About Shar Pei breed

The Shar Pei is an unusual Chinese breed of dog that is distinctive due to its deeply wrinkled body and dark blue tongue that can appear almost black. When born, the skin of the dog appears almost too large for its body, but as the dog grows, their wrinkles spread out to make for a loose, but more appropriate fit!

Previously one of the rarest breeds of dog in the world, the Shar Pei is becoming ever more popular internationally . Their distinctive appearance and strong sense of loyalty to their families has led to them becoming popular with owners of all types, but the Shar Pei can be a challenging dog to own, and is prone to some hereditary health problems too. 

The Chinese Shar Pei originates from China and was bred originally for hunting small game, herding and dog fighting. It's origins can be dated back to the 200 B.C. The Chinese Shar Pei is also known by the other names of the Chinese Fighting Dog. This dog is classified as one of the Non-Sporting Dog Group. The Chinese Shar Pei was first Registered by the AKC (American Kennel Club) in 1991.

There are two varieties in Shar-Pei: a Traditional type with fewer wrinkles, roof-tile muzzle, pointed tail, short hair (sandpaper coat), and a modified Western type with heavier muzzle (hippopotamus look) with meat padding on top and longer hair (brush coat) with loose skin. 

Here's a witty comparison :-)

And here's more adequate:

The coat of the Shar Pei can be seen in three different variants:

Horse coat, which is prickly and rough, feeling harsh if stroked in one direction, but smooth in the other.

Brush coat, which is rather smoother to the touch, and slightly longer than the horse coat.

Bear coat, which is not a permitted permutation with every Kennel Club, and which was introduced to the breed due to the addition of other breed lines. The bear coat is defined by being longer than one inch at the withers, and is otherwise similar to the brush coat.

While the coat of the Shar Pei itself is short and straight, and so relatively low maintenance, the wrinkled skin of the breed does require some attention to keep it clean and healthy. Due to the fact that the skin is loose and falls in folds, it can easily trap dirt, debris and moisture, as well as harbouring bacteria.

Shar Pei body and look

SHAR-PEI TYPES AND THEIR DIFFERENCES
HOW TO DISTINGUISH THE TRUE TRADITIONAL SHAR-PEI

The truth is that there is a lot of confusion regarding the number of shar-pei types. Very few know the differences and even fewer care to separate them in groups, in order not to participate and compete all these different types with the same criterion, into one single ring. It is simply unfair and silly, wile other breeds are showed in different rings only because of their different length of coat or texture.

And while the traditional shar-pei or Chinese has one single version, (that means one type and a specific morphology and anatomy), the western shar-pei (or American), has many more and it makes sense, since it is a new creation of the canine world (only 50 years, wile the traditional as a dog, has a history of 2000 years), that constantly mutates to satisfy the market.

So there are two basic types, the Chinese and the American with the latter divided into subcategories depending on the type of coat and the morphology of the mouth:

1)meat mouth brush coat

2)bone mouth brush coat

  

3)meat mouth horse coat

4)bone mouth horse coat

5)bear coat and any type of mouth (meat mouth or bone mouth), but is not recognized and accepted in the show rings

6)flowered with any type of mouth (meat mouth or bone mouth).A very pleasing color which is gaining fans, but is not acceptable in shows

7) classic type (meaty bone mouth). Is something between the bony and fleshy mouth. This type has  its DNA from both Chinese and American shar-pei and is a dog without exaggeration. The muzzle has not much pudding and cheeks, but is not completely bony. It can be horse coat or brush coat.

The problem of the most people that want to own a traditional shar-pei, is how they will manage to get a pure breed Chinese type, without becoming victims of some opportunists who will sell them a mixed dog as a traditional only because it has no puddings in its muzzle. So there are some very basic differences between Chinese shar-pei (traditional) and all other types of Western or American shar-pei and also in a mixed shar-pei.

The most striking difference as always refers to all articles, is the muzzle. The Chinese shar-pei (traditional), always has a ''dry'' muzzle (bone mouth), and has no pudding over its nose and should not be with fleshy cheeks. We do not want anything between the jaws and teeth of the dog, that will prevent a good bite or make it less effective and powerful, because this type is a pure working breed for hunting purposes.

The muzzle is always thinner than the width of the skull, looking from above and slightly wedge. The length of the skull is almost equal to the length of the muzzle, which should not be snippy but squared and straight to the line of the skull. When its mouth opens, the dog gives the impression that smiles, opening wide in a typical Chinese called ‘’toad mouth’’.

The nostrils are large and open and gives the animal the necessary dose of oxygen that is needed, while the mouth is closed for stopping and killing the game. The eyes are large, almond and as dark as possible. Never should be placed too deep in the skull (and that’s how they avoid entropion and eyes are always healthy). Few tight folds are only on the forehead and elsewhere on the head or body of the dog. The ears can be upstanding or not, small or a little bigger.

