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A brief and quick guide to the Chinese Shar Pei "Sara Says"  
 Shar Pei |
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Courtesy of Shar Pei Search - www.sharpei.com.au A BRIEF HISTORY The Shar Pei originated in China many centuries ago. They were used for herding, hunting, guarding and as combatants. When the Chinese Communists came into control they became nearly extinct. During the 1960’s there were very few left and they became the rarest dog in the world. In 1970 a man called Matgo Law began a rescue operation of his native breed. A few specimens found their way to interested parties in the United States. Thanks to this man the breed is no longer an endangered species. APPEARANCE An alert, active, compact dog of medium size and substance, short coupled and square in profile. Preferred height 46-51cm (18-20") at the withers. Dogs are larger and more powerful than bitches. The Shar Pei has a number of unique characteristics. The breed has a head which can best be described as "hippopotamus like", very small ears flat to the forehead, loose folds of skin about the head neck and shoulders and a short harsh coat. The name Shar Pei comes from the Chinese translation "Sand skin". The Shar Pei has a blue black tongue, a characteristic shared only with one canine breed, the Chow Chow. The loose skin and wrinkles are abundant in puppies, but these features may be limited to the head, neck and withers in adults. The unusual coat is extremely prickly and offstanding (there is also a "brush coated" variety with longer hairs and a smoother feel than the "horse" coat). The coat on either variety can be up to 1 inch in length. The brush coat sheds a little year round, but the horse coat tends to shed only during molting periods. Molting may leave the dog looking unkempt. Bathing about once a week and brushing the coat daily during this period will remove the old dead hairs and allow the new coat to grow in. Shar Pei come in just about every color there is: black, red, red-fawn, fawn, black-pointed cream, sable, blue, chocolate-dilute, red-pointed dilute, apricot-dilute, and cream-dilute. Any solid color is acceptable, but albinism, spots, patches, saddle-patterns, and two-tone patterns are a disqualification in a show ring. TEMPERAMENT AND CHARACTER Calm, independent, very affectionate, alert and devoted to people. The Shar Pei is a wonderful companion and family dog. He is equally adaptable to indoors and outdoors, protective but not vicous, quick to learn, good with children when properly introduced, obedient and eager to please his family. He is very loyal to his family and loves them unconditionally. He is standoffish with strangers and does not like to be rushed by them, especially in his own territory. He will generally bark when somebody visits and prefers to take his own time to approach the visitor, to be petted. This is because of his protective instinct. Incidentally, any dog in China that protects property is called a fighting dog, whereas in Canada and the United States they are referred to as guard dogs. An interesting finding is that the horse coat variety is generally more dominant, more dog-aggressive and less friendly with strangers than the milder-mannered brush coat variety. This very clean breed almost housebreaks itself. Because of its padded head, the Shar-Pei is very sensitive to heat. Shade and water must always be available. Puppies grow very quickly and must be fed accordingly. Some owners are allergic to the harsh coat. Shar-Pei generally hate water and try as hard as they can to avoid it. Shar Pei are intensely loyal to their family and make excellent watch dogs. Like all dogs, however, they should be socialized through puppy and obedience classes. Some Shar Pei are aloof toward strangers, but once befriended, they never forget people who they have come to know. Because Shar Pei have a quick intelligence and are eager to please their family, they are very easily trained. The many Shar Pei with CD and CDX titles attest to their excellent temperament. More on the CD and CDX Titles Info Here. What is the definition of a Companion Dog ?These are dogs that have been trained and certified by the Top Dog Companion Trust as a companion dog or under training as a companion dog. Only dogs that have been trained by the Top Dog Companion Trust can be certified. The purpose of these dogs is to assist disabled people by opening doors, cupboards, fridges, fetching the phone and products from supermarket shelves etc. Companion Dogs provide friendship, social and psychological benefits, as well as physical aid such as decreased blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration. Studies have reported an increase in psychological well-being, self esteem, community integration, and a decreased dependence on others in people with disabilities who have Service and/or Companion Animals. Studies also site improved motivation, social acceptance, and the mitigation of the effects of loneliness. The dogs are our teachers. Many people find it easier to bond to an animal than to other people. The safety in this bonding can lead the way to the development of similar relationships with other people. Loving an animal is not threatening and can quickly heal any emotional scars on the human heart! TRAINING The Shar Pei is very intlligent and learns easily. He can do extremely well at obedience training. It is very important that early socialising be carried out, with humans and other dogs. Shar Pei have a quick and engaging intelligence. This intelligence and their eagerness to please makes many Shar Pei successful in obedience competition. However, their high intelligence may cause boredom with overly repetitive training, so training should be combined with play and new tasks to accomplish. Shar Pei must be