Shar-Pei is an ancient Chinese dog breed. In Chinese Shar-Pei means ‘sand skin’, a sand-colored skin. Shar-Pei is a strongly built, very active, alert and playful dog. It is said that Shar-Pei dogs are bred for war situations in ancient China due to their distinctive features. Chinese Shar-Pei is also known widely for its loyalty and is immensely protective of the family they inhibit. Shar-Pei has loose, wrinkly skin as puppies; as they grew up these wrinkles slowly fade away. It has a blue-black tongue, which is very rare to find in dogs.
The Shar-pei breed usually comes with three types of the coat (hair cover): Horse coat, Brush coat, and Bear coat. The horse coat is the shortest of all and soft as well. The brush coat hairs are a bit longer than the horse coat, and the Shar-Pei are mostly found with this kind of coat. The Bear coat is the longest of all the breeds and the rarest ones; the coat is very fluffy and soft. Shar-Pei has a life expectancy of 8 to 12 years, and it generally weighs between 45 to 60 pounds. The average height of the dog ranges from 18 to 20 inches.
Here are the top 8 things to cater to when breeding a Shar Pie dog
- Grooming of Shar-Pei requires time, patience and care.
- Healthwise Shar-Pei is a strong breed, but skin infections are a cause of concern. Some diseases like Pyoderma, Cutaneous Mucinosis, Seborrhoea, and Demodectic Mange are mostly common in this breed. It is advised to dry out each wrinkle neatly after you are finished with the bathing work. The moisture remains in between the wrinkles causes many bacterial infections (yeast infections).To avoid these conditions, one needs to keep their dog neatly clean and dry each day. You do not need to brush the Shar-Pei hairs regularly as their hairs shed on a medium level.
- The environment also plays an important role in Shar-Pei’s breeding. They need regular care as per their diet and exercise. They need some time outdoor also, which will not only help them physically but mentally too. As remaining packed in our home makes us sick and bored, the same is with this creature too.
- Warm and humid climates do not suit the Shar-Pei dogs. They also use to have a problem breathing in warm conditions, as due to their flat noses, they cannot cool warm air while breathing and it reaches the lungs directly, which results in several diseases. Shar-Pei has a low peripheral vision, as compared to other breeds of dogs. So, it becomes important to take care of them at a younger age and in dark surroundings.
- Shar-Pei is a breed, which develops a protective tendency for their loved ones and the family at a very younger age. This makes them a very efficient alert guard dogs. It’s also important to train your puppy properly, like socializing it with friends and other visitors, including animals too. As Shar-Pei are generally found with an independent and stubborn nature, this training is important. The training must be imparted with patience and a positive attitude.
- Shar-Pei is a food-lover, a full stomach Shar-Pei responds well to instructions and training, and are well behaved, so it’s obvious to take care of its diet.
- As a puppy, Shar-Pei looks very cute and lovable; it is mainly due to a large number of wrinkles throughout its body. They are detached and suspicious in nature from an early age, so their exposure to the outer world is a must. It will be advisable to make them familiar with people, animals, various types of sounds and fragrances at an early age. All these training processes result in a well-mannered adult Shar-Pei.
- Shar-Pei puppies use to feel and know things through their newly grown teeth, so it is important to provide them with various toys and eatables safe for puppies. And training them in biting any stuff with ease, at an early stage is essential.
Source: https://medium.com/@tydincer1/top-8-things-to-cater-to-when-breeding-a-shar-pie-dog-fb541e44319
Ty Dincer 