Japanese Chin

The FCI standard sums up the Japanese Chin's temperament as "clever, mild and lovely", while the Royal Kennel Club's standard says "gay, happy, gentle and good natured". The Royal Kennel Club's breed page mentions its fastidious cleanliness and how it often wipes its face with its paws. The "astonished" expression in the standard comes from a small amount of white showing in the inner corners of the eyes.

In practice that means a calm dog that's close to its person and likes sitting in a lap. It may struggle when left alone, so teach alone time gradually. See our article on separation anxiety in dogs for details.

The Japanese Chin suits people who want a calm companion, can manage the heat and will take vet checkups seriously. The Royal Kennel Club considers the breed suitable for flats and for homes with a small or medium garden.

See our article on kids and dogs at home.

According to the Royal Kennel Club, the breed's origins lie in China; a dog gifted by the Empress of China to her counterpart in Japan saw the breed introduced and developed in that country. The history in the FCI standard says it is assumed that the ancestors of the Chin were presented as a gift from the rulers of Korea (during the Silla Dynasty, 377–935) to the Japanese court in 732; for the following 100 years a large number of Chins came into Japan, and documents show envoys sent to China and North Korea brought back dogs of this breed directly. The same history says that during the reign of the Shogun Tsunayoshi Tokugawa (1680–1709) the breed was raised as an indoor toy dog in the Castle of Edo, that in 1613 a British captain brought a Chin to England, that in 1853 Commodore Perry brought several to the U.S., two of which were presented to Queen Victoria, and that since 1868 the Chin has been favored as a lapdog by ladies of the upper classes.

A word on names: the Japanese Chin can be confused with the Chinese Crested or with other small East Asian breeds such as the Pekingese. See our Pekingese page for more.

According to the FCI standard, the Japanese Chin has a broad, rounded skull and a deep, indented stop; the nasal bridge is very short and broad. The eyes are large without exaggeration, round and lustrous black, and the ears are long, triangular and hanging. The neck is rather short and held high.

• Height and weight: The FCI gives approximately 25 cm (10 in) for males, with females slightly smaller; the Royal Kennel Club gives an ideal weight of 1.8–3.2 kg (4–7 lb) and says the daintier the better as long as type, quality and soundness are not sacrificed.
• Coat: Silky, straight and long; the whole body except the face is covered with profuse hair, with plentiful feathering on the ears, neck, thighs and tail.
• Color: White with black or red markings; the Royal Kennel Club lists black and white, red and white and sable and white. A wide white blaze is desirable.
• Tail: Set high, curved over the back and profusely feathered.

The Royal Kennel Club rates grooming as "more than once a week" and notes the breed sheds. Long silky hair mats if it isn't brushed regularly.

• Brushing: Catch tangles early in feathered areas such as behind the ears, under the legs, on the backs of the thighs and the tail. See our article on dog coat care for more.
• Facial folds and eyes: Keep the small folds around the nose and the area around the eyes clean and dry; show your vet any redness, discharge or constant watering.
• In hot weather: A flat-faced dog struggles to cool itself through its nose (see the health section below); more in our article on dogs in hot weather.
• Ears: Check once a week; show your vet any odor or redness.
• Teeth and nails: Brush teeth from puppyhood; check nails regularly.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to 30 minutes of exercise a day. For a flat-faced dog that should mean not a long, fast walk but short, easy outings spread over the cooler hours.

• Speed and heat: Avoid fast running and exercise in the hot hours; end the walk if the dog is breathing noisily or stopping to rest.
• Reward-based work: Being clever and gentle, it does well with short, rewarded and consistent training. There's no need for harsh methods.
• Leash: Choose a harness rather than a collar to avoid straining the neck and windpipe: loose-leash training.
• Mental work: Sniffing games and puzzle toys at home tire the mind without taxing the breathing: sniffing games.

The Japanese Chin doesn't need a special food; a complete and balanced small-breed food suited to its age and size is enough. Weight matters especially in flat-faced breeds: the Royal Kennel Club recommends keeping flat-faced dogs lean (limiting treats, regular exercise) to avoid making signs worse.

• If you can feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat, the weight is good; under a long coat weight is invisible, so check by hand.
• Subtract treats from the daily amount.
• Regular weigh-ins show weight changes early.

