The Shar-Pei is a calm, loyal and affectionate dog who, in the right hands, makes an outstanding family companion. His life revolves around his owner and he is finely tuned to human moods and emotions. This breed has a very strong bond with their family and are at their happiest when close to their loved ones. Shar-Pei love to be included in every aspect of daily life and expect to be treated as a family member. However, this is an intelligent, strong-minded and independent dog. From the start they need to be kindly, firmly and consistently shown their position in the household if they are not to take over as ‘top dog’.

Despite their stubborn streak, their high level of intelligence means that they can be trained to perform many duties, given a patient human on the other end of the lead. They also learn phenomenally quickly. Shar-Pei have successfully competed and gained titles in obedience, agility, flyball and tracking amongst other canine sports. Their calm and friendly attitude makes shar-pei ideal therapy dogs who visit hospitals and care homes. There are even a few shar-pei that are assistance dogs to their owners and they excel as seizure warning dogs because they are so in tune with their people.

This breed is an excellent watchdog and has a strong protective instinct. They will not rush into indiscriminate friendships, preferring to stand back and assess unknown visitors before approaching them to be petted. They also have a long memory and will remember their favourite visitors and greet them enthusiastically. If well socialised at a young age, shar-pei are trustworthy with all manner of other animals, though some have a high prey drive and even if they are great with the family's other pets, will chase animals they don't know. Cleanliness is second nature to most Shar-Pei and are extremely easy to house train. They are also usually neat eaters, but some of the ones with meaty, fat muzzles can dribble after taking a drink (a quick wipe soon sorts that out).

Shar-Pei really need to be a house dog. If relegated to the backyard or a kennel and excluded from family life, they will not only be miserable but may also develop behavioural problems - he is after all an integral part of your family and would want to be where you are.

SHAR-PEI HISTORY

The Chinese Shar Pei, an ancient and unique breed, is thought to have originated in the area around the small village of Tai Li in Wanting Province, and has existed for centuries in the southern provinces of China, apparently since the Han Dynasty (c. 200 B.C.). Statues bearing a strong resemblance to the Sharpie have been discovered and dated to this period. More recently, a Chinese manuscript of the 13th century has been translated; it refers to a wrinkled dog with characteristics much like those of the Shar Pei.

The name "Shar Pei" itself literally means "sand-skin", but translated more loosely as "rough, sandy coat" or "sand-paper-like coat" and refers to the two distinctive qualities of the Shar Pei coat - roughness and shortness - which make the breed unique in the dog world. The Shar Pei shares another distinctive characteristic with only one other breed, the Chow-Chow, in having a blue-black tongue. Recently it has been discovered via mitochondrial DNA studies that both breeds are two of the 7 most ancient dog breeds in existence, closely related yet gentically distinct.

The history of the Chinese Shar Pei in modern times is incomplete. However, it is known that following the establishment of the People's Republic of China as a communist nation, the dog population of China was essentially eliminated. No dogs were seen in the cities, and few dogs remained in the countryside. During this period a few Chinese Shar Pei were bred in Hong Kong, BC and in the Republic of China (Taiwan).

The Hong Kong Kennel Club recognised the breed until about 1968. Subsequently the Hong Kong and Colon Kennel Association established a dog registry and registered the Shar Pei. This organisation still registers the breed today, as do other registries in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, as well as organisations in Europe, Canada and Great Britain.

In the United States, the documented history of the breed goes back to 1966 when a few dogs were imported from stock registered with the Hong Kong Kennel Club. The American Dog Breeders Association registered a Chinese Shar Pei for J.C. Smith on October 8, 1970. Strong interest in the breed increased in 1973 when Margo Law of Down-Homes Kennels, Hong Kong, appealed to dog fanciers in the United States to "Save the Chinese Shar Pei". The response was enthusiastic, and because of their rarity, a limited number of Shar Pei arrived in the United States in the fall of 1973. The recipients of these dogs corresponded with each other and decided to form a national dog club and registry. The Chinese Shar Pei Club of America, Inc. (CSPCA), held its first organisational meeting in 1974, and the club has been in continuous existence since that time. The first Annual National Speciality Show was held in 1978 and successive national shows have been held each year.

The Club's primary purpose was to promote the breed, maintain the studbook registry and to provide a standard for the breed. On May 4, 1988 the Chinese Shar Pei was accepted in to the American Kennel Club (AKC) Miscellaneous Class. The CSPCA continued to represent the breed and operated the registry until the AKC accepted the breed into the Non-Sporting Group on August 1, 1992. The CSPCA continues to promote the best interests of the breed, maintains the Standard and serves as a Member Club of the AKC.

The beautiful wrinkle faced puppy we see on the facial cream advert is not the reality of the breed. That puppy grows into a very different dog. If from a good blood line and from a good breeder probably a wonderful loyal healthy family member, but more and more commonly they're from poor blood lines and unsuitable pairings of dog and bitch, often too closely related and thrown together to make a quick buck.

In the UK the popularity of the breed has increased at an alarming rate causing the breed to be over-bred and over-sold. The simple explanation for this is Greed and Ignorance and the impact on the breed and necessity for a Rescue Trust are testimony to this.

SHAR-PEI COAT TYPES

There are three distinct coat types that shar-pei can be born with. All three types have been in the breed at least as long as they have been known in the West. Only two are considered to be the breed standard and you won't see a bearcoat in the conformation showring. All three can appear in the same litter and from parents of any coat type, though the bearcoat is not included in the breeding program of reputable kennels.