Contents
History of origin
Both biologists and archaeologists are sure that Shar Pei dogs were known in ancient China several thousand years ago. Based on the results of a genetic examination, it can be argued that Shar-Peis are at least 3 years old and they are direct descendants of the oldest dogs on the planet, from which all existing breeds subsequently arose. Archaeologists have more than once found images and clay figurines of dogs with a square body and pronounced skin folds in the tombs of Chinese emperors and representatives of the local nobility. But, alas, little documentary evidence of the life and breeding of Shar-Pei has come down to us.
It is known that in ancient times, powerful Shar-Peis with skin that does not fit snugly to the body were used as fighting dogs. Later, Shar Pei turned into watchdogs and hunting dogs. In times of prosperity and prosperity, such dogs were kept in packs not only by wealthy Chinese aristocrats and officials, but even by peasants. In the days when the Chinese economy was in decline, the number of Shar-Pei was sharply reduced – it was necessary to think about the survival of people, and not about feeding rather large dogs. However, the beautiful Shar-Pei survived until the middle of the XNUMXth century and the coming to power of the Chinese Communist Party. Where are the communists, and where are the dogs, but the new political structure of the country has become an incredible tragedy for the Shar Pei dogs.
First, a huge fee was imposed on dog owners – pets were considered an unaffordable luxury, for which their owners had to pay. And a little later, Mao Zedong declared domestic animals “a symbol of the uselessness of the privileged class” – and the mass extermination of the Shar-Pei began. As a result of the “Cultural Revolution” in China, these unusual dogs practically did not remain, a small population survived only on the island of Taiwan and in the Portuguese colony of Macau.
Shar Pei owe their salvation to amateur dog handlers from the United States of America. In the late 1960s, five of these exotic Chinese dogs were brought to the United States. And in 1971, an article about rare breeds was published in a specialized magazine with a photograph of a Shar Pei and the caption that this may be the last dog of an ancient Chinese breed. Dog breeder Matgo Low was shocked by this information and turned to cynologists and all concerned people with a call to revive the breed.
For five years, the remaining Shar-Peis in the world were bought and transported to Hong Kong, where experienced breeders worked to restore the population. These dogs, saved from destruction, became the ancestors of the current Shar-Pei, who won the hearts of people all over the world. In 1973, the Shar Pei breed was officially registered in the United States, and in 1976 it was recognized by the International Canine Association and approved standards.
Breed description
Shar-Pei dogs are compact, medium-sized animals with a strong build and square format. The head is broad and flat with a broad muzzle not tapering towards the nose. The nose is usually black, large with well-opened nostrils. The ears are small, triangular, curved forward, set wide apart and pressed close to the head. The eyes are almond-shaped, of medium size, their color depends on the color of the dog. Shar Pei tongue has an unusual blue-black color, depending on the color, it can be blue (blue-black), blue with pink spots and lavender.
A distinctive feature of Shar Pei is folded skin. According to scientists, a certain gene mutation is to blame, which, apparently, was fixed by dog breeders from ancient China. The coat is short, straight, bristly and without undercoat. Shar-Peis often have sable, cream, red, black and deer colors, more rare are dogs of chocolate, blue, isabella, apricot and lilac colors, as well as their dilute (with a complete absence of black) manifestations. The tail is set very high, thick at the base, it tapers to the tip and twists into a tight ring on either side of the back. The neck and back are muscular, the height at the withers is equal to the length from the withers to the buttocks. The limbs are muscular and moderately angular in shape.
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Character
– Dogs of this breed give the impression of being a little sad, but this is not so, Shar Pei likes to have fun. They are happy to live both in the house and on the street, as long as there is a loving owner nearby, – says Marina Kotlyarova, owner of the Kotmarian kennel, veterinarian, cynologist, training instructor, judge for conformation, training and sports with dogs, handler. – Shar Pei are calm, kind, loyal dogs, friendly with children. They love to play and give paws. They do not need special training, they understand human speech, the dog is social, but it will not let itself be offended.
According to cynologists, Shar-Peis have a good intellect, and puppies are able to teach themselves cleanliness from childhood, which representatives of other breeds cannot boast of.
“At present, the popularity of this unique breed is at its peak,” says Marina Kotlyarova. — Connoisseurs choose the best of the best, for which they pay a lot. They try to take such a puppy, in which not only the father is a champion, but also the mother is the winner of exhibitions. Of course, each owner praises his breed, but if we take into account that this breed is represented in our kennel, then I think I have the right to say that it is the Chinese Shar Pei that is closest to the ideal “dog for the city”. Shar Pei is compactness combined with powerful jaws, strength, innate guard qualities and exotic appearance. These dogs are very affectionate and friendly to “their own”, easily get along with other dogs and cats.
Care and maintenance
– Special care for sharpei is not required, everything is like in many other breeds, Marina Kotlyarova explains. – Observation of the condition of the ears, eyes, intimate places. Nail clipping and combing during shedding, which occurs mainly 2 times a year (bitches still shed while feeding puppies).
Shar-Peis do not need to be bathed, only when the wool becomes dirty.
– Frequent bathing is not good for Shar-Peis – the pH of the skin is disturbed, and washing off the natural protective barrier function of the skin can provoke skin problems. As they say, where it is thin, it breaks there, – Marina Kotlyarova explains. – The coat of a healthy Shar Pei dog breed has the property of self-cleaning. There are no flying tufts of wool and the smell of “dog” in the apartment.
