Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/chow-chow-blue-black-tongue-color/
Each breed of dog is unique in their own way, but some have certain traits that may raise questions in your mind. This is true of the Chow Chow, a dog that has a blue or black tongue. The color of their tongue creates some confusion, because some people may feel that if their dog has some of those colors on its tongue, it must certainly have some Chow in it. That isn’t true, but unfortunately, not much is known as to why they have such a colored tongue.
The Chow Chow is not the only dog to have a pigmented tongue. The Chinese Shar-Pei also has such a tongue and there are many breeds that have spots on their gums and tongues.
On a basic level, the darker colors on the gums and tongues are simply a deposit of pigment that is similar to a freckle or birthmark. The extra pigment is found in certain areas of the dog’s skin, and sometimes it may be on their tongue or gums.
You might also be interested in knowing that the tongue of a Chow Chow is pink when they are first born. At about eight or 10 weeks of age, it starts to turn bluish-black. When Chow Chows get older, they will also sometimes lose the pigment and the tongue will turn pink-colored again.
Some people think they own a Chow Chow, even though it has a pink tongue. Actually, it would be highly unusual for a Chow Chow to have a pink tongue and they probably aren’t purebred. They may be a different breed of the Spitz family of dogs that are similar looking, including the following:
Samoyed
Siberian Husky
Malamute
Akita
Shiba Inu
Pomeranian
Norwegian Elkhound
Keeshound
There are similar physical characteristics in each of these breeds when compared with the Chow Chow, including the curled tail over their back and body structure. Those breeds may also have triangular-shaped upright ears and a dense coat. If the Chow Chow has a pink tongue or if it has pink spots on it, there is probably a mixture of one of the other Spitz dogs included in the breeding process.
Any breed of dog may have a darker tongue, although the color of the tongue may range from black to dark blue. Some breeds of dogs are more likely to have this trait than others. They may also have darker pigment spots on other areas of their body. Here is a short list of some of the breeds that may have these traits, although the full list includes more than 30 breeds:
Airedale
Australian Cattle Dog
Belgium Malinois
Black Russian Terrier
Bouvier de Flandres
Dalmatian
Eurasier
Fila Brasileiro
Gordon Setter
Kai Ken
Korean Jindo
Mountain Cur
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Shiloh Shepherd
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
Thai Ridgeback
Tibetan Mastiff
When all is said and done, the Chow Chow is an ancient breed and has become popular as a family pet. They are proud-looking with loving personalities, although they can be quite protective.
They are also a very unique looking dog, between their bluish-black tongues and their ruffs that make them look like a lion. If you happen to have a Chow Chow, you have a dog that has a long ancestry and may just be a foundation breed for many other dog breeds in existence today.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
