Japanese Chin Did You Know?

• In Japan, there are Inu and there are Chin: Inu are more common, working dogs, and Chin are royalty, descendents of the lapdogs of Chinese aristocracy.
  
  
• Depictions of a breed resembling the Japanese Chin appear on ancient Chinese temples, pottery, and embroideries.
  
  
• It is reported that the Chin breed originated centuries ago in China, eventually moving to Japan as part of a royal gift.
  
  
• Commodore Perry gave a Chin pair to Queen Victoria in 1853 after opening Japan's trade to the world.
  
  
• Known as the Japanese Spaniel until 1977, at which point its name was officially changed to Japanese Chin.
  
  
• Although specimens of the Chin breed traveled to America early on, the dogs were not long-lived; WWI cut off the supply to America to such an extent that we had to use what we had to maintain and improve the breed.