Beautiful Chows! Awesome dogs... loyal, protective, and gaurdians of the family children. My parents were Akc Chow breeders when I was younger, we had a chow dog that saved me and my sister from a rattlesnake bite. The snake was coiled and ready in the grass, we didnt see it til the dog snatched it in his teeth and shook it, and the snake bit him twice. Once on the muzzle and once right on the end of his nose pad. Took all of about 2 minutes before that dog went down to the ground. We rushed him to the vet, which might have been 10 minutes down the road, and he survived. That was one of the best dogs we ever had.
They really are good dogs! Have had several over the years, these I have now are the most laid back I've ever seen, may be a different story when I'm not around but they mingle with anyone I allow in the house. When I take them to the vet he just turns them loose as if they was office dogs... really strange for chows!
Sounds like you for sure had a good one!!