The Shar Pei is a breed well known for its characteristic short bristled hair as well as for its loose and wrinkled skin, it was baptized “the rarest dog breed in the world” in the 70s and despite this, or perhaps for this reason, it currently enjoys enormous popularity.
This curious breed was born many centuries ago in China, specifically designed to hunt, guard houses and take care of pets. They were also used for dogfights. Over time, the Shar Pei has grown into a perfect, loyal and dedicated family dog.
From Dogsis we want to show you all the characteristics and care that this beautiful breed of dog requires.
Index of contents
- 1 What is the character of the Shar Pei dog like?
- 2 Physical characteristics of the breed
- 3 How to train a Shar Pei
- 4 Recommended care
What is the character of the Shar Pei dog like?
The Shar Pei is an intelligent and independent dog, extremely faithful to his family, but distant from people he does not know. It is said that it enjoys the company of humans more than that of dogs, and never tires of being with its owner all the time. These characteristics, together with its calm and safe nature, make it an endearing and well-loved companion.
But this does not mean that the Shar Pei does not have a very marked character that from time to time brings out, such as when it comes to protecting the family. As an excellent watchdog, he will respond without hesitation to anything he perceives as a threat.
This trait, positive input, can be a problem on certain occasions since his past as a fighting dog is still deeply rooted in his character. In any case, as it happens with all dogs, the Shar-Pei also needs to be socialized at an early age and be exposed as a puppy to the presence of other people and dogs.
It should be noted that the Shar Pei is a noisy dog that hoarsebarks and growls constantly. He also tends to drool excessively when very excited.
Physical characteristics of the breed
The first characteristic of the Shar Pei that catches our attention is that of the folds and wrinkles that cover its head and neck, which are even more numerous in the case of puppies, in which they practically cover the entire body. It should be noted in this regard that in Chinese shar-pei means “hair of sand”, which seems a fairly accurate definition.
Adults reach 55 cm in height at the withers and weigh around 20-25 kg. The American Shar Pei is smaller in size and features a body with many more folds and wrinkles. Its body is strong and compact, while its very thick tail curls over its back. The ears, triangular in shape, always point towards the eyes.
The Shar Pei’s coat is short and hard, presenting a wide variety of colors such as black, red, lilac …, but almost never white.
How to train a Shar Pei
The Shar Pei’s character demands a firm but gentle hand during his upbringing. If we don’t take the reins, surely he will do it for us. The best method is to use positive reinforcement and lots of goodies as a reward.
The main ingredient needed to train a Shar Pei is patience, especially when they are puppies, the time of their life when they are most restless and mischievous. In general, they are independent dogs that do not like to be told what to do. That is why it is very important to establish the limits from the first moment and clearly mark the rules.
But even with a proper education and good socialization from the first months of life, a Shar Pei is not a suitable dog to keep in a home with very young children. His protective instinct towards family will always prevail, but sometimes he may not have enough patience with the little ones in the house when they play with him too aggressively, being able to bite or hurt them.
Educating a Shar Pei in house hygiene habits is relatively easy, as it is a very clean breed of dog.
Recommended care
The Shar Pei adapts smoothly to life both inside a flat with limited space and in a country house with a garden. Whenever you go for a daily walk and exercise, you will be a balanced dog.
Regarding your health, the great Shar Pei’s weak point is its skin. It is necessary to regularly brush the dog to prevent it from developing problems such as seborrhea, mites or bacterial skin infections, which occur quite frequently and cause many discomforts and disorders for this type of dog.
It is not a good idea to wash it too often, because doing so will lose the layer of natural fat that protects it. What we should be more careful with is drying after bathing. If we don’t dry the folds and wrinkles thoroughly with a clean towel, there is a risk of developing a yeast infection.
The chafing of the folds can also cause irritations and ulcers, so it is advisable to check our Shar Pei at least once a week.
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