The Chinese Shar-Pei: A Loyal and Independent Companion
History and Physical Appearance
The Chinese Shar-Pei is a unique breed that originated in China as early as 200 BC. They were originally bred for hunting, herding, and guarding livestock. The name “Shar-Pei” means “sand skin,” which refers to their rough coat texture.
This breed has a distinctive physical appearance with wrinkled skin that covers its entire body, especially around the face and neck. It has small triangular ears and almond-shaped eyes that come in colors of brown, black or blue-gray. The average height for males is between 18-20 inches (46-51 cm), while females are slightly smaller at 16-18 inches (41-46 cm). Males typically weigh between 55-65 pounds (25-29 kg) while females range from 45 -60 pounds (20–27 kg).
Temperament
Chinese Shar Pei’s make good family dogs because they are fiercely loyal to their owners but can be independent-minded at times too. They are usually reserved with strangers making them great watchdogs; however, it’s important to socialize them early on so they can get used to people outside their immediate family circle.
These dogs also have a strong prey drive so it’s important that they receive proper training otherwise may lead to aggressive behavior towards other animals including cats or small pets like hamsters or rabbits.
Health Problems
Like all breeds, there are certain health problems associated with the Chinese Shar-Pei such as hip dysplasia, ear infections due to folds covering over the ear canal , entropion which causes inward turning of the eyelids leading excessive tearing up of eyes alongwith cherry eye which leads swelling & redness in tear duct gland around dog eye area.
Exercise
They generally don’t require extensive amounts of exercise compared to many other breeds given that an hour walk a day will suffice. Additionally, they can be trained to run alongside their owner if looking for a more intensive workout.
Special Grooming Needs
Maintaining the coat of Shar-Pei is an important aspect as regular grooming such as weekly brushing and bathing needs to be done due to presence of folds in skin on over body which are prone to infection otherwise. Also trimming nails, cleaning ears regularly is very important.
Training
Their strong-willed nature makes training an essential component from the start whether it’s basic obedience or some other additional training that might interest them which may include agility or advanced tracking exercises given hunting instincts in them.
Compatibility with Children/Pets
Chinese Shar Peis can make good companions for children but should always be supervised especially around young kids. They require proper socialization with other pets starting at a young age if they’re going to live peacefully together under one roof where early intervention will help them get along better without resorting to bad behavior patterns like aggression towards each other.
Personality Quirks
These dogs often exhibit quirks such as stubbornness making training difficult initially but once bond has been developed between dog & owner things fall into place easily. One interesting characteristic this breed has is its tongue color which may turn blue-black when stressed out (although not all shar-peis show this trait).
Famous Examples
The Chinese Shar-Pei isn’t known for having any famous movie appearances like Lassie or Beethoven however actors Sharon Stone and Jason Lee both owned Shar Pei’s ,which led many people adopting these furry little guys thinking if celebrities were keeping them then surely these breeds must possess alot hidden qualities worth exploring!