Loyal
Deep bond with the whole family. He wants to be wherever his people are.
Molosser breed · Shandong, China
The red dog
of Laizhou
Black coat, tan markings, pricked ears: the Laizhou Hong is a calm and loyal guardian, still rare outside China. History, standard, temperament, detailed health and breeders, all sourced.
Fact sheet
The breed in six figures
- 64–79 cm Height at the withers for males (CKU standard), females 65–70 cm
- 40–60 kg Weight of males, females 35–50 kg
- 10–14 years Life expectancy, longer than that of the founding breeds
- 2017 First official standard, published by the China Kennel Union (CKU)
- Laizhou Zhuqiao town, Shandong province
- No FCI pedigree Not recognised by the FCI, the Kennel Club or the AKC: no FCI-affiliated pedigree is possible. Recognised by the CKU only. Legal status
CKU standard · the coat
Where is the red?
“Hong” (红) means red. The base coat is black. The deep, clearly defined red tan appears in precise places. Tap an area for details.
Two tan spots above the eyes, clearly separated.
Tan cheeks and sides of the muzzle, but the nose always stays black (a red nose is rejected).
Tan markings on the throat and chest. White markings are a fault.
Tan on the legs, black nails.
Tan marking under the base of the tail.
Blackbase coat
Red tanmarkings
Amber → browneyes
History
From a German lease to the World Dog Show
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1898
The German lease of Jiaozhou
Germany obtains a 99-year lease on Jiaozhou Bay and Qingdao. According to the CKU standard, German Shepherds, Rottweilers and Great Danes then arrive in Shandong and cross with local dogs, including the Shandong sighthound. No document from the period confirms this.
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1970s
The breed is fixed in Zhuqiao
The black and tan type is fixed around Laizhou. The founding story tells of a large black dog of 65 kg, “Da Lao Hei”, from which all Laizhou Hongs are said to descend.
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1980–1990
Golden age and “Soviet Red”
Peak popularity in China: guarding, prestige. Dealers rename the breed “Soviet Red” (苏联红) to pass it off as a foreign breed and sell it for more.
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1990–2000
Decline
The fashion for German Shepherds, then for Western breeds, costs the breed its market. Uncontrolled crossbreeding puts purebred dogs at risk.
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2017
The breed joins the CKU
The China Kennel Union (CKU) registers and shows the breed (Shanghai in October, Weifang in December). Its undated standard is online by June 2018 at the latest. First imports into the United Kingdom, according to British breeders.
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2019
World Dog Show in Shanghai
Shown in group 11 (non-FCI breeds), with four other native Chinese breeds not recognised by the FCI.
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2019–2026
City bans in China
From April 2019, at least eleven Chinese cities, mostly in Hebei and Shandong, class the breed among “fierce” dogs banned in urban areas. No known national law targets it.
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2024–2026
First working titles
According to the Alysium kennel, the female Rieka becomes the first Laizhou Hong to earn the IGP1, then the IGP2 title (titles not verified in an official database).
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2026
Brazil and France
The CBKC (Brazil) admits the breed to its group 11 (6 February 2026). A few breeders in France.
Temperament
Calm indoors, alert outdoors
Guardian
He warns and steps in, but does not look for conflict. Aggression is a disqualifying fault in the standard.
Intelligent
Learns fast with a consistent owner. Gifted for obedience and IGP.
Not for beginners
40 to 60 kg of guardian: early socialisation is essential, with 1 to 1.5 hours of activity a day.
- Affectionate with family
- Guarding instinct
- Reserved with strangers
- Energy
- Need for mental stimulation
- Ease of training
Health · our reference section
Robust, but worth watching
No study exists on the breed itself: we start from the founding breeds (German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Great Dane) and from results published by breeders who test. Four issues stand out: hips, elbows, degenerative myelopathy and gastric torsion (bloat).
Bare minimum
Official hip (A/B) and elbow (ED0) X-rays of both parents, and a SOD1 DNA test with at least one clear parent.
Key prevention
Slow growth, 2 to 3 meals a day, preventive gastropexy to discuss, no spaying or neutering before 12 to 18 months.
Small gene pool
Inbreeding of 13% measured outside China: ask for documents, not promises.
Adopting
Breeders in France
In France, a Laizhou Hong puppy cannot be registered with the French stud book: ask for the parents’ health tests (hips, elbows, DM/SOD1) and CKU registration. The transparency level shows what we could verify online, not the quality of the kennel.
France · Île-de-France · Essonne (91)
Red Dog France Club
Family kennel specialising solely in this breed, presenting itself as the pioneer of the Laizhou Hong in France. Emphasis on socialisation, veterinary follow-up and support for ad…
View profileFrequently asked questions
FAQ
Is the Laizhou Hong a recognised breed?
Yes, by the China Kennel Union (CKU), which has registered and shown it since 2017 (its standard has been online since 2018 at the latest), and by the Brazilian CBKC since February 2026 (group 11). It is not recognised by the FCI, the Kennel Club (UK), the French Kennel Club or the AKC, so puppies outside China are sold without an FCI-affiliated pedigree.
Is it a Rottweiler / German Shepherd cross?
Its founders include local Shandong dogs and German breeds (Great Dane, German Shepherd, Rottweiler), but it has been a fixed breed since the 1970s. Beware of cheap “Chinese Red Dog” adverts that are actually crossbreeds.
Can it live in a flat?
It is possible with 1 to 1.5 hours of daily activity and mental stimulation, but a house with a fenced garden suits it much better.
Which health tests should I ask the breeder for?
Official hip and elbow X-rays of both parents, a DNA test for degenerative myelopathy (SOD1), and ideally a full DNA panel. The gene pool outside China is small, so testing is essential.