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The Japanese Chin is an ancient breed that, as the name suggests, originated in the East, probably China. It is likely that the first specimens to arrive in Japan were presented as gifts by the Emperor of China to the royal court. For centuries these dogs were kept by the nobility and not seen outside the palace walls. They were bred to be as small as possible so that could be carried in the sleeves of the ladies kimonos or kept in cages, rather like birds. Each palace had its own dogs and they were inbred with one another, outcrosses were forbidden so as a result the dog's health suffered. It has also been suggested that Saki was used to help stunt their growth. In Northern Japan a larger type was bred.
In the early days the breed had various names and was also known as the Japanese Spaniel and even the Japanese Pug. Certain breed characteristics where highly prized, the thumbprint on the top of the head, the chrysanthemum tail, falling naturally to either side of the body and the 'vulture feathered' feet which resemble the pens used in Japanese script. It was not unusual for the tongue to hang out of the side of the mouth in the early days, while the first three points mentioned are still highly desirable this trait has all but been bred out and would certainly not appear in the ring today.
Although there may have been some toy spaniels brought to Europe as gifts as early as the 17th century, it was in 1852 that American Commodore Matthew Perry headed an expedition to previously hostile Japan, taking a large amount of gifts for the Emperor. In return, among other things, he was given seven Japanese Chins. Five returned on Commodore Perry's ship, three died on route and two were transferred to a British vessel and later presented to Queen Victoria, although there is no record of their subsequent fate. The other two survivors reached the USA safely.
One of the earliest shows to feature Chins was held at Holborn in 1862 and had a class for Japanese. There were 9 entries and it was won by a Mr C Keller's b/w dog Caro. Around 1879 another dog, Ming Seng, who was reported to have imported with a cargo of tea, won the gold medal for 'Best Foreign Dog' at Crystal Palace, he is described as weighing either 9 or 12 pounds, probably depending on whether you were a friend or a rival!
In the latter part of the 19th century several more imports arrived. Mrs Addis acquired Nenek from Singapore. She was not only a significant winner but also produced some 30 puppies, outliving all but one when she died age 11. Mrs Addis also owned Dai Butzu II who became the first breed Champion and was awarded the Champion of Champions prize in 1895. He was imported from Japan by Mrs Loftus Allen and weighed 4 lbs. Mrs Addis urged breeders not to look solely at size, she had travelled extensively in Japan and had tried to buy dogs of around 8 lbs but very 'long' prices were asked for these larger specimens. She maintained that there was ample evidence of the breed existing in Japan for centuries, with dogs weighing from 3 to 12 lbs. |