The American or Western type of meat mouth shar-pei that is most desirable for shows and breeding, has a squared head (skull-muzzle). The width of the head is almost the same as the width of the nose, looking from above. It always has padding over its nose and thick, fleshy cheeks and mouth. This is its hallmark as ‘’hippopotamus’’ head, which gives sweetness and attractiveness in this type and make it a perfect ‘’show’’ and impressive ‘’pet’’dog. The nostrils unfortunately are too small and difficult in most cases for the dog to breath wile is playing, sleeping or has his mouth closed for a reason especially in a warm day. The eyes are placed too deep in the skull and almond in shape. Has a lot of fold skin in the head, around mouth and throat. Sometimes it has fold skin in all around its body (although this tends to be undesirable in recent years in the show rings). The ears are always down and as small as possible. 

Comparing now the body and the construction of two types, we see the following differences. The Chinese shar-pei (traditional) is always taller and skinner compared to the American and the highest the best (some reaching the 55.88 cm- Wither height). The body is athletic, with ''light'' body structure, never seems ''heavy.'' The legs are straight, strong and long. Very important, is the shape of the feet, in the traditional type, which should be flattened with obvious long fingers, which the dog uses for climbing, digging, and even to catch something. The coat is strictly short (1 cm or less) and is unusually hard to the touch, so that causes irritation to human skin. The colors of the Chinese Shar-pei is brown, cream and rusty black (not pure black as labrador). There are no bleu, lilac, chocolate, flowered or sable Chinese Shar-pei. And last characteristic of this type is the bolt ‘’sharp’’tail. The tail begins thick rounded and tapered to a fine point (while in the American type, is just a little bit thinner in the edge)
 

 The American type of shar-pei (or western type), tends to become increasingly short and small in size, and preferred that way, with a height reaching with difficulty the 51 cm. In fact they have created a miniature and mini shar-pei also, that barely touches the 35-40cm. In general opinion, it is compact, heavy structure dog ,with short legs and  tight ‘’cat’’ feet. The coat has several varieties, horse coat, brush coat (up to 2,5 cm) and bear coat (like chow-chow). The texture of the coat is hard but not enough to compete this of a traditional. It has a lot of color varieties, from black, fawn, red, cream, chocolate, blue, blue black, lilac, even flowered(not show quality). The tail is thick and short, tapering slightly, but with no bolt edge.

 The classic type or meaty bone mouth as they call it, can have any of these features from the one or the other type and some times from both of them together, but always with the characteristic meaty bone mouth that we mentioned above.

 All these different types of shar-pei, are all suitable for family, apartment in the city, or countryside. Choose the type that attract you more in appearance, but if you are athletic and energetic guy, prefer the Chinese, if you are calm and languid, is better to choose the American one.

 Both types have great versatility and if you really know about dogs, you can easily make them follow your lifestyle, since dogs are imitating animals, which means that learn and keen to make the lifestyle that you follow in your life!

Shar Pei Usage

The Chinese shar-pei was and still is a multi purposes dog, with many uses from its people. It was the dog that amused them with the dog-fights, and the one that gave them some extra profit from it. And it certainly was the one that helped them in the hunting and kill the pray in order to feed its humane family. It was also the same dog that could protect their stock animals, could kill the ruts from the fields in order to protect the crop and guard the houses and its family. In difficult seasons it was also a good food supply and its skin was for clothing.

 The dog fights buck then to China, were a very popular sport for the lower class, and an easy way to get some extra cash from it, and be respectful to the others for a wile, until next fight. Shar-peis are not born killers , but can be easily get use to it and become an obsession for them. Generally they are very territorial and dominant and they don’t like to question them in this or loosing a battle.

 All of their body structure , help hem in the battles in the ring and in the hunt too. Starting from their morphology, they have a unique in the canine world coat. It is very very short and extremely harsh in texture, so much that some times can be painful for as or make as an allergy. The same was happening in the fights, when the opponent dog was trying to grab the shar-pei .It was like having needles in their mouth, very unpleasant, so most of the times the opponent had to leave it and search for another area in their body, and then the shar-pei could have more time to finish its fight.
 

  The next advantage of the breed in the fights was its elastic skin that can be moved separately from its body. That doesn’t mean that must have a lot of fold skin . the wrinkles must be only in face and some in the neck. But its so elastic that when the opponent grab it , the shar-pei could tern not only its head, but all its body if it wanted to and bite buck. This is something that many vets from all around the world have found out with a unpleasant way..

 One more plus for the breed is the really small ears and the short tail, that can’t be couched from the opponent easily . the tail is also powerful and set high because of the morphology of the shar-pei. This can be a clean sight that the dog is fearless and ready to fight (in the canine world this means a very dominant dog, dangerous and sure for it shelf ready to fight).

