Shar pei: description of the breed, character, photo, owner reviews

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

All over the world, dogs of this breed have become popular because of their unusual appearance. The pretty folds all over the body have captivated the hearts of many. But behind them, like behind armor, a strong strong warrior is hidden. This is worth knowing for those who are not yet familiar with the breed, but are thinking about acquiring one of its representatives.

Guest from China

It is better to start acquaintance with any breed of dog by studying its origin. The history of Shar-Pei takes us eight centuries back to China. It is classified as a molossoid type. To briefly describe the Shar Pei breed, it is a strong dog with characteristic breed differences, such as deep folds of skin on the head, shoulders, a blue-black tongue and a special swelling on the nose - “hippotamia”. In the seventies of the last century, Shar Pei was considered the rarest dog. Today, the number of individuals does not allow the breed to bear such a title.

The origin of the Chinese dog is little studied, which was facilitated by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who burned books, where, among other things,there could be evidence of the origin of these interesting dogs. Genetic analyzes carried out by scientists have confirmed that Shar-Pei is about three thousand years old.

Han

Most likely, for several thousand years Shar Pei were bred in southern China, near the South China Sea. Clay figurines depicting square dogs with scowling muzzles have been found in tombs dating back to the Han Dynasty. It is hardly possible to compare these images with Shar Pei only with absolute certainty. Chinese artists of ancient times often used stylization, an inaccurate rendering of what they saw. In addition, dogs were not a priority for artists and sculptors of those times.

Gladiator origin theory

There are a lot of strong arguments in favor of the fact that the history of the breed is connected with dog fighting. Even physical data (backbone, exterior, coat), a powerful jaw designed for grip and hold, say that this breed was used in battles. A special coat, rather sharp, is suitable for protection against enemy bites. It is unpleasant for a dog to keep such hair in its teeth for a long time. It is assumed that today's Shar-Pei is a descendant from the outskirts of Canton. In local ports, sailors and corsairs amused themselves by betting on dog fights. But the fate of Shar-Pei gladiators during the Han Dynasty was short-lived.

This statement is supported by evidence of the trade relations of the Roman Empire, which was in its heyday, and among the Romans dog fighting was in demand. Perhaps they brought their dogs for sale.

Folk Dog

Despite the fact that from the fighting Shar-Pei (a description of the breed will be below) he moved to the guards of the peasant dwellings of the Chinese, their popularity began to decline rapidly. During the time of Han Liu Bang, the peasants began to live better, so the help of a dog in everyday life was no longer so necessary. Shar Pei eventually became the pet of the ruling elite of China, whose representatives valued the breed for its hunting qualities. Surprisingly, despite their external heaviness, they are able to develop a decent speed. An iron grip with the right bite is also added here.

Before the communists came to power, the breed developed. But since the 40s of the last century, the government of Mao Tse Tung has tightened the screws on the law on keeping pets. For the proletarians, from the point of view of the Chinese Communists, keeping pets is not to face - this is an unjustified luxury. First of all, the law concerned dogs. The Sharpeevs were practically annihilated. There were only a few litters of this dog in the fifties.

In the second half of the sixties, the guardians for the preservation of the breed managed to take the only and best male to America. A year later, an article appeared in the press depicting "perhaps the last dog." She found a response, and soon the Chinese emigrants, Shar-Pei breeders, with the support of American dog breeders, took on the mission of restoring the breed. A desperate decision was made to cross the remaining individuals with different genotypic variants. But this is the only way to save the breed from extinction.

In 1978, Shar Pei entered the Guinness Book of Records as the rarest (for that period) animal. These days it'squite a popular breed.

Description

The Chinese Shar Pei is a calm, self-confident dog, not without a share of stubbornness, but with great devotion to his family. The pet owner needs to be an experienced dog breeder, trainer, and be able to devote time to games. A dog is a capable student if the classes are systematic and the owner knows how to persevere.

Description of the Shar Pei breed always begins with indications of its special, typical features. The first is wrinkled skin, the second is a blue tongue. They originate from Southern China, where they have been used in hunting, home protection and dog fighting over their long history.

