About ChowChow.org

How did this all start? What is it that makes chow chows so special? Chow Chows are some of the most wonderful and intelligent breeds but are often misunderstood.

How ChowChow.org Got Started

Well back in the early 1990's I, Terry Majamaki, got a part-time live-in job on a farm/kennel with Prudence Baxter. She was looking for a helper to help care for this kennel full of champion show and rescue Chow Chows, along with the farm that had five burro's, two sheep, a bunch of chickens, and a lonely cow and horse.

So I got to live on the farm, in this cottage, which was perfect for me, being a bachelor at the time. It allowed me to work part-time, take care of the farm and care for the various animals and Chow Chows and live my life. Previous to this I had never really had much experience with Chow Chows before. I was one of those people who quickly took the judgment of the general society that chow chows were mean and dangerous dogs. Little did I know my preconceptions were all wrong about these dogs. I had quickly realized that it's not the dog that gets the bad rep, it's all in how they are brought up. The Chow Chow breed is one of the smartest and most loyal breeds of any dog.

Anyway, a few years had passed when a good friend of mine had introduced me to the Macintosh computer. Photography had always been a hobby of mine at the time and the combination of the Mac and Photoshop had a dramatic effect on my life and my future career. You can read more about that on my own site @ Majamaki.com. Soon after that, the early stages of the Internet had come to development and I, being the geek that I was becoming, was ready to learn all about it.

The first thing I wanted to share with the world on the Internet was my new love for chow chows. That is the start of this site. The site was my training ground for learning how to build a Web site, aka basic HTML back then. That's pretty much it. Since then I've become a professional graphic designer and Web developer. I got the domain name ChowChow.org, which is appropriate since it's a non-profit site. All of the proceeds that the site currently earns are put towards the maintenance, hosting, and bandwidth cost of the site. Since its inception, the site had been through 3 major designs. In 2004, the site almost died after having tons of problems with my host and the community posting script the site was using which has now been replaced by phpBB discussion forum and is leading the site and its growth.

After a few years of being a caretaker/helper on Prudence's farm, I needed to move ahead with my life. While I did not want to leave all the chow chows that I had come to love, I knew they would be in good hands with Prudence. Ever since then I've always had a soft spot for chow chows. I felt that keeping the site alive would be good for the breed, it would spread the news that Chow Chows are not bad dogs and that they can be some of the most intelligent dogs to own, or be owned by (depending on who you ask), as long as they are raised properly and loved. So I maintain the site when I have time away from my work and family.

So to those of you who have pre-judged the breed please realize that any breed can be made into a mean, vicious, and scary dog if they are raised and trained that way. Chow Chows by nature are not mean dogs, they are very smart, intelligent, protective, loyal, and kind dogs, but if mistreated and abused they can become confused and misunderstood. Because of this, please don't be quick to judge the breed unless you know what has happened to each specific chow.

This site is here to help you understand the chow chow breed and what makes them so special and unique. We offer a few articles and tips along with some question and answer topics to help guide you if you are considering to own or already own a Chow Chow. To learn more, jump into our discussion forum to talk about various topics with other fellow Chow Chow owners. This is where you'll find the most helpful information, our growing community of owners can help guide you in all questions and matters that relate to Chow Chows. They are always honest and speak from their heart. They are some of the most compassionate Chow Chow owners I have come to know, I respect and value their input very much.

Chow Chow Adoption

A secondary reason for the site is to help chow chows in need. Prudence always helped chow chows in need that were within her reach. So many of the Chow Chows on the farm were rescue Chows. She would take in or pick up various Chows that were abused or needed homes and care for them. Get them healthy, neutered, and fixed up if needed, and then place them in with good loving people in good homes. Some would never get home and others would, those that didn't would become a part of Prudence’s kennel of chow chows, and they would lead a good healthy semi-happy life. I say semi-happy because how happy can a dog be living a 4' x 20' run and getting cycled around to run in the main yard for 30-60 minutes a day. Maybe this is a great life for some dogs, but I feel that Chow Chows need more attention and love.

To give those Chow Chows in need a chance to find a good loving home, we have a Chow Chows That Need A Home forum, which is there to help find a home for a chow chows in need. If you are considering adopting a Chow Chow then check here first. Many of these dogs will be put down if not adopted. There is also a Wanted Chow Chows forum if you’re considering adopting a Chow or having a Chow that is up for adoption. In addition to this, there are Chow Chow Rescue Groups for those that can offer permanent or temporary Chow Chow rescue.

We live in a world where there are too many unwanted animals. Overflowing rescue groups, animal shelters, and humane societies are trying their best to find homes for unwanted animals. Unfortunately, there are many that never get a chance at a good home. If you are considering getting a pet for you and your family then please consider adoption. Don't buy an animal from the pet shop, instead contact your local humane society, animal shelter or find a specialized rescue group to adopt and give an unwanted animal a good home where it will be taken care of and loved.

History About Northern California Chow Chow Rescue

Northern California Chow Chow Adoption/Rescue was founded and owned by Prudence Baxter about thirty years ago. Located in Sonoma County, California. She has been helping hundreds of Chow Chows in North America find good loving homes. She does this out of her long loving relationship and compassion with her Chow Chows.

Previous to starting Northern California Chow Chow Rescue she had and still does have a kennel by the name of "Tamarin" in which she has shown her own Chows. Over the years there have been plenty of "Champion Chow Chows" from her breeds. Among some of the best Chow Chows in the nation two of her more famous Chow Chows have been in the top 10 in the nation, "Moose", was in the top 10 Chows, five years during the mid-eighties, and "Tali" is one of the top Chow Chows right now (1994, 1995).

She is very well known among other Chow Chow breeders and non-Chow Chow breeders. Many of the "Champion Chows" can be found in popular dog books and show dog books.

As She grew fonder of Chow Chows, she decided to begin rescue for all the unwanted Chows out in the world. Ever since then the Northern California Chow Chow Adoption/Rescue has been working very hard for the last eighteen plus years on helping Chow Chows in need. As we save and help these animals, they are being well taken care of. They are bathed and groomed as needed. They receive a good healthy diet. If needed they get neutered/spayed, as well as getting any shots, before becoming adopted to a new home.

We receive these Chow Chows for numerous reasons. These dogs have been brought to us because they have been abandoned, dumped, people moving, getting divorced, through the local Humane Society, or just not enough money to afford to take care of a dog. The reasons are endless. Thanks to some great qualifications, over the years we have successfully placed hundreds of Chows in fantastic homes where they are loved and cared for very well.

Adoptions Update

Prudence has moved, she now lives closer to Lake Tahoe. I do contact her every few years to see how she's doing. She is getting old and needs help with her current load of Chow Chows. I'm not sure that she can help rescue any more Chow Chows, so please do not contact her or me to rescue Chow Chows. Instead, check the Wanted Chow Chows forum to see if anyone in your area that is willing to adopt a Chow Chow or post on the Chow Chows That Need A Home forum for others to see if they can help.

While I would love to rescue and adopt many Chow Chows, my work schedule keeps me away from home 10-14 hours a day. I cannot even think of leaving a dog alone for that many hours, five days a week. Even though I live in a house and have a yard, I can't do that to any dog. Especially since it gets so hot here in Los Angeles.

Donations for ChowChow.org

ChowChow.org is a non-profit site with expenses from hosting and bandwidth services along with programming development and maintenance costs. If you would like to donate to support ChowChow.org please send donations via the PayPal button below. Any contributions are appreciated.