Chinese Shar-Pei

AKC Group: Non-Sporting

Club: Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America, Inc.

Corresponding Secretary : Jo Redditt
Address: 3510 Washington Ct, Alexandria, VA , 22302-1031
Website: www.cspca.com
Club Type: Specialty

General Apperance:

An alert, compact dog of medium size and substance; square in profile, close coupled; the well-proportioned head slightly, but not overly large for the body. The short, harsh coat, the loose skin covering the head and body, the small ears, the "hippopotamus" muzzle shape and the high set tail impart to the Shar-Pei a unique look peculiar to him alone. The loose skin and wrinkles covering the head, neck and body are superabundant in puppies but these features may be limited to the head, neck and withers in the adult.

Size:

The height is 18 to 20 inches at the withers. The weight is 45 to 60 pounds. The dog is usually larger and more square bodied than the bitch but both appear well proportioned. The height of the Shar-Pei from the ground to the withers is approximately equal to the length from the point of breastbone to the point of rump.

Coat:

The extremely harsh coat is one of the distinguishing features of the breed. The coat is absolutely straight and off standing on the main trunk of the body but generally lies somewhat flatter on the limbs. The coat appears healthy without being shiny or lustrous. Acceptable coat lengths may range from extremely short "horse coat" up to the "brush coat," not to exceed one inch in length at the withers. A soft coat, a wavy coat, a coat in excess of one inch at the withers or a coat that has been trimmed is a major fault. The Shar-Pei is shown in its natural state.

Temperament:

Regal, alert, intelligent, dignified, lordly, scowling, sober and snobbish essentially independent and somewhat standoffish with strangers, but extreme in his devotion to his family. The Shar-Pei stands firmly on the ground with a calm, confident stature.

History:

The Chinese Shar-Pei, is an ancient and unique breed and has existed for centuries in the southern provinces of China, apparently since the Han Dynasty (c. 200 BC). Statues bearing a strong resemblance to the Shar-Pei have been discovered and dated to this period.

The name "Shar-Pei" literally means "sand-skin", translated more loosely as "rough, sandy coat" or "sand-paper-like coat" and refers to the two distinctive qualities of the coat - roughness and shortness - which make the breed unique in the dog world. Another distinctive characteristic with only one other breed, the Chow-Chow, is having a blue-black tongue.

Following the establishment of the People's Republic of China as a communist nation, the dog population of China was essentially eliminated. During this period a few Chinese Shar-Pei were bred in Hong Kong, BC and in the Republic of China (Taiwan). The breed was not recognized by the Hong Kong Kennel Club until about 1968. Subsequently the Hong Kong and Kowloon Kennel Association established a dog registry and registered the Shar-Pei. Today the breed is also registered in Taiwan, Japan, Korea and organizations in Europe, Canada and Great Britain. In the United States a few were imported in 1966 from stock registered with the Hong Kong Kennel Club. Interest increased and the Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America, Inc., held its first organizational meeting in 1974. On May 4, 1988, the breed was accepted in to the Miscellaneous Class. Acceptance into the Non-Sporting Group came on August 1, 1992.