Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Chinese Shar Pei Dog Breed History, Health Issues, Grooming and Personality Traits

Description: The Chinese Shar Pei is a large dog
that stands between 11 and 18 inches in height.
This dog is famous for its wrinkled, saggy skin.
It has a square profile with a broad and flat
head. The muzzle is exceptionally full and wide
with a moderate stop. This breed's tongue is
blue- black in colour. The teeth meeting in a
scissor bite. The eyes are small almost hidden
and are almond shaped, they are set wide apart.
With high sets triangular ears that are small and
curved slightly at the tip. With a particularly
high tail, that is bulky at the base, tapering
off to a finer point. There are three types of
coats: Brush coat, horse coat and the rare bear
coat, the last one is not recognized by the AKC.
This is due to the fact it is perhaps a throwback
to the Chow-chow. The rare bear coat still,
however makes an excellent pet. The horse coat
within this breed is rough to the touch and feels
prickly. The brush coat is longer haired and is
smoother to the touch. The coat on either variety
can grow up to 1 inch in length colours include
all solid colours and sables. This dog usually
comes in two varieties of skin folds, one is
covered in large folds of wrinkles even into
adulthood, and this is mainly the brush coat. The
other variety has skin appears tight on his body
with wrinkles more pronounced on the face and
withers; this is more likely with the horse coat.

History: The Chinese Shar Pei breed is an ancient
Chinese dog, and comes from China. This dog is
descended possibly from the chow chow, however,
the only actual link is a blue black tongue. It
is thought to date back to 206 BC but the only
evidence of this is in pictures on pottery. This
dog has been used for many purposes, on the farm.
These include hunting, herding, tracking,
protecting stock, killing vermin, and as a guard
dog. It has also been used as a fighting dog,
having the advantage of prickly and loose skin
which makes it harder for the opponent dog to
grab hold. The Chinese believed that the wrinkled
face and black tongue would ward off evil
spirits. Due to the communist revolution this
breed's numbers dwindle, and in 1973, a Hong Kong
businessman attempted to save the breed. He drew
attention to this breed through an American
magazine, and since those times the numbers have
steadily risen and the dog has become one of the
popular breeds in the USA. This breed has over
70,000 dogs registered as foundation stock.

Temperament: The Chinese Shar Pei dog is
intelligent, playful and very loyal. They bond
with their family, but are not unfriendly to
others, providing, they had been socialised well
as a puppy. The Chinese Shar Pei is independence
and easy-going. This makes them a charming
companion. It is wise to remember the dogs roots
in hunting and fighting and not to get carried
away by the fact this dog looks like a toy. This
dog needs a confident owner. This is not a dog
that should be allowed to take over the home.
This dog needs firm, very consistent, strong
leadership, and understand humans are above him
in the pecking order. This dog needs obedience
training to establish your leadership. If this
dog feels he is in command, he will become
stubborn and overbearing and can be a very
aggressive dog. Socializing well as a puppy is
very importance, this way, they can gain
confidence and be used to other dogs, and
children or any new situations. This dog's
temperament depends on how the dog is treated,
and to a small extent to its parenthood and
genetic line. So care should be taken when
purchasing this dog, as in the 1980s it was
carelessly over bred. This dog also needs regular
exercise, and daily walks are a must for this dog.

Health issues: The Chinese Shar Pei breed can get
skin problems that are not at all due to the
wrinkles, but rather hereditary condition due to
over breeding in the 1980s. Caution is advised
when buying this dog, and only to use a reputable
dealer. They can be prone to kidney failure,
called amolydosis. They can also suffer from heat
as the wrinkles on their face retain in the heat.

Grooming: The Chinese Shar Pei coat needs
brushing regularly, but does not need cutting.
The coat sheds little all year round, with the
horse coat tending to be seasonal. This breed can
bath weekly, particularly when shedding as they
look somewhat scruffy during this period.

Living conditions: The Chinese Shar- Pei is fine
for apartment life, providing it has adequate
walking and exercise. Care needs to be taken in
warm weather due to the wrinkles of their head,
holding in the heat.

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