The attractive and sweet-looking Shar Pei is actually determined, proud, willful, and possesses a primal strength that yearns to be revealed. This calm and confident dog will never tolerate mistreatment from its fellow dogs and will begin to sort things out at any opportunity. Shar Peis are suitable for people who are demanding and persistent in their training.
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Breed characteristics
As the rarest breed of dog, Shar Pei are listed in the Red Book, and their cost can reach several thousand dollars. The last changes to the Shar Pei breed standards were made at the end of the twentieth century.
Appearance of a Shar Pei
This sociable, active, and very agile dog is medium-sized, with a compact, strong build and a square frame. Standing 45-50 cm tall, it can weigh between 18 and 25 kg. Males are slightly larger than females. The main breed standards include:
A slightly large head and a flat skull with folds of skin on the forehead and cheeks.- A large, broad nose with large, wide-open nostrils. The tip of the nose may have a bump or elevation.
- The muzzle must not be pointed and wide.
- Dark blue lips, gums, palate, and tongue. A bright pink tongue is considered abnormal, but it may have a pinkish-spotted color.
- Strong and powerful jaws with a scissor bite.
- Dark almond-shaped eyes with a permanently frowning look.
- The high-set, compact, small, triangular ears should be set wide apart and lie flat against the skull. Erect ears are considered abnormal.
- The high-set, thick, round tail tapers slightly toward the tip. It can be curled, curved, or carried over the side or back.
- The Shar Pei's wide-set, straight legs should not have any folds.
A slightly large head and a flat skull with folds of skin on the forehead and cheeks.Shar Pei coat
A distinctive characteristic of the Shar-Pei breed is its coat. The straight, short, bristly, and wiry coat should be raised above the skin all over the dog's body, except for the extremities.
Breed has three varieties, each of which differs in the type of wool:
- Brush is a variety of Shar Pei with a coat length of 2-2.5 cm and folds on the muzzle and neck.
- The Horse is a breed with a coat that is 10 cm long. Puppies have a lot of folds, the number of which decreases with age.
- The "Bear Hair" is a Shar-Pei breed with hair longer than 2.5 cm. An adult dog resembles a Chow Chow. This type of Shar-Pei is not recognized as a show breed by the Kennel Club of America.
Shar-Pei coat colors come in a wide variety of colors, with the exception of white. Colors are divided into two groups:
- solid-colored wool without any black spots;
- basic color with black pigmentation in the form of a strap on the back and a mask on the muzzle.
The breed's wool has a distinctive feature: even when wet, it has no odor.
Character traits of the breed
Compared to other breeds, Shar Pei are distinguished by high intelligenceTheir slightly stern appearance emphasizes the dog's independence, calmness, and nobility.
To prevent potential aggression in your pet, training should begin in puppyhood. The dog needs to be shown who's boss right away; otherwise, they'll take advantage of the opportunity to rule over everyone. Shar-Peis love to make decisions on their own and be the leader of the pack. Despite this, their behavior is completely devoid of aggression. The breed is very intelligent, loyal, patient, and obedient.
These sullen and slightly menacing-looking pets require care, affection, and love good company. While they are intelligent and friendly within their family, they won't obey every command. A characteristic of the breed is that Shar-Peis strive for independence, so they almost always act according to their own ideas and preferences.
Pets are wary of strangers and will never they won't let a stranger pet themThey don't like the hustle and bustle around them and try to stay in a calm environment.
Anyone who decides to bring a small Shar-Pei into their home must immediately become its "leader" and must have patience and willpower to raise and train the pet. Only then will you have a reliable, devoted, and loyal companion.
Owner reviews
In my review, I want to write about my beloved dog. It so happened that when she was two years old, her previous owner was moving from one house to another and was looking for new owners for her, who were required to live in their own home. So, a Shar Pei came to live with us. It was immediately obvious that she was very much loved, because she adored affection.
At first, to get the dog used to it, we tried not to let her outside unleashed. But after just two months, we let our beloved dog out for a walk alone, and she ran away. We found her only two weeks later at the woman who had adopted her. She immediately recognized us and was delighted. Apparently, it was only then that she recognized us as her owners, because she never ran away again.
