One of the best dogs in the universe that unfortunately have been wrecked by the designer mob like the Beckhams Loads to be found dumped and ending up in rescues after folk have bought one on a whim and then realised that the dog rules them and not the other way around. Tremendous family dogs, very very intelligent and if you are not experienced with the breed, it is better to get a puppy (be very fussy/careful of breeders) as older dogs tend to have some "history" which isn't usually very nice. Have a look here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shar_Pei Everybody sees them all wrinkly and cuddly but they do change and grow up to be guard dogs to their family and home, strangers are best introduced to them slowly and on their terms, it is no good going full on in their face. Very quiet in the home, ours is asleep on the sofa at the moment, he doesn't like getting wet or cold, adores our family. They normally have a high prey drive with poor recall (be warned), but there are exceptions to that rule as with any breed. I'd recommend one to anybody from puppy to keep as a family pet, but do your homework first. Al
This was a breed I considered briefly before becoming aware that they are supposed to be very bad for asthmatics with their stubbly type coat. Then there was also 2 dog-aggressive ones we saw that put us off, also they are a quite aloof breed. I would worry about the health problems in the breed too and a lot of insurance companies won't insure them either. However, I liked the one I saw on "Animal Hospital" once with Rolf Harris as that had been ill and the owner had to hand-feed it but it wouldn't eat out of a dish and she had to still hand-feed it when it was better!
I have an 18 month old Shar-Pei, named M'boi and I'm head over heels in love with her! She's the most wonderful dog I've ever owned. M'boi is quiet, serious and sometimes shy. Can be a "couch potato" and a bit "chewy" if you let her. Very loving towards my cat and rarely cross with her "little" sister Chloe, a Tibetan Spaniel, even when she bounces all over her and bites her nose when she's having her beauty sleep. M'boi was only 8 weeks old when I brought her home ... I was amazed as she needed no house training and obedience came naturally to her. She's totally devoted to me and if a stranger comes to my house she won't let me out of her sight. She's an absolute treasure and I wouldn't be without her for all the world!
I'm asthmatic and have never reacted badly to shar-pei. I've lived with four over the past 15 years and met probably hundreds over the years as a good friend used to breed and show them. The very short haired horsecoats can cause a reaction if you have eczema though, due to how prickly some are. Hence why I prefer the non standard, but beautiful anyway bearcoats. When I saw the first ones imported I swore I'd never have one as I thought they were quite the ugliest dogs I'd ever seen. A few years later one chose me and now I'd never be without one as they are so easy to live with once you understand them. To someone who is thinking of having one, if you want a dog that will fetch a ball, do what you tell him/her or even be let off the lead in the park, get a different breed. They can be a challenge as they are very clever, sensitive, independent and if you don't take charge, they certainly will. I would most definitely not advise a first time dog owner to get a shar-pei. They need very careful and consistent socialisation from a young age. Many have high prey drives and some can be dominant, even aggressive as they were bred to hunt and guard, often on their own initiative. Their health is another concern as they can be walking heartbreak on four legs. The breed has a very small gene pool, a problem with popular sire syndrome and FSF is lurking in all lines. I have spent about 15 years putting strangers who stop me in the street to admire my dogs off the breed. Too many people think they are an animated soft toy or worse, a fighting dog like a pitbull, rather than a primitive working/hunting/guarding breed. I've feared what has happened recently (the explosion of them in the wrong hands) happening. You'd think I don't like the breed from all that, wouldn't you? But saying all that, if you socialise them well, train them with kindness/consistnecy and treat them as a member of the family, they are great family dogs. They are very much like their cousins the chow and the akita in that you have to develop mutual respect and not offend their natural sense of dignity by asking them to repeat things for no reason. They are pretty good with other animals and children if introduced at a young age, though their protective streak should be borne in mind with both as they may protect their own children from their friends and love their own cats/bunnies but want to kill others that invade their territory. And nowadays, many are healthy and live to be 10-12 years old. By the way, this is Sophie. I wasn't getting another shar-pei after losing my 10 year old horsecoat to cancer, but fate had other ideas.
Saw one at a village show this weekend, it had terrible skin problems Know someone who had two, lost one recently . and they seem to be nice dogs. Not a breed for me though, the guarding instinct and the DA (so I have heard) is not something I want in a dog........
I lost my old boy last year, he was everything everyone has described. He had intermittent bouts of Swollen Hock throughout his life and as a puppy my vet told us he was unlikely to live more than 5 years. He was almost 13 when he died. He wasn't a true horsecoat but neither was he a brushcoat (somewhere inbetween), I'd done my homework on the breed and all the evidence suggested that they moulted once a year. This was confirmed by the breeder I got him from. They didn't lie, they do shed once a year...........it just lasts all blooming year!!!! He was incredibly loyal and I loved him to bits but I doubt that I would have another. His sticky up ears added to his character
They come in three. The horsecoat, which is the short and prickly one. The brushcoat is slightly longer but still harsh to touch. And lastly the bearcoat which is a fault in the standard, but soft and fluffy. So much nicer to cuddle. I've had one of each in the past and on my second bearcoat.
Who? Me? What gives you the idea I have a Tibetan Mastiff? ;-) Well okay then, here's the big bearcoat.
As far as breeds go, there are far worse breeds for moulting than shar-pei. I found mine have only ever moulted for a couple of weeks twice a year and nothing like breeds like labs, GSDs etc... that seem to constantly shed as much as a shar-pei does in mid moult on an almost daily basis. They only have a single coat rather than a double one to begin with. Saying that though, the horsecoat hairs especially are like little daggers that weave their way into your sock and stab you in the feet when you least expect it. Two months after losing my dear little horsecoat to cancer, I'm still finding her stabby little blonde hairs in my socks - gone but not forgotten.
What a sweetheart! Love his sticky up ears. Who was his breeder if you don't mind me asking? My first two had hock attacks, but lived to be 7 and 11. I have said so many times I won't get another one. But each time I lose one, another that needs a good home falls into my lap.
In that case, they aren't that bad either. They usually don't drop a hair for about 11 months, then the house is like a spaghetti western set in a snowglobe. Tumbleweed... I also spend a lot of time putting people off TMs as everybody thinks my bearliondogthing is a sweet and dopey teddy bear. Well he is, if someone genetically spliced a teddy bear with a leopard and a nuclear bomb. I wouldn't say they are destructive, but his nickname is JCB and he thought his name was "NO - STOP THAT!" up to being 2 years old.
