Five Cool Things About a Shar Pei by:Richard Cussons

There is no chance of mistaking a Shar Pei or Chinese Shar-Pei for another breed; after all

, few ancient breeds are capable of combining bravery, deep coat wrinkles and a blue tongue! This breed, which originated from China, has a name that in its home country meant "sand skin," since coat is abrasive and feels itchy when stroked against the grain.

At one point in time, the breed was in the tight spot of near-extinction, and was even named by the Guinness Book of World Records as among the world's rarest breeds. But centuries before that, it was actually common in the southern China, busy with either herding cattle, guarding the home, or hunting with its master for wild pigs. The turning point was after the people's Revolution, when raising or using the breed for fighting were prohibited by the government.

Check out these five cool things about the shar pei!

1. The tongue of this dog is indeed dark enough in color to look black. But the dog shares this feature with one other breed, the equally orange-looking Chow Chow, thus giving us a reason to believe in a common ancestor for both.

2. A spotted tongue on a shar pei may look unique, but among dog breeders, it is considered a fault. The ideal tongue color is bluish black; in case of a dilute, a lavender color will still make it in competitions. A solid pink tongue will disqualify the dog.

3. A Shar Pei is better than a Bat Mobile. Why? Because there's more than one color! Seriously now, the dog can be black, cream, fawn, red-fawn, red, sable, apricot, chocolate, isabella, and blue. The nose may be black or brick (pink with black), with or without a black mask. A Shar Pei can also have what is called a "dilute" coloration. In any case, the coat color must be solid and well blended throughout the whole body of the dog.

4. Whatever happens, don't fall for a puppy's wrinkles; these won't be around for long! As the puppies get older, the wrinkles disappear. Among adults, the wrinkling is more on the forehead and withers.

5. And now, the meat of the matter for most dog lovers: how good is the dog with other dogs, other pets and children?

Just like other breeds, the shar pei can be a loving and caring family member (or pack member, from the dog's point of view), on the condition that the dog is raised and socialized with other pets and children from early on.

Good luck in your search for your next pet dog!

About the author

Richard Cussons believes that the Shar Pei is a great breed. Visit sharpeisavvy.com to discover cool tips regarding Shar Pei training.

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