ШАРПЕЙ

Chinese Shar Pei - calm, self-confident dog, distinguished by a certain stubbornness and extraordinary loyalty to his family. This pet will need an experienced, persistent owner who can not only properly train the dog, but also not let her get bored. Shar Pei training, as a rule, occurs without any problems even at home, but this requires systematic training and perseverance of the owner himself.

Шарпей

Shar Pei photo | dreamtime.com

Brief description of the breed

A distinctive feature of Shar-Pei is a wrinkled body and muzzle, as well as a dark tongue resembling a tongue. chow-chow. Most likely, the dog was bred in southern China, where it was used as a guard dog to protect property. Sharpeis were also attracted to hunting. Some representatives of the breed also took part in various dog fights.

sharpei has the average size. The weight of a dog can vary from 23 to 32 kilograms. The pet has a wide head, in its shape very reminiscent of the head of a hippopotamus. The dog has triangular, recumbent ears and a coarse coat. flattened face - the reason that representatives of this breed are hard to tolerate heat.

Shar-Peis attract the main attention due to their appearance, as well as their proud and independent character. Such pets are especially active in protecting their territory. He is distrustful of strangers and aggressive towards other dogs.

Chinese Shar-Peis have earned a reputation for being aggressive with strangers. But early and proper socialization completely deprives the animal of such inclinations. With age, the dog will understand who is a friend and who is a real threat. It is necessary to purchase Shar-Pei from the breeder who keeps puppies in the house - such animals are already socialized to some extent, which means that further training will be easy.

With further training and socialization, Shar Pei turns into an excellent family dog. It is best to keep a dog in those families where the children have already reached an older age, as the kids do not understand that the pet must be treated with respect. It must be borne in mind that often children are disappointed in Shar Pei due to the fact that he does not show much interest in them. This behavior is a feature of the character of all sharpei. Be prepared for the fact that your dog will not show his love and affection. Sharpei skillfully contain all this in themselves.

Dogs of this breed are distinguished by various activities. Some can be quite energetic, while others are passive. This suggests that the pet can be kept in small apartments. Short twenty-minute walks will be enough for the normal physical development of the dog.

Although the Shar Pei is stubborn, the training of the dog, as a rule, is easy. For this breed, praise and reward in the learning process is important. If you are not confident in your coaching abilities, then you can seek the help of a professional who will be able to teach your pet everything you need in a short time.

An important condition for the normal development of a puppy is the fact that the animal lives under the same roof with its owner. These dogs cannot live in the yard or any other premises separately from the family.

basic information

Breed name:	sharpei
Country of origin:	China
The time of the birth of the breed:	3,000 years ago
Type of:	mountain and swiss cattle
The weight:	18 - 35 kg
Height (height at the withers):	44 - 51 cm
Life Expectancy:	9 – 11 years old
ICF classification:	Group 2, Section 3, Room 309
Puppies price:	150 – 450 $
Most popular nicknames:	list of nicknames for sharpei

Assessment of the characteristics of the Shar Pei breed

Adaptability (a definition meaning how easily a dog can adapt to changes in life)	🐶🐶🐶
Shedding level (Level and frequency of hair loss in the animal)	🐶🐶
Tenderness level (The level and amount of tenderness and affection that the dog gives in return for attention to itself)	🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶
Exercise needs (Dog's daytime activity level)	🐶🐶
Social need (The required number of contacts of the dog with other animals, as well as people)	🐶🐶🐶
Apartment content (A factor that determines the level of noise and other inconveniences that a dog can deliver to owners in relation to the size of the apartment to the size of the dog)	🐶🐶🐶🐶
Grooming (The number of bathing, brushing, and the number of professional grooming sessions required for the dog)	🐶🐶🐶
Friendliness in an unfamiliar environment (Features of the behavior of a dog in a society with strangers or in an unfamiliar environment)	🐶
Tendency to bark (Tendency to bark and its frequency and volume)	🐶
Health issues (Potential health status of the dog)	🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶
Territoriality (The dog's tendency to protect his home, yard, or even his owner's car)	🐶🐶🐶
Friendliness to cats (The tendency towards tolerance for cats and decreased manifestation of hunting instincts)	🐶🐶🐶
Intelligence (The ability of the dog to think and solve emerging difficulties (not to be confused with learning!)	🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶
Education and training (The level of difficulty in training the dog to perform certain actions)	🐶🐶🐶
Friendliness to children (A factor that determines how friendly a dog is to children, whether he likes to play with them and tolerate some childish pranks)	🐶
Game activity (The concept is determined by its very name, and, as a rule, is found in almost all dogs)	🐶🐶🐶
Observation (The ability of a dog to detect the presence of a stranger on its territory)	🐶🐶🐶
Friendliness to other dogs (The tendency of the dog to find common language with his other relatives)	🐶🐶

Sharpei photo:

The history of the origin of sharpei

Shar-Pei-like dogs have existed in South China for many centuries, possibly even during the Han Dynasty (around 200 BC). So, during the excavations, a sculptural group of dogs was found, in their appearance very reminiscent of sharpei. The find was dated by specialists to exactly 200 BC.

