Shar pei

Shar Pei is an amazing ancient breed that has retained its originality and appearance. Yes, you can't confuse them with any other dog , and they still have one temper - not a gift at all ... However, until recently Shar Pei was in the Guinness Book of Records, and not because of its uniqueness, but rarity. Today, the breed has gained considerable popularity around the world.

Breed origin

As with other breeds that have a long history, the origin of Shar-Pei is not all clear. Archeologists found many statuettes and images of dogs, outwardly very similar to the ancestors of modern representatives of the breed, at the location of the ruins of the imperial palaces of the Chinese Han dynasty.

Experts believe that earlier Sharpey kept peasants for protection and hunting. But in one, not a wonderful moment, the lovers of cruel fun drew the attention of the dogs, and for a while they became fighting dogs. At that time, their aggressive attitude towards other animals was greatly encouraged.

There are two versions of who became the ancestor of this breed. According to one of them, these were smooth-haired chow-chows (these two breeds have one trait that distinguishes them from other dogs — a blue tongue), and on the other, mastiffs.

Description of the appearance of the Shar Pei breed

The appearance of Sharpey causes people different emotions, as it is quite original. The main feature of these dogs - numerous folds, especially in the muzzle. It seems that their short hair resembles velor, but this is just an illusion. The coat of these dogs is quite hard.

Not all people, seeing Shar-Pei for the first time, can believe that they were once used for fighting, however, even their skin “for growth” reminds of this. She really once protected dogs from serious damage. For the language of dark purple, lavender color, Shar-Pei is sometimes called "a dog that licked the sky."

If we talk about the standard of this exotic breed, then its representatives are referred to as molossny dogs with small size:

The height of dogs varies from 44 to 51 cm, weight - from 18 to 35 kg. On average, life expectancy is 10 years.
The head of the Shar-Pei is massive, with a large number of folds and a wide flat skull. The nose is large, black. Fall black and blue hue. Jaws powerful, with scissor bite. The eyes are small, almond-shaped with a dark iris. Auricles are small, fleshy.
The neck is strong, powerful, of medium length. The body is compact, strong, with a developed musculature. In puppies, the entire body is covered with folds, but in adults it is only stored in the head and neck.
Thorax deep, decent width. Short back , goes into a strong lower back.
Tail plump, curled over the back. The front and rear limbs are strong, with good muscles.

Sharpey colors

According to the RKF 2005 standard, the following colors of dogs of this breed are allowed:

The black. Dominates representatives of this breed, but the purity of this color is a rather rare phenomenon. More often the wool has a low tide - olive, dark brown, brownish, less often - blue-black.
Oleny. It belongs to the oldest colors, as the name of the breed is translated as "dog with sand wool." There are several variations - golden and sandy shades, but without red reflux.
Red. Quite often found in dogs of this breed. The palette of this color is quite wide - from light reddish tones to intense red. The most fashionable today are dogs with mahogany shades of a bright, juicy color.
Red deer. In fact, the dogs of this suit have a coat of light red, unsaturated tone. It is more red-haired than reindeer, it is allowed "variegation", that is, whiteness in some areas.
Cream. Varies from milky to caramel. Sometimes light dogs are mistakenly called white, but, in representatives of this breed, this color is unacceptable. Mandatory are the mask and black around the nose.
Sable. The scientific name of this suit sounds like “zonar gray”, the wool of dogs has a gray coating that comes on the face and a little on the limbs.
Blue. Shades range from smoky gray to dark gray. This color is weakened in black.
Isabella. A complex shade, creamy pink with a bluish or grayish tint. There is a gray mask in the area of the muzzle.
Chocolate. A rich palette - from milk chocolate to "bitter shades."
Apricot. Derived from the deer, complex shade of golden-reddish, characterized by warmth.
Lilac. Treats rare colors, varies from a chocolate shade with a pink halftone to warm pink-blue and silvery-pink with a smoke of tones. From the chocolate color it is distinguished by the presence of "gray" raid on the face.

The nature of the breed

Shar Pei have a rather complex character. It is particularly surprised by the combination of high intelligence, goodwill with distrust and even arrogance towards strangers. This makes dogs beautiful, incorruptible guards, devoid of blind aggression.

Most dogs of this breed are very attached to their owners, are friends with children and tolerate their pranks. Modern Sharpei temper has changed, and their natural “anger” manifests itself only in moments of danger. Most often this happens if the dog is provoked by another snooty dog.

Shar Pei is a great dog for the family and a great companion. Despite his modest dimensions, he is able to protect both himself and man. In addition, the Chinese dog is a true intellectual, unobtrusive and quiet.

He is not averse to always be with his family and feels good on trips. If people travel frequently and do not plan to take the dog with them, then you should not get such a pet. Such a dismissive attitude will necessarily negatively affect the character of the Shar-Pei.

Buying a puppy of this breed, you should forget about his fighting past. It is impossible to provoke Shar-Pei on aggression towards other creatures, since this will not lead to anything good.

