Long Haired Shar-Pei - Profile | Traits | Care

The Long Haired Shar-Pei is a unique-looking dog with a wrinkled face, tiny ears, and a blue-black tongue. These dogs are sometimes suspicious of strangers and excel at guarding. An ancient breed, the Chinese long-haired Shar-Pei has additionally been utilized in farming and trying to find centuries.

Long Haired Shar-Pei Profile

As puppies, this breed’s wrinkly skin is paying homage to the chubby folds of a human child. As adults, the long-haired shar-pei dog breed fills out however by no means grows utterly into their skin, retaining their signature wrinkles across the head, neck, and shoulders.

Intelligent, loyal, and fiercely protecting, long-haired shar-peis make good guardian dogs, but in addition, possess a relaxed demeanor that makes them wonderful family companions.

Medium and compact, long-haired shar-peis are distinctive-looking members of the non-sporting group. Identifiable primarily by the free, wrinkled skin protecting their head, neck, and shoulders, long-haired shar-peis are additionally recognizable by their broad muzzle and small triangular ears.

They are likely to have a scowling expression as a result of free folds of skin that dangle over their forehead. The long-haired shar-pei can be distinctive for its blue-black tongue, a trait shared with just one different breed — the chow chow.

Standing a couple of feet and a half from the neck and shoulders down, long-haired shar-peis develop into the heavy folds of skin that cover them as puppies.

Their thick neck and broad chest give them a sturdy look without making them overly stout. Their long, thick and tapered tail is ready high and tends to curve over one facet of the back haunch.

The long-haired Shar-peis are additionally distinguished by their tough, sandpaper-like coats that may be any stable coloration or sable combine. The long-haired Shar-pei actually means “sand skin” in Mandarin.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) identifies two acceptable coat lengths: the extraordinarily quick “horse coat” and the marginally longer “brush coat,” which is now not than an inch on the withers.

The shar-pei’s hair tends to face up straight alongside the primary trunk however lies flatter alongside the limbs and tail.

Originally bred to protect livestock, shar-peis are alert, intelligent, and protecting dogs who make wonderful guardians. They possess a relaxed and devoted nature that makes them loving companions.

They are typically aloof with strangers, however, are fiercely loyal and affectionate with their very own people and like to spend time within the company of their households.

While long-haired shar-peis will be aggressive towards different dogs, says Dogtime, early socialization will help them study to get together with different pets.

Providing them with socialization and obedience coaching as puppies also can make them simpler to deal with as adults, as shar-peis are strong-willed dogs whose personalities could overwhelm an unprepared pet parent. These dogs do greatest with assured, assertive leadership to assist them to know how you can correctly behave.

The long-haired Shar-peis are laid-back, low-energy dogs. Because they do not require a lot of exercise, they will make good condo dogs. Just needless to say they need quick walks to stretch their legs if a yard is not out there.

Due to their cussed streak, shar-peis need lifelong reinforcement of coaching and socialization. Their propensity for aggressiveness towards different dogs means they need to all the time be saved on a leash and allowed close to unusual dogs solely beneath strict supervision.

The excellent news is that the shar-pei dog breed is intelligent and desperate to please their pet parents, which makes them pretty straightforward to coach. Consistency is vital to efficiently coaching long-haired shar-peis and stopping them from unlearning their coaching.

Although shar-peis are usually not flat-faced like bulldogs or pugs, they do have shorter-than-normal noses and are thought-about brachycephalic.

Because of this, shar-peis do not do properly with vigorous train like operating or jogging. Stay further vigilant to make sure they do not overheat in heat climates, particularly in high humidity.

The coat of the shar-pei is extraordinarily straightforward to groom. They solely require brushing as soon as every week to take away shedding hair, grime, and excess dander, and solely need bathing as soon as every few months — except they get excessively soiled.

After bathing, take the time to completely dry between their folds and wrinkles to forestall a fungal infection. Gently wipe their ears on a weekly basis and verify them for indicators of an infection, reminiscent of odor or redness.

History

A breed as old because the Chinese Shar-Pei is certain to have just a few wrinkles. Experts assume this majestic dog dates back to the Han Dynasty in China. It’s been depicted in artwork from 200 B.C. And references to “wrinkled dogs” seem in ancient Chinese manuscripts.

In rural China, the working class prized the Chinese long-haired Shar-Pei as a wonderful farming and looking dog. These muscular, do-it-all canines hunted wild boars, herded livestock, and guarded in opposition to predators. And if that weren’t sufficient, the Chinese long-haired Shar-Pei’s blue-black tongues even warded off evil spirits (based on folklore).

