Tell me about Shar Peis please

[skittledoo]

I used to never ever think a shar pei would appeal to me, but we have one that has been boarding at my work and I absolutely have fallen in love with him.

So I am still planning on getting my Ibizan next, but I'm researching possible breeds for in the future.

So tell me about them please.

What is there temperament like? I hear they are prone to DA. Is this true or false?
Size? This guy is way smaller than I expected, but I'm not sure if his size is standard or not. He's around Cricket sized at around 19 inches high, but he is more heavy bodied than Cricket. Do they come in different types of coats? What are things they tend to Excel in? How are they generally with children? Strangers? How are they to train?

[AdrianneIsabel]

They're coarse to the touch, it causes allergic reactions in a lot of people.

They're very sober dogs, they don't tend towards silly antics. They're also very stubborn, willful dogs. Very into their people and can be one-person dogs. They need a pretty smart, confident, stubborn handler too.

They are very guardy and can have some pretty bad aggression issues. As a rule they're not great with kids but any breed can be with work.

Also, they're a money pit breed. They're unhealthy and costly to maintain, just something to keep in mind.

ETA Oh and it's Shar Pei. Pei is singular and plural.

[Fran101]

I am allergic to them. Their fur is rough and sand papery, and it makes me itchy and I am in NO WAY allergic to other dogs

I know many of them have to have eye lid surgery..

[skittledoo]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

ETA Oh and it's Shar Pei. Pei is singular and plural.

Oops I didn't know that sorry lol

[AdrianneIsabel]

Just one of those fun facts I found in my research years ago.

[PWCorgi]

I have yet to have one come into my work that I could actually "meet" and most of the time I end up telling my employees to steer clear.

I think they are cool, especially the bone mouth type (that's the old style, non-hippo looking ones, right?), but I don't think I would ever own one. Almost all of the ones that come into my work have HORRIBLE HORRIBLE skin allergies, and I just don't think that continuing to breed them with so many skin issues is okay. Why set a dog up for that type of pain?

[Pops2]

the sad thing is that back when they were match dogs, they didn't have all the wrinkles. i've seen pics from turn of the 20th century & they look like a whipcord little pit bulldog.

[Romy]

There are bone mouth and meat mouth types. The bone mouth are older style and tend to have fewer skin problems. Personally I've met some bone mouths and they were really good dogs. Very into their people, tolerant of strange children running around and doing kid stuff around them, and if they were DA they were trained enough you'd never know because they didn't react to other dogs at all.

I think I linked to this pic before, but I LOVE this dog. Physically he's exactly what I'd want in a shar pei.

[elegy]

I actually really like She Pei. I'm not sure why. The old style smaller-sized ones without the exaggerated faces. They're not dogs for everybody, and I wouldn't really pick one as a sport dog (though I know one who is in utility level obedience and there was one playing flyball in our region).

The ones we see at work don't really have skin problems (though some of them have had very delicate skin that tears ridiculously easily). Eye problems are a big concern.

[kady05]

Not a fan, at all. Every one I've ever met has tried to bite me. They are known to be one person dogs, stick to their owners.

Agree on the money pit thing, the ones I know all have medical issues. I would never own one!