What is captivating in these dogs? Of course, their appearance is worth a lot, but it's not about her. Shar Pei quickly learn new information, they are sociable and intelligible. And besides, they are excellent psychologists and quickly “tread” a path to a person’s heart.

Shar Pei breed training

Purebreds tend to dominate, and they are quite independent. That is what can be a problem in education and training. Sharpey needs a master with strong nerves and a strong spirit, otherwise the dog will quickly seize the initiative.

From the very first days it is important to show the puppy who is the owner of the house, only by accepting this as a given, the dog will obey and obey. Shar Pei is stubborn, and, as the owners put it, “may include stupid,” in this case, the owner should be smarter and wiser. With the right approach, the dog will quickly learn the basic principles of living in the house, will not spoil things and get used to the street.

To facilitate the learning process will help a number of professional recommendations:

Teaching your baby should be immediately, as soon as he got into the house, and the general course of dog training should begin with a pet from 3 months.
For Shar Pei, early socialization is important, that is, a puppy needs to be introduced to other people, pets, change walking routes, etc.
When training the owner must be restrained - aggressive behavior and cry are unacceptable.
The dog must learn the basic set of commands, it will greatly facilitate further training and comfortable coexistence.
You can not allow outsiders to bring up the dog.

If Shar Pei is not raised, he can grow aggressive and self-willed. Re-adult dog is almost impossible.

How to care for sharpei

Representatives of this breed do not require complex care. It should be periodically brushed to get rid of dead wool and improve blood circulation in the skin. Particularly noteworthy, perhaps, the ears of dogs. Owners need to be careful when bathing a pet and not washing their heads, as water that has got into their ears immediately contributes to the development of various diseases, which is not observed in other dogs. This is due to the fact that Shar Pei have thin auditory canals.

Bathe dogs of this breed on a monthly basis, during the procedure, you can use a rubber brush to speed up the process of replacing wool. Sharpei's skin is quite sensitive, so you should use special detergents. You need to gently wash all the folds of the animal, and after drying them with a hair dryer. This will save the pet from the risk of skin irritation.

Sharpies require significant physical activity, and for this dog should be taken on long walks. The more the dog uses up energy on the street, the calmer he will behave at home.

These dogs are very sensitive to direct sunlight, and in the heat their head can overheat, so walking the dog is better in the morning and evening when the sun is not so active. They are more accustomed to the cold than the heat, but ideal for them are moderate climatic conditions.

How to feed a sharpei

There may be problems, as sharpei often suffer from food allergies. Therefore, future owners should be ready for such a turn. Saving on food in this case will not work, feeding dogs with waste from their own table is prohibited. Also, you can not feed Shar Pei only raw foods.

If the owner does not have time to prepare daily food for the dog, then you can prepare homemade canned food of the "stew" type. It should be a balanced meal of meat, with the inclusion of cereals, vegetables. You can also cook a dish of offal. But it is important to find out if the ingredients cause allergies. A strong allergen is chicken, a prohibited product - pork.

You can feed Shar Pei with ready-made food too, but only by selecting the most suitable, preferably hypoallergenic - premium, super-premium or holistic class. It is recommended to purchase dry granules and canned food of the same brand and mix them in one portion. But to feed the dog only with a wet product is not worth it, it will negatively affect the condition of the dog's teeth.

The same applies to dry granules - in its pure form, they provoke abrasion of enamel. Another nuance - economy class rations for Sharpey nutrition are not suitable for many reasons and can cause significant health problems.

Experts warn that feeding a Shar-Pei requires a serious approach and significant financial costs, so you should evaluate your capabilities before this folded pet appears in the house.

Sharpei photos

Sharpee video

How much is a Shar Pei puppy

Despite the specificity of the dogs of this breed in terms of character and feeding, interest in them over the years only increases. Naturally, many people are interested in the question of the cost of Shar Pei puppies. Of course, it is impossible to answer this question unequivocally, since the price depends on many factors:

5500-10000 rubles - a puppy with hands that does not have a pedigree, of course, there is always a risk of buying a "half-breed", in addition, the likelihood of acquiring a sick animal or having mental disorders increases
11,000-14,000 rubles - a puppy of a pet-class, with minor deviations from the standard, not affecting its health and appearance, but not allowing the dog to participate in breeding and exhibitions;
20000-35000 rubles - a Breed class, a dog that is fully-fledged in all senses, capable of reproducing full-fledged offspring, but will not “miss the stars” at exhibitions;
over 35,000 rubles - a show class, in this case, it is only possible to determine the belonging of a puppy to this class by half a year, when the dog has teeth replaced, and it will be formed. Younger offspring can relate to this class only conditionally.

When purchasing a pet-sharpei, it is important to determine for what purpose it is needed. If only as a pet, then it is quite possible to buy a baby pet class. In other cases, you will have to spend much more money. But in any case, the pet will require good care and nutrition.

Shar Pei is a serious dog in a funny face, and he is by no means a toy, not a decorative dog. Taking into the house a glorious boot with wrinkles, it is important not to forget that without training and education, a willful animal can grow out of it that can terrorize the whole district. Shar-Pei is recommended for people who have experience in handling dogs and who do not forget about responsibility.