Shar Pei

Shar Pei
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Background
Breed	Non-sporting
Country of origin	China
Status	Rare
Coat type	Short
Lifespan	9-11 years
Litter size	4-6 puppies

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The Shar Pei is a breed of Chinese dog known for its bodily wrinkles and its bluish tongue. They are said to be one of the rarest breeds in the world. In Chinese, its name literally means sandy coat, probably due to the rough feel of the horse-coat. Its aliases include Chinese Shar Pei and Chinese Fighting Dog. It may also be spelled Shar-pei.

Appearance[]

Shar Peis are very indistinguishable from other dogs. They may very well have the most signature look of the mutt world. Their profile is very square, they have a flat and broad or hippo-like head, the muzzle is wide, a tapering and curly tail, small almond-shaped brown, deep-set eyes, triangular and small ears, they are very stocky, and they have straight and sturdy legs. But perhaps the most unique feature of this breed, is their wrinkles, spread throughout the entire body. Puppies have more wrinkles than adults, as adults skin stretches with age and makes their skin more pure. A healthy adult should have most wrinkles on the face, neck, shoulders, and at the base of the tail. The reason these dogs have these wrinkles is because of a gene called HAS2. This gene on rare cases has been found in people, and with the same wrinkles. Another feature most mentionable and unique is their blue or purple tongue. This trait is shared with the Chow Chow, another Chinese dog. The Shar pei has 3 different coats:

Coat-type:	Description:	Image:
Horse-coat	The most short, most rough, and most common.	Seen above
Brush-coat	Smoother, and longer somewhat.
Bear-coat	Longest, and not recognized by the AKC.

Bear-coat is actually common for it's good quality, but still rare to others. These coats come in various colors such as black, blue, cream, fawn, reddish-fawn, orange, apricot, red, sable, and chocolate. Horse-coats feel somewhat like sandpaper and if rubbed the wrong way, may cause welts to the occasional very sensitive person. They stand at a 18-20 inches tall and weigh at 40-55 lbs.

Behavior[]

Shar peis are not perhaps the most affectionate dogs, but they will never hesitate to protect their family.

Behavior:
Exercise:	A daily walk, but keep in mind that they are sensitive to heat
Tolerance with other pets/people:	Excellent if used to them young
Food:	A reasonable amount daily
Grooming:	Should be groomed regularly
Space:	Does well in an apartment, and does well without a yard, as they are active indoors, they are sensitive to heat, so they require shade
Common health problems:	Kidney failure, fever, skin problems, Swollen Hocks, Megaesophagus, yeast infections, and entropion
Lifespan:	9-11 years
Temper:	Loving, loyal, independent, brave, and intelligent
Recognition:	CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR, DRA, NAPR
Rarity:	Rare
Price:	$800-1,500
Popularity:	Ranked 52 in 2011

Shar peis will be well-suited to nearly all pets and children if socialized at a young age. They are loyal to their owners, and happen to be very bold too. They are smart, quiet, calm, playful, and is protective. However, most fighting breeds will be stubborn and territorial. This can be the case with this breed. They like to have dominance too. This can be fixed if put in the proper hands. They are protective and are suspicious of strangers, as many dogs are. They will only bark if playing, or if provoked. Remember that shar peis do not like water, and do their best to avoid it. Shar peis are very clean and are very easy to house-break. They do slobber, especially if hurt.

Shar peis do not like sports and spend most of their time indoors, where brush-coats may become couch potatoes. While they may be aggressive to other dogs and livestock, they generally do well with other animals. Be aware, however, that you must clean their wrinkles to prevent irritation of the skin, or even diseases!

History[]

Nobody quite knows how shar peis originated, but many think it came from the Chow Chow. However the only similarities between these 2 breeds is their blue tongue and the fur of a bear-coat, yet this still does not fully represent the Chow. Shar peis are depicted on pieces of pottery that date back to 206 BC during the Han Dynasty. How they originated, we do not know, but we DO know that they originated in the Guangdong Province of China. There they were used as farm dogs who had various purposes. They were used as herding, hunting, tracking, and most importantly, guarding homes and palaces. Their guarding instincts are still reminiscent to this day. They were used to guard because ancient Chinese believed the black mouth, scowl, and their wrinkles would scare off evil spirits. They were also used as fighting dogs, hence the alias, Chinese Fighting Dog. Shar peis were commonly used as fighting dogs, due to their unique ability that made the fights interesting. Their compact wrinkles allowed them to slip away from another canine's toothy maw. It's bristly coat made good protection too against injuries. However, their behavior was so affable, that they probably were under the influence of drugs. They were also used by Chinese peasants for hunting wild boar, herding flocks, and for the purpose of a watchdog. During the Communist Revolution, shar peis almost went extinct. There were only a few examples of shar peis in Hong Kong and Macau. In 1973, a Hong Kong businessman named Matgo Law obtained a few specimens in an attempt to save the breed. He attracted people's attention and successfully saved the breed. They were very popular in the 1980s, especially in Oklahoma. Surprisingly, they were not recognized by the AKC until 1991! Now, they are popular and their population averages at 70,000 individuals!

Currently, there is a website entitled North American Shar-Pei Rescue, that devotes their time to helping shar-peis in North America find a good home.