About Shar Pei

 

So what is this breed like then?  For me it's the only breed.  I've had terriers most of my life, oh and possibly the nastiest poodle you've ever met and, compared to them, these dogs are a delight.  This is my view of what a Shar Pei is like......

 

They are a funny mix, that remind me mentally of a cross between a cat and a terrier.  They can be very standoffish, particularly with strangers.  They tend to pick their friends, despite what you say and who you think should be their friends.  They can sulk for England if you upset them and I've even had one sit in a corner with his back to me for hours because I raised my voice to him!  They are great with children although no matter how good the dog is, I'd never leave a child alone with a dog.  They are devoted to their family and build deep bonds. 

 

Shar Pei and training

• They are not the easiest dogs to train.  They tend to do things because they want to, not because you tell them to.  It's very much a case of leading rather than pushing with a Shar Pei.  And they can be incredibly bright.  My horsecoat Pepper made out-foxing me a lifetime's work!  Sometimes I swore you could see her working things out as she sat there.

• None of mine will chase a ball.  If you throw one they'll look at you as much as to say "didn't you want that then?".  Although I've heard of some that will play fetch.  Mine much prefer to wander round with stuffed toys.  They never rip them up, just shake them and carry them around.  It never ceases to amaze the postman that the ferocious looking dog behind the gate is as likely as not to have a teddy in his mouth.

Shar Pei and cats (or small dogs for that matter)

• They are a guard dog and a hunter and you should never forget that.  Instincts run deep in dogs and these will hunt small furry animals and guard the house.  They can live with cats but need to be introduced to them at a young age.  I had a cat that Molly adored. The cat would attack Molly in her sleep waking her up with a start and Molly would chase the cat until he stopped and the game would be over.  They were the best of friends and would curl up to sleep together.  Molly and the cat shared the front of the house, as Molly doesn't really like to be around other dogs.  Fendi had not grown up with the cat.  When Fendi chased the cat, she meant it and sadly one day, she caught him.  Thankfully no real damage was done, the cat was shocked but not hurt.  But that was it, the cat had to go and live with my daughter, next time Fendi would kill it.  Molly has been brought up with cats from a puppy.  Fendi hasn't.

• Mine also hunt rats and have caught the odd one.

Shar Pei and eyes

• This is where Shar Pei can be quirky.  Shar Pei will show any stress through their eyes.  Everything from stress, teething and ear infections can manifest itself in winky or closed eyes.  The first season for a bitch can see her shut an eye.  Generally, although to look at this shows all the signs of entropion, in my experience, it rarely is.  Shar Pei have the ability to pull their eyelids in so tight that they roll and rub the eye.  Often cream or a procedure called tacking will cure this without the need for surgery and there is, in my view, an education exercise around eyes and stress that needs to be carried out with vets, the Kennel Club and the EU!

• Wet eyes (or tears) is also a normal reaction to stress in a Shar Pei and should not in isolation be seen as an indication of eye trouble.  If the face becomes sore, I use a barrier cream such as comfrey and calendual cream to protect the skin on the face until the episode passes.  Some pups can be very prone to wet eyes but often grow out of it by a year old.

Shar Pei and coats/skin

• The number of times people have asked me when I've been out with the dogs if I have to put cream or powder in the wrinkles!  The answer is no.  This is a myth, the origins of which escape me.  The wrinkles on the body are free flowing and the air does get to them.  No creams or powders are needed. 

• They are a relatively low maintenance dog in terms of grooming.  I tend not to bath mine very often.  They have natural oils in their coats that repel water which makes bathing them a bit of a challenge anyway.  They don't smell like normal dogs and don't tend to get that doggy smell you get with other breeds.  They moult twice a year on average and tend to drop their coats over a three week period.  Some moult in great holes and look like a rotten old piece of carpet.  Just when you think they're a candidate for the RSPCA the new coat comes in almost overnight.

• Shar Pei have natural oils in their coats which can take up to a year to balance out.  Don’t worry about a slightly dry flaky skin if you see it.  They will grow out of it.  It is more noticeable and more prevalent in the darker colours.  Don’t bath your dog too often or you will strip these oils out of the coat.  A couple of times a year, generally when they are moulting is the best time for a bath.  I use a damp cloth at other times to wipe the coat if you have any dirty marks.  Brushing is not necessary other than when the dog is moulting and then a rubber grooming pad is the best grooming tool.

