The Shar Pei is a Chinese bred dog that has very distinctive features including a deeply wrinkled face and a tongue that is blue-black in color, and in Chinese the term Shar Pei refers to sand skin and this breed certainly has a rough and short coat that is coarse and thus gets its name because of this characteristic. Puppies are known to have a lot of wrinkles, though with age, these wrinkles become ironed out. Also, for a while this breed was considered rare and was only recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1991.
You can expect the Shar Pei to come in a variety of colors including rose red, sand as well as blue, black and also cream and it also shares its blue-black tongue color with that of its relative the Chow Chow. Other than that, the Shar Pei is distinguished because of its loose skin and head that is covered by wrinkles in large folds, while some varieties will have tighter skins and wrinkles will only appear on the face and whither.
The Shar Pei is well known to have either one of three types of coats that are called brush, bear and horse. Though as strong as this breed is, it is still prone to suffer from health related problems, and this may be due it not having been bred in a responsible manner, because one of the more common ailments it has been known to suffer is the one known as entropion, which irritates the eyes because of eyelashes that curl inwards.
Still, you can expect that your Shar Pei will be a very independent dog that is aloof by nature and quite reserved in the presence of strangers whom he will not easily take to. A major reason why it is so reserved and aloof is because was originally bred to be a watchdog, which characteristics seemed to have survived since ancient times. Still, you will find it to be very devoted to its master and otherwise is affectionate and loyal to other family members as well.
For prospective Shar Pei owners, it is important to bear in mind that even though it has many characteristics common to watchdogs, and despite being somewhat aggressive, it is nevertheless a good learner and thus takes well to being trained, though it will show its boredom if something is repeated too often. The bottom line is that your Shar Pei will show you a lot of love and is possessive and a good guard dog, though certainly an independent creature as well.
The Shar Pei is of Chinese origin and comes from Guangdong province and is well recognized for its ability to fight and also being a good watchdog, and it even was the main watchdog for early Chinese royals. It is a good defender and even though the Chinese Communists attempted to wipe this breed from the face of the earth, it has survived to become a popular breed that is often even called the ?Golden Lion?.
The Shar Pei is commonly known as the Chinese Wrinkle Dog. Indeed, the origins of this wrinkly dog can be traced to China, though exact lineage used to create this breed is up for debate. Some believe there's a tie to the Chow based on the fact that both have purple tongues and that some dogs carry their tails like a Chow. There are some suggestions of ties to other breeds, but most are purely speculative. What is certain is that the Shar Pei was represented on pottery that dates back several centuries making this a very old breed.
What many people don't realize is that there was apparently a purpose for the selective breeding that created the extra folds of skin on this dog. One of the uses for the Shar Peis of centuries ago was dog fighting. Other dogs had difficulty grabbing and holding those loose folds of skin on the Shar Pei, making it a formidable adversary in the fighting ring. Today, those folds of skin make this dog unique in the dog world, and have created a demand by those looking for an unusual pet.
Despite those early breeders who apparently used the Shar Pei as a fighting dog, the Shar Pei of today tends to be very calm. That's not to say they aren't protective, but that most dogs of this breed are simply easy-going canines that are very tolerant. That tolerance is especially afforded to family and close friends who interact with the dog often, though these dogs do tend to be "one-man canines." They often favor the person who handles and cares for them most and sometimes simply refuse to acknowledge commands or requests from anyone else.
The unique look of these dogs made them extremely popular a few decades ago. Their popularity quickly ran its course, leaving many of these dogs in shelters or abandoned. In some cases, "puppy farms" turned out massive numbers of Shar Pei puppies without regard to screening and there were many of these dogs with behavioral problems - largely the result of poor bloodlines and poor care of both parents and pups. Time is rectifying the situation, though temperamental dogs still occur as a result of that period.
It was the looks that attracted so many people to these dogs, and those same looks that quickly made people dismiss and abandon them. Some Shar Pei have skin problems - not due to the wrinkles but simply as part of their genetic makeup. Many people who owned Shar Peis during the time of their fad popularity believed that extra care of the wrinkled coat would solve those problems and were disenchanted with the dogs when that proved untrue.
Unlike people, the Shar Pei tends to become less wrinkled with age. The Shar Pei may come in several colors with fawn or light brown being the most common. Though mottled Shar Pei do occur, most canine organizations don't recognize anything other than solid-colored Shar Pei for competition.
If you have a sufficiently strong will to not allow this wrinkled dog to walk all over you, you may very well find that it makes an excellent companion.
Both Melissa A Coleman & Charles Kassotis are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Melissa A Coleman has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Pets and Pets Puppies for Sale. Melissa Coleman has owned many dogs that are of medium size and knows their traits and characteristics well. You will find from available information that this. Melissa A Coleman's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.
Charles Kassotis has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Appliances, Gifts for loved ones and Pets. For more information on Shar Peis and other Popular, and not-so-popular breeds of dogs, visit . Charles Kassotis's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.