you will pay around $500.

How Should I Train a Chow Chow? Training a chow chow is difficult if you don’t know where and how to start. These dogs are independent thinkers, which was a trait that served them well when they needed to guard village homes on their own. It is now a trait that gets in the way of a well-trained dog, which is critical with dogs like the chow chow, as they have dominant and protective personalities. The best training approach to take with chow chows is anything reward-based. Since they have a hard time focusing on the owner when it comes to training, using high-value rewards works the best to encourage them to do what they’re told. If you’re going to have a dog like the chow chow for the first time, browse our online courses to find training materials on basic obedience, trick training, crate training, addressing behavioral issues, and much more. Dog Training with Dog Academy

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Find the Right Chow Chow in Virginia for You

The chow chow is a dog that’s only for experienced owners in Virginia – there’s no doubt about that. However, even if you’re the most experienced, it doesn’t mean that every chow chow is for you.

When searching for a chow chow to adopt, consider every aspect, such as your family, work hours, other pets, living arrangements, and the individual temperament of the dog, to better understand if the chow chow you’re planning to adopt will be the right dog.

If you’re thorough with this part of the process and meet the dogs you could adopt in person, there’s no doubt that you will adopt and bring the best possible chow chow to your Virginia home.