Sturdy dog breed from northern China (4,4)

I think it could be either:

Which length description are you looking for?:

4,4

chow chow

(Other definitions for chow chow that I've seen before include "Chinese preserve" , "Chinese dog" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.