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Priced at $2,000 each, the puppies were so popular the store
had to hire two full-time secretaries to take orders and answer
queries. Some considered the department store’s price tag
a bargain — top show dogs sold for as much as $3,500. Celebrity
owners included Burt Reynolds, William Shatner, Yul Brynner,
Wayne Newton, Andy Gibb, Joanna Carson and the king of Morocco.
Shar-pei appeared in Town & Country and Vogue magazines,
on television talks shows, and were featured in an advertising
campaign for Aramis men’s cologne.
What makes
the shar-pei’s meteoric rise all the more remarkable is that
the dog was virtually unknown in America until the early 1970s
and was near extinction in its home country of China. The
Guinness Book of Records had listed the shar-pei as "The Rarest
Breed of Dog in the World."
Laying
Down the Law
Although
shar-pei used to be common in various regions of mainland
China, the dog had not fared well under the rule of Mao Tse
Tung and the Communist regime. The Communist viewpoint precluded
the wasting of food on dogs. A heavy tax was levied so that
only the wealthy could afford to keep a dog as a companion
animal. Dog breeding was banned completely, and by 1950 there
were few specimens of the shar-pei left.
Hong Kong
breeder Matgo Law appealed to Americans to help save the dying
breed in a 1973 article. Although a few shar-pei had already
been imported to the United States from Hong Kong in the late
1960s, Law’s plea captured the imagination of many American
dog lovers. The response was remarkable – there were immediately
more than 200 replies from anxious buyers. Law was caught
off guard by the enthusiastic response, but he eventually
was able to fill many of the requests. The dogs exported by
Law carry the kennel name "Down Homes," and many shar-pei
pedigrees in America can be traced back to Down Homes dogs.
A Wrinkle
in Time
Archeologists
in China have discovered paintings and statuettes of dogs
bearing remarkable resemblance to the modern Shar-Pei, including
the unique blunt muzzle and other distinctive facial characteristics,
dating to China’s Han Dynasty (206 B.C. to A.D. 220).
The origin
of such an ancient dog is difficult to trace. The blue-black
tongue and other characteristics of the Chinese shar-pei point
to the chow-chow as either an ancestor or a distant relative.
Some experts believe both dogs may be descended from the Tibetan
mastiff, which is often recognized as one of the most ancient
dog breeds.
One early
British author studying dogs in the Orient described the native
dogs she found in China as being mixed with mastiff, chow,
bulldog and common street dogs. Although the shar-pei already
existed as a distinct breed by the time this comment was made,
it’s as good an explanation as exists for the dog’s origin.
A bulldog ancestry is seen in some short necks that are low-set
on the shoulders, thick bodies and certain shared genetic
problems.
Whatever
its origin, the shar-pei was a common fixture on Chinese farms
for hundreds of years. Dogs were a practical part of Chinese
peasant life: Those not smart enough to perform their duties
were used for food and clothing. Shar-pei were bred for intelligence,
strength and an intimidating scowl, which was thought to give
a menacing appearance that helped deter bandits and thieves.
The shar-pei also served spiritual guard duty — its blue-black
tongue was thought to ward off evil spirits.
In central
China, where farming and herding were predominant, the shar-pei
developed a herding instinct and an almost terrier-type ratting
instinct. The legs of the shar-pei in central China were shorter
than their relatives to the south, while their coats were
not as thick as the shar-pei of northern China. The shar-pei
still exhibits these herding and ratting instincts. Interestingly,
the shar-pei does not bark like western herding dogs, nor
does it dig and chew like terriers, raising the possibility
that these characteristics are present in terriers and herding
dogs not because they are necessary, but because many of the
dogs in those American Kennel Club (AKC) groups came from
the same European root stock, while the shar-pei has its root
stock on the other side of the world.
In northern
China, where small communities live through the long, cold
winters in remote villages, the shar-pei was prized for its
calmness and quiet demeanor — crucial characteristics for
an animal that spends long hours in the same small space as
its family.
