The original Chinese Shar Pei dates back to 200 B.C. Considered to be one of the fourteen ancient dog breeds, Shar Pei were originally bred to fight and to protect the Chinese royal family. Distinguishable by their wrinkled coats and blue-black tongues, Chinese Shar Peis grew out of their wrinkles as adults, retaining wrinkles only on the face, neck and shoulders. The current, western version of the Shar Pei keeps more of its wrinkles in adulthood. The breed also has a curly tail, short, coarse coat, sunken eyes and small ears. Coat colors can be red (rose), tan, white, grey or black. Coat length can be very short and coarse (horse coat), softer and up to one inch in length (brush coat), or long enough to cover the wrinkles (bear coat).
The Guinness Book of World Records named the Shar Pei the world's most rare dog in 1978. The American Kennel Club did not recognize the Shar Pei breed until 1992. However, this breed has developed a loyal following of Shar Pei breeder and buyer.
Finding a good Shar Pei breeder may be a daunting task at first because the breed is so rare. Potential buyers can utilize the Internet, the local ASPCA and word of mouth to find a good breeder. Most breeders also run or are at least affiliated with rescue centers that save purebred Shar Pei from abuse and neglect. Buying a rescued Shar Pei may be a good option for some buyers.
Some traits to identify a good Shar Pei breeder include maintaining a kennel to whelp and raise healthy puppies, encourage visits to the kennel to see the puppies and mothers, the puppies are friendly, happy, and do not appear afraid of people and they also interview potential buyers to make sure dog and new owner are a good match. Professional breeders are also affiliated with other animal support groups and rescue centers, recognized by the American Kennel Club and are able to provide references of other owners who have bought Shar Pei from them. Before turning over a puppy to a new owner an experienced breeder will have had the puppies evaluated for typical health conditions common to the Shar Pei breed, provide medical records and history of vaccinations and evaluations and provide pedigree information and registration papers
Researching a
Shar Pei breeder is as important as researching the Shar Pei breed. Unfortunately, there are many unethical breeders who exist only to make a profit. These are commonly known as backyard breeders because they breed Shar Pei in puppy mills in their backyards. Dogs are bred every time they come into heat and parents are kept in cages constantly, never knowing freedom or human kindness. Because of the poor conditions parents are kept in, each litter of puppies is born in poorer health. The health of mothers is also diminished with ever litter since they are not given time to recuperate before breeding again.
The worst breeders sell to pet stores. Most consumers don't realize the terrible cycle they continue every time they buy a puppy from a pet store. The demand causes backyard breeders to continue breeding the parents to make a profit. These bad breeders may also be puppy brokers who make deals with pet stores for puppies they haven't even seen. Puppies are shipped just like merchandise and sold to anyone with a credit card. Never buy a puppy at a pet store, buy only from reputable breeders and maybe we can end the puppy mill practice.
There are many ethical
Shar Pei breeders. A buyer should always choose a Shar Pei breeder over a pet store when purchasing a Shar Pei. A Shar Pei breeder should be able to provide extensive
Shar Pei information. This is just one of the tips provided in this article.