Shar Pei Miniature Dog
If you are seriously interested in the Chinese Shar Pei dog and are taking to a thorough research on the breed, you should beware of misleading terms like “Shar Pei Miniature Dog”, because the AKC standard does not recognize any of such variations. Most probably, such labels are generated by irresponsible and dollar-oriented breeders willing to gain fast income by advertising “exotic” breed types in order to convince inexperienced people to buy puppies from them. Over the 1980s, with the popularity of the breed racing, in the United States, too much careless and uncontrolled breeding took place across the country, resulting in the appearance of poor quality dogs not living up to the requirements of the breed standard.
Chinese Shar Pei dogs originated a long time ago in southern provinces of China. Because of their purple tongue, they are believed to be related to the Chow Chow, but their exact ancestry is unknown. Archaeological evidence suggests that these dogs were present during the times of the Han Dynasty. The dog performed several functions, such as cattle driving, guarding, hunting, as well as dog fighting, and so far the dog has strong protective instincts. Modern Chinese Shar Pei measure 18-20 inches high at the withers – this is their standard height. There are no officially recognized Shar Pei Miniature Dogs, although Chinese Shar Pei do vary in body built, coat type and head shape.
This dog has a thickly set body, with strong head, strong and muscular limbs, balanced proportions and very thick skin that forms wrinkles on the forehead, neck and shoulders. The wrinkles bear a significant protective meaning, as they make it hard for an enemy to grab the dog. Chinese Shar Pei have three distinct coat types: horse, brush and bear. “Horse” coat is short and very harsh; “brush” coat is longer, and “bear” coat is long and smooth and is considered to be incorrect with the breed. These dogs come in solid colors; parti-colors and not accepted. Regardless of coat type or body structure, dogs intended for breeding projects must strictly correspond to the breed standard according to physical and behavioral characteristics. Any variation named “Shar Pei Miniature Dog” or something like that, produced in evasion of standard requirements, should not be admitted to a serious breeding program.
Chinese Shar Pei dogs are very strong-willed, self-assured, dominant and protective. They require firm and consistent training and thorough socialization at an early age, so that their knack for protection will not transform into unrestrained aggression toward everything and everyone not related to their family or household. This is not the right dog for soft-hearted people, as it takes a great deal of strong will and determination on the owner’s side to prove he or she can really make this dog do something. Chinese Shar Pei are quite bossy, and they often challenge for leadership. It can be very difficult to predict the behavior of a “Shar pei Miniature Dog” because it has a doubtful genetic background.
