Chinese Shar Pei breed comes from the Guangdong province of China.It was present very long time ago even in the Han Dynasty (206BC). They were kept as a general-purpose farm dog in the Chinese countryside, used for hunting, protecting & herding stock and guarding the home and family. Because of their strong body, they were used in dogs fighting. During that time the Shar-Pei was bred for intelligence, strength and scowling face. The loose skin and extremely prickly coat were developed to aid the dog in fighting, making the Shar-Pei difficult for the opponent to grab and hold on to. During the Communist Revolution, dogs were rescued by a Hong Kong business man named Matgo Law, who appealed to Americans in 1973 though a dog magazine to save the breed. Around 200 Shar-Peis were smuggled into America. The current American Shar Pei population stems mainly from these original 200.
“Shar-Pei” means sandy coat which should be offstanding and harsh. With small triangular ears, a muzzle shaped like that of a hippopotamus and a high-set tail, Shar Pei is special.The loose skin and wrinkles covering the head, neck and body are superabundant in puppies but these features may be limited to the head, neck and withers in the adult.There are three coat varieties: horse-coat and brush-coat and a rare bear-coat.The Horse Coat is generally thought to be more active and predisposed to dominant behaviour than the Brush Coat. The brush-coated variety have slightly longer hair and a smoother feel to them. The Brush Coat is generally considered to be more of a ‘couch potato’ than the Horse Coat.Bear Coat can occur in any litter and is much longer than the Brush and Horse Coat, so much so, in most cases you can’t see the famous wrinkles.
Chinese Shar Pei is a dog that is loyal and loving to its family while being very protective and independent. Shar Pei is extremely devoted, loyal and affectionate to its family, and is amenable to accepting strangers given time and proper introduction at a young age. If poorly socialized or trained, it can become especially territorial and aggressive. Even friendly and well-socialized individuals will retain the breed’s watch dog proclivities (such as barking at strangers). It is a largely silent breed, barking only when playing or when worried. They are bright and learn quickly, but early training and socialization are important, as is daily exercise. Shar-Pei are clean dogs that require little more grooming than an occasional bath, regular ear cleaning and toe nail clipping.
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