the easiest breed in the world to house break. It's not unusual for 6 to 8 week puppies to prefer and ask to go outside when there is a pet door near the whelping box, Shar Pei instinctively copy mama's behavior and bounce out the pet door to relieve themselves. New owners should take their puppies outside immediately after feeding and about once every 2 hours. After a Shar Pei has its scent down on the ground, it prefers that area. Shar Pei are fastidiously clean and are famous for holding it in until they can go outside. SOCIAL ATTITUDE Although some Shar Pei are aloof and stand-offish toward strangers, all are very attached to their dog and human family. Shar Pei easily recognize other Shar Pei. After spending hours non-chalantly observing other breeds at a dog show, Shar Pei readily break out into a great burst of tail-wagging, when they see another Shar Pei across the show grounds. They bond very closely with other dogs in their family and are known to grieve when their buddy goes away even for a day. They can, however, be very dog-aggressive if not socialized at an early age. The horse-coat is generally more aggressive than the laid-back, milder-mannered brush-coat. EXCERISE The Shar Pei does not need a large amount of exercise, most will exercise themselves if room permits. But they do love to go for a walk, on a lead and if you only have a suburban block, this should be done as regularly as possible, daily if possible. Most will learn to love and look forward to these excursions. LIFE SPAN If well cared for up to 10 to 12 years. Some have been known to live to 15 years. HEALTH Some of the problems Shar Pei can suffer from are Hip Dysplasia (a terrible Genetic disease - Info Here , Luxating Patellas (a lameness in the Rear legs - Info Here , Entropian (where the eyelids turn inward - Info Here , Skin problems and Allergies. The breed club is working on introducing control schemes for hereditary diseases. Responsible breeders make every effort to control these disorders in their stock. Shar Pei bitches can drop their coat after whelping, also both sexes can look a little moth eaten when moulting. Do not mistake these as skin problems as this is quite normal for this breed. Shar-Pei do not require any special treatment when bathing. You don't have to powder or dry their wrinkles with a Q-tip. Like any other breed, you must thoroughly rinse the shampoo from the coat and wrinkles. Although Shar Pei as a rule hate water, they are easily trained to stand for a bath. Because they are fastidiously clean, they greatly appreciate how they feel after a bath. A good dog shampoo {prefrably one containing Tea Tree Oil Info - Click Here } and a simple toweling down to keep them from dripping on the carpet is all that's required. The short coat naturally air-drys in a short time. THE IDEAL SHAR PEI OWNER While it's been said that one does not own a Shar Pei, that they own you, we prefer to simply say that it is a responsible person who is willing to share their life and home with their Shar Pei. A person well versed in canine behavior or willing to learn. A person willing to train and socialise their Shar Pei. Shar Pei crave human companionship and are not a dog that should be left in the backyard and forgotten about. Once you share your life with a Shar Pei, other dogs cannot compare with their intelligence, affection, loyalty or companionship. Shar Pei are focused on their owners. Their life revolves around you, not hunting or retrieving. They are finely tuned to your moods and adjust themselves to your needs, but they are individuals and some are more laid back, while others are more outgoing and active. Shar Pei is Not recommended for novice owners because their intelligence can relate to stubborness. Firmness and variety in training is always necessary. WHAT TO ASK YOURSELF IF CONSIDERING PURCHASING A SHAR PEI PUPPY First examine your lifestyle and ask yourself – Have I the time, the space and the long term commitment to consider owning a Shar Pei? This breed usually does not adapt easily to change of ownership once it becomes an adult and can even suffer separation anxiety {panic attacks explained here} if left alone. Dogs instinctively bond to their "pack." For our domestic pet dogs, the pack is the human family they live with. Some of them have severe "panic attacks" when they are left alone. BUYING A SHAR PEI Instead of buying, consider adopting {rescue links below - or Click Here} a rescued Shar Pei ... If intending to purchase a Shar Pei puppy, do some homework. Visit shows, talk to owners and breeders. Purchase books on the breed, study the breed standard, visit as many litters as possible. Enquire about the grand parents as well as the parents of the puppies. Call the breed club and ask for more information on the breed, learn as much as you can before making a final decision. QUESTIONS TO ASK THE SHAR PEI BREEDER
Many clubs have a designated puppy officer who can inform you which members have puppies available or guide you to a reputable breeder to avoid "puppy mills.". |
Rescue Organizations:
Noah's Wish Disaster Rescue
North American Shar Pei Rescue
Chinese Shar Pei Rescue of Tennessee
The Chinese Shar Pei Rescue of Michigan
Operation Scarlet Chinese Shar Pei Rescue
APRAN - All Pei Rescue Alliance Network
Dominion Shar Pei Rescue of Virginia
Kentucky Chinese Shar Pei Rescue
Florida Chinese Shar Pei Rescue
R.A.S.P. Rescue a Shar Pei
Dog Ctr.com - Valuable Dog Directory and Info Resource  Rainbow Bridge - by William N. Britton, 1994 Chinese Shar Pei Club of America ( CSPCA ) How to Select a Shar-Pei from eHow.com Top Ten Reasons to Adopt an Older Dog How Could You? - by Jim Willis, 2001 History of the Chinese Shar Pei Guide to the Chinese Shar Pei We-R-Mad Organization The Senior Dog Project ASPCA Web Site |
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