You may recognise them by their cute wrinkles, but the Shar Pei has a deeper history than many may imagine. Learn all about their history, exercise needs, and trainability in this Dog Breed Corner. And for a Shar Pei-friendly diet, sign up for Mad Paws Dinner Bowl’s tailored meal plans for dogs!
Quick Facts ✔
Height – 45 – 51cm
Weight – 18 – 25kg (females), 25 – 29kg (males)
Lifespan – 9 – 12 years
Country of origin – China
Breed type – Non-sporting
- Experienced Dog Owners
- Active Dog Owners
- Households with older or no children
Shar Pei Breed History ♜
When it comes to some breeds, there’s not much difference between the modern dog and their ancient ancestors. No so with the Shar Pei. The quietly dignified pooch of the modern era doesn’t reveal much about their long history. But in reality, their lineage is filled with almost as many twists and turns as the wrinkles on their face.
Although there aren’t many records of the early days of the Shar Pei, geneticists consider this breed to be part of what’s known as the basal lineage of dogs. This means that they, along with a few other East Asian breeds like the Chow Chow and Siberian Husky, may have been the first dogs to be domesticated from the grey wolf.
This finding suggests that the Shar Pei breed is potentially thousands of years old. Indeed, historians have traced the breed back to the Han Dynasty, over 2,000 years ago.
Unlike the Chow Chow, though, the Shar Pei wasn’t destined for wealth and royalty. Instead, this rough-coated pup could be found in working-class families, particularly in farming communities in the Chinese countryside of Guangdong. With independence and intelligence, they excelled at herding, hunting, and guarding the flock. And, an intimidating look was worked into the breed to make them an even more effective guard dog for the homestead.
As you start to form the picture in your mind, let us stop you for a moment. The early versions of the Shar Pei were “bone-mouthed”, meaning they didn’t have the wrinkly jowls that are so distinctive in the breed outside of China. In other words, the bore little resemblance to the wrinkly floofballs of the modern era. These smooth-snouted Shar Pei are widely considered to be the traditional version and would have been the norm hundreds of years ago.
Unfortunately, like many tough dogs of the world, the Shar Pei was at one time used for dogfighting. That rough coat and areas of loose skin made it difficult for their opponents to get a good grip on them. So, breeders interested enhanced these traits, moving the breed closer in the direction of the doggo we know today.
Luckily, dogfighting wouldn’t be in the cards for the Shar Pei forever. Even so, these dogs wouldn’t enjoy a peaceful retirement, either. Instead, the transition to Communism in China would prove almost fatal to the breed. During the first few decades of the new government, Dog Ownership was discouraged, and these dogs became incredibly rare.
If it weren’t for a few specimens in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the Shar Pei might have faded away completely. But, thanks to the tireless efforts of Shar Pei enthusiasts, this doggo would get another chance. These Shar Pei cheerleaders made a few tweaks to the look of the breed—lengthening the coat fur and turning up the dial on those wrinkles—to make the Shar Pei even more appealing to a US audience. And it worked. By 1979, a wrinkly Shar Pei pup was on the cover of the American magazine, LIFE, thus solidifying its path towards popularity.
Today, the Shar Pei is in a pretty good place. They’ve happily made the transition to family pet, and you can see them all over the world. In fact, they’ve even been welcomed back into their home country—Dog Ownership is on the rise in China.
Shar Pei Personality Traits ★
The Shar Pei’s temperament is much like that of the other dogs within its breed family. Similar to the Chow Chow and Shina Ibu, the Shar Pei is often described as independent, aloof, intelligent, and serious. This is true, but it’s not the whole picture.
They can also be incredibly loyal to their family. They can be affectionate and attention-seeking with the people they love and prefer to be in the same room as their beloved Owners. In fact, prepare for a lot of gentle “look at me” tapping whenever your Shar Pei wants something from you.
While they are a fairly calm breed, the they can also be a lot to handle. They’re prone to aggressiveness towards dogs and other animals. And, they range from aloof to hostile with strangers and houseguests. Even with plenty of training and early socialisation, these traits make most dog experts warn against having a Shar Pei in a home with small children.
That said, not all Shar Pei fit the mould of grouchy antisocial dogs. When they grow up around other animals and new people, and get a good dose of obedience training, they can be friendly and easy-going.
Trainability & Training Tips
Clearly, dogs with a tendency towards aggression will need early and consistent training Without a patient and persistent trainer, they’re likely to consider themselves the rule-setter of your household.
Because the Shar Pei’s personality traits are a recipe for difficult training, it’s a good idea to enroll them in obedience training classes. A professional trainer can help you reign in that big Shar Pei personality and communicate effectively with your pup. Deep down, these doggos will love the challenge of training—and the attention from their beloved human!—but the right methods will be key.
Shar Pei have a reputation for being obstinate students. But as with all dogs, being overly harsh can do more harm than good. Once you have a good bond with them, they’ll want to play along, especially if you can hold their attention with treats and positive praise. And, you’ll notice that with frequent, short training sessions, the need for firm redirections will be rare if not non-existent.
Socialisation is also absolutely necessary for these doggos. They need to learn to see dogs, strangers, and animals of all sizes as friends if they’re going to overcome their inherent suspicion of others. Ideally, socialisation should start for the Shar Pei as early as is safe for them to do so. An important part of this process will be proper leash etiquette in public spaces, and non-aggressive behaviour at dog parks or dog beaches.