This is a medium sized dog. Height at the withers 46-51 cm in males and females is the same. Weight - from 23 to 32 kilograms, depending on the diet and level of physical activity. The head, according to the Shar Pei breed description standard, is broad, which is often compared to the shape of a hippopotamus. Has wrinkles on forehead and cheeks. Ears are triangular in shape, recumbent.

The muzzle is slightly flattened, the lips and their upper part are filled with soft tissues. For this reason, they do not tolerate hot weather well. The tail, as indicated in the description of the Shar Pei breed, is thick, rounded at the base and tapering towards the tip. It is set high enough, twisted into a regular ring over the back. It is compared to the back of a shrimp - flexible and strong, without a dip behind the withers. Strong neck, medium length with a small lap. The limbs are muscular, thick and straight. The front legs are set wide apart, emphasizing the powerful chest.

Wool

Another feature of Shar Pei is its coat. There are three types: horse, brush and bearish. Basically, in all three types, it is short and bristly, without undercoat, straight and sticking out on the body, adjacent to the limbs. The length varies depending on the type. Colors of various shades. The main and most common:

• black and its shades;
• deer;
• mahogany;
• cream;
• blue;
• isabella;
• sable.

The description of the Shar Pei breed (see photo below) also distinguishes a separate group of colors, that is, with the absence of black pigment.

How does this amazing pet behave?

Character

In addition to the eye-catching appearance compared to other breeds of dogs, the description of the Shar Pei indicates its proud and independent character. They are very active in defending their territory. They show distrust of strangers and are aggressive towards other relatives. Therefore, early socialization is necessary if the dog lives in the city and is not sent to guard duty.

With the right training and approach, as a dog ages, he learns who is his friend and who really deserves adequate aggressive action.

Dog is an excellent family pet. To make it easier for yourself the process of raising a small dog, it is better to take a puppy from a breeder who keeps animals in the house. Then they are already partially socialized.

It is better to take a Shar Pei puppy into the family whenown children have already grown to an older age. Toddlers do not understand that a dog must be treated with respect. Shar-Peis often show no playful interest in children, which can be frustrating. They do not outwardly show affection and love for the owner.

The breed does not have a single level of activity for all representatives. Some are very active, others are inactive and phlegmatic, which speaks in defense of keeping them in an apartment. This is also confirmed by the descriptions of the character of the Shar Pei breed. Photos prove that the dog has a reserved and calm disposition. Although they are stubborn, they are usually trained without difficulty. They are very important praise and reward in the learning process. In the absence of trainer talents, it is advisable to seek qualified help from a cynologist.

Very important to establish contact with the owner - life under one roof. For them, it is painfully separate living in the yard, separately from the owner. Especially in our latitudes, this is detrimental - they have no undercoat, they are afraid of the cold.

Socialization is important

As the description of the character of the Shar Pei breed says, in order for the dog not to show aggression towards all living creatures, it should be given the opportunity to play with other dogs from puppyhood. It will have a positive effect if these are not only dogs from China, but also representatives of other breeds. The same goes for playing with people. It is better that he gets used to the environment of a large number of people. You can get a cat along with a puppy. Having taught him from an early age not to show aggression towards them, this will greatly facilitate walking the dog duringadulthood.

Representatives of the Shar-Pei breed are described as dogs with excellent intuition, inherent in all Asian pets. They well feel the mood of the owner, who, for example, addresses them with some kind of task. The key to mutual understanding is friendliness and moderate firmness, which will increase the dog's respect for the person. What is the description of the Shar Pei breed according to reviews? The virtues of character cannot be overestimated.

Reviews

In general, the owners are satisfied with the appearance of a new companion. They help to better understand the nature of the Shar Pei breed, reviews, descriptions given by the owners of these amazing dogs. Some, using the example of their pets, argue that they can be the kindest dogs in the world. They also refute the myth that their folds need special daily care. In general, according to most reviews, the dogs correspond to the breed description.