Despite their recognition, the breed as soon as confronted extinction. When China’s nascent communist authorities disapproved of dogs and imposed a tax on them, many Chinese long-haired Shar-Peis had been eradicated. But just a few of the breed remained in rural areas and outlying countries reminiscent of Hong Kong and Taiwan.

In 1973, a Hong Kong breeder named Matgo Law launched a concerted effort to save lots of the breed. Increased media focus skyrocketed curiosity in Chinese long-haired Shar-Peis—catapulting these wrinkle-faced pups from “the world’s rarest dog” to one of many world’s most popular breeds. Today, it is some of the ancient breeds acknowledged by the American Kennel Club.

Long Haired Shar-Pei Appearance

The Chinese long-haired Shar-Pei is a medium-sized dog with a square profile, an outsized head, petite, triangle-shaped ears, and small, sunken eyes. Their flat, wrinkled muzzle has been in comparison with that of a hippopotamus.

Coat and Coloring

The phrase “shar-pei” means “sand skin”—a reference to the breed’s coarse, sandpaper-like coat. A delicate coat is definitely thought-about a serious flaw within the breed by American Kennel Club requirements.

The Chinese long-haired Shar-Pei has two coat lengths: A “horse coat” is extraordinarily quick, whereas a “brush coat” is longer however nonetheless shorter than one inch on the withers.

This breed’s fur will be one in every of a number of stable colours—together with apricot, black, black sable, blue, brown, cream, fawn, and red. Darker shading down the back and on the ears is taken into account acceptable in present.

Distinctive Physical Traits

Bountiful folds of free skin on the top, neck, and withers are the breed’s most distinguishing options. Chinese long-haired Shar-Pei puppies have wrinkles protecting their whole bodies.

This breed additionally has a blue-black tongue, muzzle, gums, and mouth. Only one different breed shares this distinct characteristic: the Chow Chow.

Long Haired Shar-Pei Temperament

Aloof and reserved, the Chinese Shar-Pei can turn into territorial and reactive without sufficient coaching and socialization.

These alert, intelligent watchdogs develop robust attachments to their house owners. And although they often tolerate kids, they don’t seem to be recognized for being overly affectionate or having fun with tough play.

Fiercely loyal to their people, Chinese long-haired Shar-Peis are typically not welcoming to strangers, different dogs, or smaller animals. And they could reply with aggression in the event that they really feel threatened. As such, long-haired Shar-Peis do not all the time make great family pets.

Nutrition

You ought to feed your Chinese Shar-Pei high-quality dog meals that is acceptable for his or her life stage (e.g., pet, adult, senior). To stop weight problems, monitor how a lot your dog eats, and scale back parts and treats if necessary.

As a common rule, treats ought to make up no more than 10% of a dog’s energy.

Long Haired Shar-Pei Grooming

It does not take a lot of grooming to maintain Chinese Shar-Peis wanting good. But the folds of their skin can harbor infection and need to be worn out with a humid fabric commonly. In addition, the breed requires occasional baths and routine nail trims.

The Chinese long-haired Shar-Pei’s quick ears are liable to an infection. But frequent ear cleansing will help stop issues. Skip the cotton swabs and hydrogen peroxide and use an ear-cleaning resolution to flush particles from the ear canal.

Chinese Shar-Peis, like all dogs, additionally require regular dental care. It’s greatest to start an at-home dental hygiene routine (that features regular teeth brushing and professional dental cleanings) when your dog is younger.

Exercise

An adaptable breed, the Chinese long-haired Shar-Pei is simply as content tagging alongside for a long stroll as it’s lounging on the couch.

Known for his or their calm and alert demeanor, most long-haired Shar-Peis require minimal train and barely bark—making them wonderful condo dogs. However, the breed does overheat simply and may keep away from the high-intensity train.

Training

Skipping out on coaching may end up in critical issues with the Chinese Shar-Pei—an unbiased, strong-willed breed. Because these dogs are likely to insurgent in opposition to harsh punishment, you need to use constant, positive coaching strategies, rewards, and treats.

Training and early socialization, together with puppy-training courses, will help a Chinese long-haired Shar-Pei turn into a well-mannered companion.

Health

Primary Open Angle Glaucoma and Lens Luxation (Discovered in Chinese long-haired Shar-Pei)

Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) is a disease the place the stress within the eye will increase, inflicting ache and resulting in blindness if untreated. A similar mutation also can trigger lens luxation (LL), or displacement of the lens within the eye.

Long Haired Shar-Pei – Profile | Traits | Care | Behavior