Be careful with table scraps; check our list of foods dogs should never eat.

The Japanese Chin is one of the "brachycephalic" (flat-faced) breeds, with a short, broad skull. That structure can lead to breathing and eye problems. The following is for information only; ask your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.

Breathing problems (BOAS)

BOAS (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome) means air has trouble passing through the nose and throat because of narrowed nostrils and an elongated soft palate. The Royal Kennel Club describes it as a progressive, lifelong disorder that can impair a dog's ability to exercise, play, eat and sleep. In a UK study published in PLOS One in 2026, 898 dogs of 14 flat-faced breeds were assessed for respiratory function. Only 17.4% of the Japanese Chin (46 dogs) were "Grade 0", meaning free of signs; only the Pekingese did worse (10.9%). The researchers classed the two as "high risk" breeds, comparable to the Pug, French Bulldog and Bulldog, where the problem is well known. In the Japanese Chin only 5.8% of dogs had open nostrils, meaning that nearly all had narrowed nostrils. Across the study, nostril stenosis, a high body condition score and a shorter facial structure were associated with BOAS.

Signs: snoring, wheezing or snorting even at rest, excessive panting, resting often on walks, a blue or grey tinge to the gums. The Royal Kennel Club advises getting veterinary advice right away if a dog shows these signs, and says early intervention may slow progression. The Royal Kennel Club and University of Cambridge's Respiratory Function Grading Scheme (RFGS) offers an assessment by trained vets from 12 months of age, repeated every two years. In August 2026 the club recognized this test as a Best Practice test for the Japanese Chin; it will be formally added to the Health Standard from January 2027. So asking a breeder for the parents' breathing grades is now a reasonable expectation.

Heat and heatstroke

According to the Royal Kennel Club, the nose is the main area where a dog loses heat, and in flat-faced dogs the structures inside the nose restrict airflow, so cooling down is harder and the risk of heatstroke is high even in the UK. If you see excessive panting, a high body temperature, heavy drooling or staggering, move the dog to a cool, shady place, wet it down, offer a small amount of water and call your vet right away. For prevention, see our article on dogs in hot weather.

Eyes

The Royal Kennel Club writes that corneal ulcers are common in flat-faced dogs: shallow eye sockets leave the eyes prominent, the eyelids can't fully close and the cornea dries out, and nasal folds can rub the eye's surface. Because flat-faced dogs' eyes are less sensitive to touch, ulcers may not always give obvious signs. Signs: squinting or keeping an eye closed, excessive blinking, sensitivity to light, rubbing the eye with a paw, discharge, redness, cloudiness. The club says this is always serious and can progress quickly, and that you should seek veterinary advice right away if you notice signs. The BVA/KC/ISDS eye exam is also recommended for the breed.

Teeth

Gum disease is more common in flat-faced breeds: in a 2021 UK study, brachycephalic dogs had 1.25 times the odds of gum disease compared with dogs with a normal skull shape, and risk also rose in small dogs. Brush your dog's teeth from puppyhood and have regular checks.

The Royal Kennel Club lists the lifespan as "over 10 years", somewhat lower than the "over 12 years" the same club gives for most small breeds. We couldn't find a separate life table for the Japanese Chin. In a large UK study (McMillan et al., 2024), the median lifespan of flat-faced purebreds was 12.1 years and of normal-skulled purebreds 12.8 years; for small, long-nosed breeds it was 13.3 years.

Regular vet checks, a healthy weight, protection from the heat and catching breathing and eye signs early are the most concrete ways to help it live longer.

• Consider a shelter too: Small-breed dogs also end up in shelters. Our article on adopting a dog from a shelter covers the first steps.
• If you buy from a breeder: See the parents with the puppies in a home environment. Ask for respiratory function grading (RFGS) results, eye exam results and a pedigree. A dog with a longer nose and more open nostrils helps reduce the risk of breathing problems.
• Hot summers and air conditioning: Think about whether you have an environment that can keep the dog cool in summer.
• Vet costs: You may need exams or surgery for breathing and eye problems later; plan your budget accordingly.
• Legal registration: In Türkiye, owned dogs must be microchipped and registered in the PETVET system. See our article on PETVET registration and microchips.
• First days: Our article a new puppy at home: the first week helps.