Sharpeis do not need long, exhausting walks and runs.
“For an adult sharpei, exercise twice a day is enough to do “their own business” – this is at least 20 minutes,” says Marina Kotlyarova. – You need to walk with a puppy much more often. This is due to their age-related physiological functions. You should take the puppy out on “our own business” as soon as he wakes up – here we walk longer (minimum 20 minutes) and immediately after eating, here, on the contrary, we limit time and movements, only for “big and small things” – and immediately go home . It is forbidden to jump and run on a full (full) stomach for both large and small sharpei in order to avoid intestinal colic and stomach torsion.
Feeding for Shar-Peis is selected individually: it depends on the gastronomic preferences of the dog and the characteristics of its content, as well as on the characteristics of the lifestyle and capabilities of the owner.
“Remember that all feeding tips should be considered only as recommendations, and in no case as rules,” says Marina Kotlyarova. – But the wrong diet will sooner or later affect the health of the dog. You should not feed her monotonous food, for example, only beef head porridge. There must be balance in everything.
Possible feeding options recommended by Marina Kotlyarova:
- Only dry food.
- Only natural food.
- Mixed feeding.
“If you are interested in exactly how I feed my champions, then I prefer the third option – mixed feeding,” says Marina Kotlyarova. – Our dogs always have free access to fresh water and dry food, plus we give natural products – meat, fish, vegetables and fruits. It should be understood that the diet of a dog kept on the street or a working dog differs in saturation from the diet of a dog lying idle in a warm room by the fireplace, here it is lighter in calories. And also the diet of a puppy is different from the diet of a lactating bitch, an aging dog and an adult Shar Pei. Feeding your puppy will still depend on the initial feeding of the breeder and the individuality of the breeding line. Therefore, at first you should strictly obey the recommendations of your breeder (the owner of your puppy’s mother).
Education and training
Dogs of the Shar Pei breed are very friendly and docile, human-oriented, but they are rather large animals, so they definitely require education and at least initial training.
“You should not spoil a Shar-Pei from an early age — priorities should always be placed in favor of a person,” explains Marina Kotlyarova. – If you still missed the moment of education in his childhood, then the Shar Pei, taking advantage of your weaknesses of immense love, can turn into an uncontrollable arrogant dog. Here you will need the help of a specialist – a cynologist-trainer to correct his behavior.
Shar-Pei puppies must be socialized in early childhood, a small Shar-Pei should not be left to himself, otherwise he will grow out of a galloping, barking, destroying everything in his path “Mowgli”.
“Socialization in cynology is the development in a puppy of the behavioral skills we need, that is, by socializing a puppy, we accustom (teach) him to respond correctly to the world around him and us,” explains Marina Kotlyarova. – To live side by side with a person, a dog must behave correctly with the people of his family, neighbors, and other animals. In the course of socialization, a puppy, and then a young dog, gradually gains everyday experience, learns to distinguish between dangerous and safe and control their behavior in the right direction for a person. The socialization of a puppy usually begins immediately after its birth, when the mother begins to teach the puppies order in the pack and communication between dogs. The best age for human socialization of puppies is between 4 and 12 weeks. At this age, they are most receptive to learning. If you do this later, then the moment will be missed and many unpleasant surprises will await you in the future.
Health and disease
Shar Pei is a strong, active and playful dog, it is distinguished by good health. Like other breeds, Shar Pei can suffer from external and internal parasites, but there are diseases to which Shar Pei have a natural predisposition. “The main problem for Shar-Peis is eye diseases,” says Marina Kotlyarova. – Most often, entropion is diagnosed – a volvulus of the upper eyelid. Its signs: lacrimation, copious discharge of a purulent nature, redness of the eyes, the animal constantly squints. If a problem is found in a dog, you should immediately contact the pet breeder to get recommendations for treatment, or contact a veterinary clinic.
According to the standard, Shar-Peis should have hard, triangular-shaped ears that fit snugly to the head – this feature can cause the development of various ear diseases, such as: pityrosporosis – the active growth of yeast fungi in the ear canal; hyperplastic otitis media – inflammation of the middle ear. If you notice signs of a disease, then the recommendations are the same – seek advice from a breeder or veterinarian.
Allergies and allergic dermatitis can also occur in Shar-Peis. They are characterized by itching, blistering, swelling of the skin, sometimes you can notice that the dog’s nose has peeled off. Dermatitis often occurs with a strong infestation with fleas, so Shar-Pei hair must be treated with special antiparasitic agents.
– Idiopathic mucinosis is another disease characteristic of cartoon dogs, says Marina Kotlyarova. – It can take two forms. In the subcutaneous form, mucin accumulates in the folds, the damaged skin swells, becomes dense. With vesicular – numerous small pimples are formed with a sticky liquid inside on the lower lip, buttocks, between the toes on the paws, the animal has itching. Damaged areas of the skin should be lubricated with chlorhexidine or special ointments. Sticking to the vaccination schedule, contacting the veterinarian at the slightest deterioration in well-being – all these simple measures will help to avoid the development of serious diseases in your dog.
Popular questions and answers
We answered the most frequently asked questions of Shar-Pei owners veterinarian, zoo engineer Anastasia Kalinina.