Breed of the Week: The Shar Pei

    The Shar Pei is a medium sized dog that weighs about 40 to 55 pounds and stands about 16 to 20 inches off of the ground.  Shar Peis are well built muscular dogs that have very loose and wrinkly skin.  Puppies are extremely wrinkled and as these dogs aged they become less and less wrinkly.  They have large heads with small ears and small eyes that are sunken in.  Shar Peis have  blueish-black tongues and curly tails.  Shar Pei's come in three different coat types horse-coat, brush-coat, and bear-coat which is rare and is not recognized by the AKC. The Shar Pei's come in the colors of black, red, fawn, and cream.

   Although the ancestry is somewhat uncertain Shar Pei's are thought to date back to the Han dynasty as similar dogs are seen in paintings from this era. People think that the Shar Pei may have descended from either a larger Tibetan breed or southern china service dogs.  The Shar Pei was a dog used for hunting and herding and was also know as a fighting dog but not because of it being ferocious.  Because of its loose skin it could be bitten by another dog but still move around and return the attack.  This breed was recognized by the AKC in 2005.

    The shar pei is a devoted and independent dog that becomes close to its family.  They are as serious and calm breed of dog.  They will be very loyal to their owners but it is important to handle them with confidence in order to let them know who is in charge.  These dogs are very intelligent and therefore are not to difficult to train. It is important to socialize these dogs from a young age in order to get them used to people.  These dogs usually do well with children especially if the have grown up around them.  It depends on the dog, but some may not always do well with other dogs or cats in the household.  It is recommended that this dog have a fenced in yard and to be walked on a leash due to some natural hunting instincts.  A Shar Pei requires only an average amount of exercise and a walk each day should be the right amount.  Grooming a Shar Pei is also not too difficult, they just need an occasional brushing and bath as well as making sure that their wrinkles are clean.  The Shar Pei is a loyal dog that would make a great addition to many households.



Information from:
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/sharpei.htm
http://www.dog-breed-facts.com/Breeds/Shar-Pei.html
http://dogbreeds.bulldoginformation.com/shar-pei.html

Picture from:
http://wallpapers.free-review.net/15__Shar_Pei_puppy.htm