Shar Peis are the really wrinkly dogs from China that were all the rage in the 1980's. They'd been around for centuries in China, but the Western world didn't get their own Shar Peis until then. It has been suspected that the Shar Peis that were sold to North Americans were of far inferior stock than their kin in China. The gene pool in North America is very small, so finding a healthy puppy is rare.

These are big, muscular dogs that often tip the scales at fifty to sixty pounds. They were originally bred for dog fighting, so their personalities are far different than most other breeds of dogs. They are single person dogs and usually do not get on well with other dogs, but usually do well with children. They have strong wills to match their strong bodies. These are not dogs for the first time dog owner, for those with physical problems, or those with a submissive nature.
The breed standard for Shar Peis (also called Chinese Shar Peis) described the ideal Shar Pei as standoffish. They should act superior, as if they know they are worth a lot more money than you are. This is not a breed that eagerly greets strangers or easily wags his tail. However, they can be affectionate and playful with their people, usually preferring one family member above the rest. Puppies need to be introduced to other dogs and other people very early in life in order for them not to be aggressive.

The Shar Pei is thought to be descended from the Chow Chow, and, like the Chow Cow, has a blue-black colored tongue (the only breeds of dog to have this quirk). They are incredibly wrinkly when born (as puppies are kind of wrinkly anyway) and they tend to loose most of their body wrinkles as they mature. They usually retain a lot of wrinkles around the head. Their skin is usually loose.
There is some strange Shar Pei information floating around, especially on the web, so you have to select your dog or puppy very carefully. Shar Peis need a lot of exercise – at least a vigorous half hour walk a day – but need little grooming. There are three kinds of coat lengths, only two of which are recognized by the American Kennel Club. These coats consist of the short "horse coat", the longer "brush coat" and the very rare "bear coat", which has hair longer than one inch.

Only solid colored coats are permissible by the American Kennel Club, which means there are a lot of parti-colored and flower colored pureblood Shar Peis in North America looking for homes. They are solid and square dogs that are built a lot like Chow Chows. Their heads are usually large, but some average sized heads are permissible. Their chest is broad like a Rottweiler's with the forelegs spread widely apart. Their tails curl over the back.

The Shar Pei is hard to breed properly, as the breeding lines have dwindled. This author hopes to one day publish a book about rescue dogs, including the most up to date Shar Pei information.

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