Finally, we should mention play biting as an area of Shar Pei basic training. These dogs love to show their affection and bond with their Owners by playfully nipping or gnawing at their hands. While it’s a cute and generally harmless habit, not correcting the behaviour in puppyhood could be confusing to your dog. After all, you don’t want them trying to nibble on your houseguests who may not know that it’s harmless.
Check out our article on How to Avoid Confusing Your Dog for more tips on clarifying the training process for your Shar Pei.
Shar Pei Exercise Needs
As calm and cool as they are at home, you might mistake the Shar Pei for a low energy dog. But remember, these puppers have carried out the role of farmhand, hunter, watchdog and more—they’ve got more energy than meets the eye!
As such, this dog should get at least a half hour to an hour of exercise per day. Once they’ve been leash-trained and socialised, they make excellent walking or jogging companions. They’ll gladly accompany you for whatever outdoor adventure you have planned.
Bringing in an enthusiastic Dog Walker is a great way to get this dog out of the house regularly. That said, remember that this is a breed who doesn’t warm up very quickly to newcomers. It’s a good idea to have a consistent Dog Walker who can become part of your pupper’s close friend group.
Speaking of friend groups, there’s nothing a Shar Pei loves more than to pal around with some other puppers. Socialising them to get along with other dogs will ensure that they’re able to run around and burn off some energy at the dog park or in the backyard with friends.
As far as traditional doggie games go, it can be hard to predict whether your Shar Pei will be willing to play along. Some are avid fetchers, for instance, while others will lose interest quickly or simply refuse to bring the ball back.
Most Shar Pei are not huge fans of the water, so swimming sports might not be appealing to this doggo. This, too, depends on the individual dog—some will seek out water like any other pupper!
Mental challenges can be effective in tiring out a Shar Pei. Like training, it will take a good amount of patience and treats to get this dog to play along. But, once they’ve got a taste of how fun agility training, obstacle courses, or other mental challenges can be, they’ll wow you with their skills and commitment.
As you can see, these dogs are a bit selective about the kinds of activities they’ll engage in. So, it might take a bit of trial and error to find an exercise routine that works for your Shar Pei.
Shar Pei Living Conditions ⌂
As medium sized dogs, the Shar Pei can do well in a variety of household sizes. That said, there are a few considerations for their ideal lifestyle.
On the one hand, these dogs prefer to be in the company of their Owners. They should not live outside or spend an extensive amount of time in the backyard.
There’s also the weather to worry about. For a doggo who hates getting wet, they won’t be pleased to live in an area with frequent rain. It’s not a deal-breaker, of course. But you might find it more difficult to exercise these dogs when they’re so hesitant to venture out on rainy days.
Heat is another important factor for this breed. These dogs may have a longer snout than your French Bulldog or Pug, but they are still considered to be part of the brachy group of dog breeds. That means that they’re less able to regulate their body temperature through panting. So, in addition to turning on the air conditioning on warm days, Owners should also know how to identify heatstroke.
Shar Pei Grooming ✄
In the original Cantonese, Shar Pei means “sand skin,” referring to their traditionally short, almost horse-like coat. Over time, the Shar Pei has been bred for a couple of different coat types, but they all require just about the same amount of grooming.
Which is to say, not much! A couple of wipe downs with a doggie wipe, two or three brushing sessions with a soft-bristled brush per week, and a bath about once per season is all you need to groom them.
That said, special care should be taken to keep those skin folds clean. Skin fold dermatitis is common with this breed, so you’ll need to make sure to clean and dry those adorable wrinkles frequently.
Finally, there’s the slobber. These dogs fall into the high drooling category, so you may find yourself cleaning up those jowls—and all of the areas where they snooze!
Shar Pei Health +
Unfortunately, the Shar Pei is a dog that is plagued by a variety of genetic disorders. Shar Pei Owners will want to familiarise themselves with the possible health concerns that come with these dogs:
- Hip and elbow dysplasia, and patellar luxation
- Eye and eyelid conditions, including ectropion, entropion, and cataracts
- Skin conditions and allergies
- Shar Pei Fever, which includes frequent, recurring fever, inflammation, and swelling of the hocks
For a dog this prone to health concerns, Owners will want to prioritise two things: developing a good relationship with a trusted vet and creating an overall healthy lifestyle. This means proper exercise, rest, and the right diet of all-natural, fresh ingredients to help strengthen the immune system.
Fun Fact about the Shar Pei ♥
Love this dog breed but wish that they were a little less rough to the touch? Then, you’re going to love the Bear Coat variation. It’s believed that the gene for long, fluffy, bear-like fur comes from this dog’s common ancestor with the Chow Chow. While long, luscious locks are a breed standard for the Chow, Shar Pei with this coat variation are barred from the show ring.
That’s not such a bad thing if you’d rather have a cuddly teddy bear than a dog show star.
Final Thoughts on the Shar Pei
Not all families are ideally suited for the Shar Pei. They’re picky about the company they keep and the exercise they like. They don’t do well in hot climates, and they may spend more time in a vet’s office than other breeds. And, with a haughty attitude, these dogs may have to overcome some real challenges like dog aggression and aversion to training.
But, in the right hands, these puppers are a thing to behold. Regal, intelligent, and strong-willed as they are, these dogs know how to make a lasting impression. And anyone who is willing to shape their life around the needs of their Shar Pei will enjoy the kind of loyalty and affection that make the effort worthwhile.
