Chinese Shar Pei: Ancient Breed

by Melissa Coleman

In spite of its unique characteristics, for some reason the Chinese Shar Pei was deemed to be dangerous and thus was being slowly driven to extinction by the Chinese Communists until the brave efforts of some Hong Kong breeders and a few Americans saved them and made them a very popular breed that today is much sought after by dog lovers all over the world. Thus, today this unique breed that has a wrinkled look and which has the face much like that of a hippo is readily available for dog lovers to own

One look at its compact build and strong frame and muscled body should impress you and with a blocky head and a weight not exceeding fifty-five pounds. The Chinese Shar Pei is a well-mannered breed that moves with balance and strength and which also has a good rear-end drive. The name is symbolic of its coarse and bristled coat that is of three types that are horse, bear and brush coat. This ancient breed is also closely related to the Tibetan Mastiff and also the Chow Chow and has survived from ancient times.

The Chinese Shar Pei is a breed that is well liked and also well known for its calm and confident look. It is very dignified as well, though not so well disposed to showing friendliness to strangers, as it can often also be quite arrogant. The Shar Pei also has a clownish temperament and such characteristics make Shar Pei training a bit of a chore though it must be trained to socialize and to understand that the master is the law and superior to him.

The Shar Pei is a breed that likes to be around humans and responds well to human contact, and also makes for a great watchdog. It can often even act like a clown when around others of its own breed, and may even show signs of arrogance as well.

Thus, training the Shar Pei may prove to be harder than you bargained for, though once socialized, will make for an excellent and devoted companion.

Most recognized for its wrinkled looks, the Chinese Shar Pei is a most sought after breed and this is quite a change because the breed was once considered as being a rare one when it was in danger of becoming extinct, no thanks to the efforts of Chinese Communists in trying to end this breed.

However, because some good breeders did not give up on this breed, it is now a very popular breed that has survived those hard times and is being carefully bred even in America.

However, the Shar Pei can give its owners a few headaches because of its tendency to suffer from health problems that will require giving it timely protective care. Thus, as a prospective owner, you need to be aware of such issues and be prepared to deal with them. However, the Chinese Shar Pei is well loved and is also a very possessive animal that can prove to be a great family pet dog. In addition, you need to ensure that you have obtained your Shar Pei from reputable breeders if you don’t want to end up with a pet that has many faults.

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