 The eyes are clean and with a high level of vision, deep set inside the head but not too much and with that way are protected from bites I hear many breeders and owners to say that shar-pei hasn’t a good vision and view (because of its fold skin to the head and too deep set eyes) and you must be careful when you approach it from beside ,in order not to scare it . this is a clear , ironic prove that we have guide the breed to a wrong direction, and how different is the shar-pei of today from the traditional, but is also a wrong criteria  to buy and breed that type of dogs (with eye problems).

 One more sight of its powerfulness is its strong jaws with the more rounded canine teeth that many researches say that are more similar to these of a hyena than a wolf . The teeth have a perfect scissor bite that ’’lock’’ the pray or enemy inside.

And at last they have agile and speed to help them in the fight. The shar-pei has the ideal temperament also for this. It’s a dynamic dog with courage that don’t give up easily. The high dominance of the breed , has a little settle down from the breeding today in order to fit this dog to the city and its habits. And wile is still a very loving dog with its family and can get along with other dogs and people, we must be very careful with its socialization from the puppy age ,in order not to have problems in the future. And we also have to keep in mind never to leave our adult male shar-pei with another male shar-pei, or other dominant breed , because this will certainty goes to a super dog fight.

 But none of these virtues couldn’t help the shar-pei with the new bigger breeds that came in the sport later. Because the shar-pei may have a big reputation for their technique in fight , but they don’t have a lot of endurance when they have to do with more powerful and bigger breeds. And so, this was the end for the shar-pei to the  dog-fights.

 And wile the fights were just an entertainment, hunting was a survivor thing for Chinese people. Shar-pei are capable to hunt almost everything. From birds to rabbits and wild boards. Some reputations say that were hunting tigers too. Shar-pei hunt in pack or single. They don’t  ’’point’’ the pray or retrieve it (but many of them seems to have this instinct), they just search for it, hunt it and kill it. Their owner –hunter has nothing else to do than follow them. It might be in the hunting pack more than one males but this will not be a problem, since the shar-pei have so strong hunting instinct, that don’t care about anything else wile they run to catch the pray.

 They hunt with their fine vision and smelling in a variety of grounds. Their speed help them , especially with the rabbits. A shar-pei can be a perfect friend with other pet animals if you teach it to, but it needs some attention with the more ‘’game pets’’ such us ‘’pet bunnies’’. It will be fine with your cats but be careful because once it will be in a forest it will grab the opportunity to hunt every wild animal it see or smell.

 This breed is also a spectacular rut killer (such us bull terriers and jack rassels), and this strong instinct we can see it in modern and traditional shar-pei too. They were guarding this way the fields and rice from the little rodents that were eating the food supplies. Their technique was to find them by tracing or hear them , digging the ground and kill them in their nests or up in the surface. So if you have a hamster or pet mouse it would be a good idea to keep it out of shar-pei’s reach , because this friendship will never go well.

But the basic competence in those days was to guard the house, the family, the life stock and fields of their owner. They don’t need training for this because they have high dominance, and ones they feel something us their own, they will guard it what ever it happens. They guard from their bowl to their master. And the thing that are not very friendly with strangers make this more easy. But they are not barking a lot. Only when its truly necessary. Because they think a lot and have a very good judge  they don’t act immediately in a situation. They think first and judge, and then they act. This make them perfect  for protection. And be careful because a shar-pei will attack with no special warning..

 And at last , in difficult seasons, when they had a shar-pei with no use, because of its low intelligent or instincts, this dog was becoming a food supply and clothing. Only the strongest shar-pei survived in China .  

 The shar-pei, traditional or modern, has still the same strong instincts(and some modern are perfect sheepdogs too), and its not right to treat them as a non use dog.  It’s a dog that loves to work and need it too in order to have a good mentally health and strong bond with its owner. They don’t like doing nothing. So maybe that’s why your shar-pei is sleeping all day, because it has nothing better to do!

Finding A Shar-Pei Puppy

I consider the following steps when finding and selecting a Shar-Pei puppy:

Deciding if you want a Shar-Pei puppy
Try to find out as much about the breed as possible before you start looking for a new pup. This involves reading books about the breed, talking to people who own Shar-Pei and checking on the Internet. Web site at www.drjwv.com has a lot of useful information including a listing of Shar-Pei books and a listing of Shar-Pei health problems. The Shar-Pei does have some unique health problems such as Familial Shar-Pei Fever which can result in kidney failure at a young age, entropion (rolling in) of the eye lids, tight lip syndrome, cancer, etc. which you should become well-versed on before searching for a puppy - you will definitely want to ask questions concerning Shar-Pei problems of the breeder you choose. I would say that the health care expenses for a Shar-Pei are very much towards the high end of the scale in general. This doesn't mean all Shar-Pei require expensive medical care but that one should be prepared for that possibility. I would even recommend a medical savings account be set up for the puppy ahead of time. This is a savings account in which you deposit, on a regular basis, funds for potential medical care. With this in place, any unexpected medical expenses will not cause as immediate a hardship on the family finances. Issues of routine maintenance procedures such as bathing, nail trimming, and ear cleaning, puppy housebreaking and training, yard cleanup, crate training and exercise should be discussed and planned for in advance of deciding to get a puppy. Who is going to let the pup out during the day while you're at work? How do I puppy-proof the house? Does my apartment lease allow me to have a dog and are there size restrictions? Will my vet see Shar-Pei? Where can I go for puppy kindergarten classes and basic obedience training? 

Finding a Shar-Pei Breeder
I would strongly advise against purchasing a Shar-Pei from a pet shop or puppy broker. The quality of the pups usually isn't the best, the health is often questionable and you don't deal with the breeder of the pup directly. I would solicit Shar-Pei breeder recommendations from veterinarians, Shar-Pei owners, the Shar-Pei breed publication called The Barker. The breeder's location may limit the choice although a quality pup is well worth the trip. You might check out AKC shows in your area and talk with Shar-Pei breeders who are attending the show. 

Selecting the Right Shar-Pei Breeder
You are selecting a breeder with a lifelong commitment to you and your puppy in mind. Also your breeder should have a commitment to the breed and a goal of producing dogs which will better the breed. I don't think any question is too tough to ask the breeder and you should expect straight and honest answers. Also remember that the pup you are considering is the product of a breeding program (hopefully) or a line of dogs and doing some research of other dogs produced by the breeder and their lines may useful. Consider the following checklist:

Will the breeder allow you to see the pup's parents (sire and dam)? How is their health, longevity and temperament?

What are the major causes of death in the line?

Will the breeder freely discuss health issues in the breed?

Is the breeder active in the breed demonstrated by having membership in the some Shar-Pei Club, showing their dogs in obedience, conformation and/or agility, supporting breed rescue?

Will the breeder give you references to check such as veterinarians, other puppy owners, friends, etc?

Does the breeder have an information packet for your review?

Will the breeder give you a copy of the puppy contract to review? Does the contract contain a health guarantee?

Does the breeder vaccinate the pups, worm them, check stool samples, etc?

Selecting a Puppy
I am often asked what I look for in a Shar-Pei puppy. I start out by evaluating a puppy for any structural problems such as loose kneecaps, entropion (rolling in of the eyelids), bite problems, hernias, etc. If I am purchasing a "show" puppy I make sure the dog doesn't have a "bear" coat (over 1 inch in length), doesn't have a pink or spotted tongue (flowered tongue) and doesn't have "prick" or upright ears. These are disqualifications in the show ring. I don't recommend picking the most wrinkled puppy - these are more likely to have future eye and skin problems. I then evaluate the puppies according to temperament. I try to select an outgoing puppy -- not the one that stays back and watches the other pups when I approach the litter. I also don't want an overly aggressive pup or the one that barks a lot. I do like pups who don't mind being handled, will explore their surroundings and don't freak out in novel situations. Remember, a puppy's adult personality will be shaped by a combination of breed, individual genetic behavior and the socialization and training they receive during their first 4 months of life. I think Shar-Pei are very leader oriented and need to know you are the leader or they will quickly start doing things their own way. Some breeds can be left to their own devices and will still end up being compliant, manageable and good pets. Shar-Pei do not fit into this category. Early puppy training is extremely important in our breed and as an owner you must be prepared to spend a lot of time training and exercising your puppy. If you work hard and consistently for the first 6 months of the pup's life you will end up with a very loyal, dependable and well-trained companion. If you don't commit to training, don't have the time or don't have the inclination spend the time with your pup I would not recommend getting one. It would be better to wait until your schedule frees up. I would also advise you don't select your puppy at the first visit - it's amazing the changes that occur in the pups over even a few days. Impulse buying is not a good idea - if you have to wait to get a good pup, so be it!

Be Prepared For Your Puppy

Have your check list ready ahead of time:

1. Bowls for food and water

2. A crate - I advise a crate with double latches on the door.

3. Bedding

4. Food

5. Toys

6. Leash and collar

7. Nail clippers

8.  A veterinarian who is Shar-Pei friendly.

9. A training class, especially one offering puppy kindergarten classes.

10.Treats

When You Pick Up Your Puppy
Be sure you receive a signed copy of the dog's contract, the AKC papers for that puppy, copies of vaccination/veterinary records, some of the food the puppy has been on (usually 7-14 days worth), and any other information the breeder usually gives out. Be sure to have the breeder's information and their veterinarian's information also.