Documents dating back to the 13th century also contain information about "wrinkled dogs" that guarded property, livestock and poultry, herded herds of various domestic animals. It was believed that the wrinkled skin of Shar Pei was able to scare away evil spirits. Also, these dogs often took part in dog fights.

The life of Shar-Peis in China has always been difficult and dangerous. The situation worsened with the coming to power of the communists in the early 20th century. These dogs began to be considered decadent representatives of the past, so the PRC authorities exterminated almost all animals of this breed by the beginning of the 1950s. By that time, a small part of the dogs survived only in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Also managed to escape the Shar-Pei, taken to the United States.

In 1973, one of the dog breeders in Hong Kong asked his American colleagues to help save the endangered breed. The unusual appearance of dogs aroused considerable interest in the United States. Sharpei was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1992. At the moment, the breed is quite popular in America, but its popularity has somewhat decreased compared to the level that was in the early years of the Shar Pei's appearance on the North American continent.

Sharpei character

Due to the peculiar shape of the head and no less peculiar wrinkled, folded skin, Shar-Pei is often compared in appearance to a hippopotamus. These dogs are distinguished by independence and willfulness, they are self-confident, consistent. A somewhat sullen appearance and an appropriate temperament make them good guards. Sharpeis are suitable for single people, as well as for families with older children. They do not need any special care or special exhausting daily exercises. For Shar-Peis, even the usual play with a rubber toy may be sufficient.

Maintenance and care

Chinese Shar-Peis are by nature very clean. They do not emit unpleasant odors, and therefore do not need frequent bathing, but only as needed. Weekly combing with a soft brush is enough to remove dead hairs and prevent the appearance of wool in the house. An important point is the care of the wrinkled folds of sharpei. After bathing, each fold must be thoroughly wiped. If this is not done, then fungus and other infections can form in them.

Ear care - another important point. Ears should be checked weekly. Treat the ears with a special solution. Under no circumstances should cotton swabs be used. There are special tampons for this procedure, you can also use soft cloth tampons. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that the Shar-Pei has a very short ear canal. There is always a risk of injury to a pet. Therefore, after buying a Shar Pei, be sure to ask your veterinarian to show you how to properly care for the ears of your new family member. Do not forget about the hygiene of the oral cavity of the animal. Brush your teeth every week, and your pet will not develop tartar, and his breath will always be pleasant.

Training and education

The most important thing you need to train Shar Pei - patience. These dogs - wayward creatures, so not entirely enthusiastic about trying to impose their opinions on them. Persistence, consistency, and rewards for following commands should be your faithful companions during the entire process of training and training. Shar-Peis are not among those dogs that are recommended to beginner dog breeders. If you have never kept dogs, it is better to choose a different breed.

Shar Pei health and disease

Unfortunately, dogs of this breed are prone to many diseases. The most common are elbow dysplasia, luxating patella, hypothyroidism, eye problems, retinal dysplasia, glaucoma, allergic reactions, and skin infections. A disease such as fever is especially common among Shar-Pei. The state of fever may be accompanied by vomiting, indigestion, rapid breathing, even loss of consciousness. During a fever, the animal may have a very high temperature. It is not easy to completely get rid of this disease. But modern medicine offers some expensive treatments that promise to rid your pet of a fever forever.

Some interesting facts

The name "shar pei" literally means "sand skin". It is difficult to find another breed of dog that would have such an unusual coat and skin.
Sharpei is not the best choice for dog breeders - newcomers.
Shar Pei training must be started much earlier than other dogs. This is due to the fact that representatives of this breed are very smart.
Sharpei can excel in various commands, agility and search.
Dogs of this breed are more pleasant to be among people than among their relatives.
Features of wrinkled skin dogs make the owner devote more time to her care. Folds must be thoroughly wiped, they should not be moisture and dirt. This will prevent infections from occurring.
Sharpei, like others dogs with a similar head shape, can quickly overheat.