A dog seller holds a Chow Chow dog that is for sale for around 3,000 yuan (US$440) in an alleyway at Beijing's central Bird and Flower market October 1, 2008. A pet dog boom in China's capital has seen exotic-looking breeds such as chow chows, poodles ad labradors become popular, while older, more familiar breeds such as the capital's Pekingese are no longer so sought after. [China Daily/Agencies]