Chinese Shar Pei

The Shar Pei breed was made to be general farm dog with a wide range of purposes. They were not limited to just simple farming dogs.

As this type of dog, breeders found the dogs’ fighting and protective skills to come out also as they would grow exceedingly protective of property and the family, loyal to those around when raised. Prized as agile hunters, the Shar Pei were soon known in the fighting rings not just because of their built, but also for their hunting qualities.

The blue Shar Pei especially was the mark showing long lines of breeding, not to mention tedious planning to come about their rare blue color. To obtain the blue Shar Pei, which also comes from China, where their strength and intelligence were purposely bred into the breed as much as the wrinkled face and large excess of skin and prickly fur. It is an exceedingly hard thing to accomplish with great results.

Known for being a reserved breed, the Shar Pei tends to think for them selves and will be overly affectionate, loyal and extremely devoted to those it considers family. The royal family of China created the breed to protect them and their families. This powerful dog is willing to die if needed to protect its family and home. The blue Shar Pei in its rareness is one of the more expensive of the breeds as a warning to the buyer. The Shar Pei was introduced to an U.S. dog magazine in 1973 by a businessperson out of Hong Kong.

As with any pure bred animal there are a few things to look out for when it comes to the Shar Pei’s health. A good, reputable breeder will breed for health so these concerns should not pose a problem with your new pet. They are however, things to look out for. Some of the things to look out for are fevers. Shar Pei’s are prone to unexplained fevers as well as swollen hocks, which can be a sign of a serious medical condition. Some Shar Pei’s have issues with their skin due to hereditary weaknesses caused but excessive and unregulated breeding.

A blue Shar Pei is a rare color and so you should expect to pay more for this type of Shar Pei. They are beautiful animals and have a great temperament so they are good with children, unlike their possible ancestors the chow.

They are also very active dogs so if you live in an apartment make sure that you have the time to really exercise them or that you have a good-sized dog park in the area.

Dog owners around the world bring them out to compete in many of the more celebrated dog shows. When choosing this bred, make sure to check the source and the lineage of the dog in question. It will save you many problems in the future from skin allergies to other defects that are common in the breed itself.

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