Our pet has been living with us for over two years. She is smart, very obedient, and very calm, even towards the cats, who always eat near her. She doesn't let anyone into the house without our permission. We feed her beef bones, fish, ground bones, chicken backs, crackers, and low-fat porridge with vegetables. We really like that the dog doesn't smell, although we don't bathe her, only brush her. She sheds twice a year, in the spring and fall. To prevent fleas, I treat her twice a year. I put special drops on the withersOur beloved one knows the commands "sit" and "lie down," always listens attentively to us, and is ready for anything. I wish everyone had such a family friend.
Eight years ago, I was given a devoted, gentle, and affectionate friend – a Shar Pei. This toy dog resembles a teddy bear, whose velvety nose I'm constantly ready to kiss. She's not very tall at the withers, so she's perfectly suited for apartment living. She loves crackers made from black bread and sausage. When we give her bread, she'll literally bite off her hand and all. She gently takes the sausage in her mouth and carries it to her bowl.
She constantly jumps on guests, licks them and demands crackers from them. She doesn’t like other dogs at all, and all the yard dogs are afraid of herBut we had a house cat, and the dog was very calm around him. She's almost always with me. When I eat, she sits next to me, when I sit, she climbs into my arms, and she sleeps with me too. In my review, I recommend anyone looking for a plush friend to consider the Shar Pei breed.
For anyone interested in Shar-Pei dogs, I'd like to share a review of our little dog, Bonnie. When she was a little one, she loved to lie on a slipper. When Bonnie sleeps, she snores like a grown man. I know this is due to the breed's unique nasopharynx. Our pet got along well with people and other animals, except dogs.
Shar-Peis have so many wrinkles because they serve as protection, as the breed was bred specifically for fighting. Perhaps that's why she gets so defensive when she sees her own kind. the fighting instinct awakensShar-Peis are also excellent guard dogs. If anyone lingered near our door, Bonnie would bark, but she'd simply ignore anyone passing by. If you're considering this breed, you should think carefully first. Shar-Peis have their own care requirements and health concerns. Furthermore, each dog has its own individual character.
I love my little girl very much, and I've had a lot of trouble with her for the past year. The Shar Pei breed is very prone to allergies, and my little dog was no exception. For the first few months, I dusted her twice a day, then I started changing her food and selecting the right one. I fed her both expensive premium food and natural food. Finally, after various tests, I settled on a food that's produced in our city, and it's also quite affordable.
We also had a problem with her eyes. Most dogs of this breed have them stitched up, but ours was only given a massage. We also massaged her teeth. And now, finally, the dog is practically healthy, and brings us nothing but joy. Every day she you need to wipe the muzzle, eyes and earsThe muzzle must be wiped after every meal. The ears should be cleaned once a week with a special cream. But this is not difficult for me. After all, we also wash ourselves and clean our ears every day, but dogs cannot do this on their own.
Our climate isn't suitable for Shar-Peis. Developed in China, this breed can only live comfortably there. They dislike winter and dry, hot summers. In bad weather, our pet refuses to go for walks. He can't stand snow, rain, wet pavement, or humid conditions. A dog's temperament depends on how it's raised. We have two children, and our dog has never harmed them. He's only occasionally snatched food right out of our hands.
Shar-Peis are undoubtedly superior in appearance to other breeds. These well-built, strong dogs have deep folds in their skin. Purebred Shar-Peis are very rare these days. It's difficult to determine the purebred nature of a puppy, because the folds inherent to them stretch with age. You can find crossbreeds that look very much like Boxers, but they still compete in shows.
Shar-Peis are extremely allergic and require a special hypoallergenic diet. The only natural foods they can eat are beef and rice. The breed also often suffers from inverted eyelids, ear infections, tartar buildup, and malocclusions. They can also sometimes suffer from kidney and heart disease. Therefore, those interested in this breed should first consider whether they are prepared to care for them. After all, a Shar-Pei will require twice the care of a child.
