The Japanese Chin (, ), also known as the Japanese Spaniel, is a dog known for its strabismus of the eyes. Being both a lap dog and a companion dog, this toy breed has a distinctive heritage. History While most believe that the source breed for the Japanese Chin originated in China, the route by which the Chin arrived in Japan is a widely debated topic. One story claims that the dogs were given to the Japanese royalty in AD 732 as gifts brought by Kim Jangson (), an envoy from the kingdom of Silla on the Korean peninsula. Others maintain that they were given as gifts to the Empress of Japan as early as the middle of the sixth century or by the seventh century. Still others claim that the Chin first arrived in Japan around the year AD 1000. In 1613, the Japanese Chin was brought to England. In 1853 one was acquired by American naval officer, Matthew Calbraith Perry. Since 1868 they have been lap dogs to ladies of the upper class and today are companion dogs. Appearance Japanese Chin stand about in height at the withers. Weight can vary from a low of to a high of , with an average of being the most common. The American Kennel Club and the Fédération Cynologique Internationale give no weight requirement for the Chin, regardless of the aforementioned desire for lighter dogs. Its distinctive expression is characterized by a large rounded broad head, large wide-set dark eyes, a very short broad muzzle, ear feathering, and evenly patterned facial markings. Coat and color Japanese Chin are very cat-like in both appearance and traits. Most dogs have two types of hair in their coat: an under and over coat. However, the Japanese Chin only has an over coat. An adult coat can take up to two years to completely grow in and can be either black and white, red and white (including all shades of sable, lemon, or orange), or tricolour (black and white with reddish tan points) As of 11 November 2011, the colors not listed in the breed standard are grounds for disqualification in competitions. The dogs have a dot or a line on their forehead, which is believed in Japanese history to be the touch of Buddha. Temperament This breed is considered one of the most cat-like of the dog breeds in attitude: it is alert, intelligent,