• Bald patches tend to be as a result of a moult and I find, provided the skin is clean and clear underneath, no intervention is necessary.

• In my experience, the first moult is usually the  most dramatic.  I put this down to hormones which are rushing around the pups little body trying to make the transition from pup to adult. 

• Shar Pei skin is paper thin with a thick layer of white blubber underneath.  Cuts can look a lot worse than they really are.  On the plus side, they mend much quicker than other breeds.  This is normal in a Shar Pei.  Ignore a vet if they tell you it is a problem or not normal.  It is the reason they are no longer eaten in China so I’m all for it.

• Shar Pei can suffer from teenage spots under the chin as they grow up.  Don’t panic, they will grow out of it.  Keep the area clean with salt water and try not to look!  If it happens to your pup, it will pass.  I don’t believe in giving them antibiotics for every little thing as they need to build up their own immunity. 

• Sometimes a Shar Pei's coat can cause a slight rash in humans.  This is something I got from Pepper when I first got her.  In time you usually become accustomed to the coat and stop getting the rash. 

Shar Pei and chewing/destruction

• I'm often asked if Shar Pei chew.  Well yes they do when they are teething - all dogs will. They need to to break the new teeth through and stop the pain!  This is when they need loads of nylabones to play with.

• I don't find these a destructive breed.  I have eight living in the house and the furniture is relatively unscathed.  I say relatively, I have leather sofas without a mark, wood furniture without a scratch but I do have a coffee table (now our 6th) that for some reason is just the right height and irresistible to a passing pup that bears teeth marks on one corner and one of those new rugs with the loose woolly tassels that is also irresistible to the same naughty black horsecoat.  When I had Wire Haired Fox Terriers (or Terrors as we called them) nothing was sacred and they had to be kept out of the best parts of the house unless strictly supervised!

• But if you want to live in a show home, don't buy a dog - any dog.  They don't wipe their feet when they come in, they don't wipe their mouths when they've been in the water bowl and they will trail that across the floor.  No house with be or stay perfectly clean all the time you have a dog, child or partner living there!

• A couple of mine will dig and the muddy claws and muzzle are usually the give-away.  It tends to be the same ones that go ratting so I'm guessing they can hear the rats underground and that's what they are digging for.

Shar Pei and claws

 

• Claws can grow like weeds on a Shar Pei.  They need to be kept tidy and whilst young I would recommend clipping every week to get them used to it.  Shar Pei can be very funny about having their feet touched but those that are clipped regularly from a very young age usually take nail clipping as adults with good grace.

 

Shar Pei and strangers

• Remember this dog is a guard dog and will guard your home and your family.  Most of mine bark a good fight but only a few would follow that up if someone uninvited came through the door on their own.  Mind you, I have eight as I've said and you'd be surprised how quickly they pack up behind each other if they feel threatened.  However, take them away from their home and they are pussy cats!  I take mine from the earliest possible age to the Sunday market and boot fair.  Here they meet all sorts of people, young and old, big and small.  This really is the very best way to socialise your puppy.  You don't have to walk far and few can resist stopping to say hello to a bundle of wrinkles.  This way they get to meet other dogs and people on neutral ground and by the time they come to the show ring, they are generally bomb proof!  Nothing and no-one phases them.  It's also a great way of lead training.  With so much going on, they tend to forget they've got a lead on and start to wander around happily to explore.

Shar Pei and other dogs/aggression

• Again socialisation is key.  If you take them out from an early age and don't do anything to make them worry about other dogs, they won't. Remember your feelings travel down the lead and if you snatch the lead up when your pup meets a bigger dog, you send the signal down the lead that this dog is a danger and the pup needs to react or be scared of it.  The biggest problem I've had with other dogs is with labradors and flatcoats who tend to have trouble reading Shar Pei's faces.  The wrinkles and frowning expression are mistaken for an aggressive stance and they attack them.  Twice now I've been at the vets having my dogs stitched back up after an unprovoked attack - one of them at a dog show!

• Shar Pei are not in my experience a natural fighter.  They don't tend to look for trouble and often won't make eye contact with other dogs when walking by.  However, if someone starts, they'll finish it.  Occasionally, when going through their naughty teenage stage, they may 'get up on their toes' and this must be discouraged immediately.

To be continued.......

Coming soon

Shar Pei and health

Shar Pei and exercise

Shar Pei and routine