In southern
China — a region with a cultural love of wagering — the shar-pei
was used as a fighting dog. As a result, breeders developed
the dog’s bristly coat and loose skin to improve the breed’s
fighting ability — opponents found the prickly coat painful
to bite while the loose skin made it possible for a shar-pei
under attack to turn and defend itself more easily. Also advantageous
were the dog’s tiny ears and deep-set eyes, which were less
vulnerable to attack. The shar-pei lacked the size and aggressiveness
to fight larger mastiffs and bulldogs — eventually their careers
as fighters ended.
Ancient
Chinese Secrets
The ancient
lineage of the shar-pei continues in modern times, for the
dog continues to exhibit the traits – good and bad – of its
ancestors. Today’s shar-pei is a self-assured, independent
dog. Although not a demonstrative breed, it is devoted to
and protective of its family, often exhibiting reserve and
even suspicion toward strangers. At times shar-pei can be
very sensitive, responding accordingly to the moods of the
household. Some shar-pei even seem to possess a sense of humor
and will act silly to make their owners smile.
Sadly,
aggression can be a problem in improperly bred, selected and
reared shar-pei, possibly harking back to the dog’s early
history as a fighting dog. This aggression is most often in
evidence with other dogs or around small animals.
The shar-pei’s
intelligence means the dog requires an attentive owner. The
dog should be taught the rules of the household and basic
obedience at an early age. The well-trained shar-pei is very
respectful of the leader of the pack. When paired with proper
training, the natural patience and guarding instincts of the
shar-pei usually make it suitable for homes with children.
Shar-pei
are not an overly active breed but can be very playful and
enjoy exercise. The dog’s moderate energy level, coupled with
its medium size, makes it a good choice for both house and
apartment living. It is happy dividing its time between home
and yard. One of the dog’s unique characteristics is its lack
of an undercoat, which provides insulation from heat and cold.
The
Demands of Distinction
For better
or for worse, many characteristics of the shar-pei take a
back seat to the wrinkles. Let’s face it, the thing that draws
most of us to the shar-pei, at least initially, is its distinctive
appearance, particularly when the dog is a puppy. The wrinkles
give the shar-pei puppy a look that is half forlorn, half
comical and a hundred percent adorable.
This lovable
look makes the shar-pei puppy a popular subject for photographers,
and this often leads people to a mistaken perception of the
size and appearance of the adult dog. In the full-size adult
dog, wrinkling is usually limited to the face and four or
five rolls on the shoulder.
Although
the shar-pei emerges from puppy cuteness as it grows, fans
of the breed find the adult to be a handsome, striking dog.
The AKC standard describes the shar-pei as "an alert dignified
active compact dog of medium size and substance, square in
profile, close-coupled, the well proportioned head slightly
but not overly large for the body. The short, harsh coat,
the loose skin covering the head and the body, the small ears,
the ‘hippopotamus’ muzzle shape and the high set tail impart
to the shar-pei a unique look peculiar to the breed alone."
The Chinese standard more eloquently describes the shar-pei
as possessing "clamshell ears, butterfly nose, melon-shaped
head, grandmotherly face, water-buffalo neck, horse’s buttocks
and dragon’s legs."
There’s
no denying the shar-pei’s appearance is distinctive, and distinction
is a quality that is almost always in demand. What at first
was an effort to save a dying breed quickly turned into the
shar-pei mania of the 1980s. After gaining full AKC recognition
in 1991, the shar-pei rose to become the 22nd most popular
dog, in terms of new AKC registrations, in 1993. Many breeders
and trainers feel the meteoric rise and "celebrity status"
was to the detriment of the breed and contributed to some
of the breed’s health and temperament problems.
Thankfully,
in the eyes of many, this popularity has waned in recent years
– the dog ranked 35th among the 146 registered breeds in new
AKC registrations in 1998. This popularity means the shar-pei
no longer qualifies as "The Rarest Breed of Dog in the World."
Many who are already devoted to the shar-pei hope that as
the breed continues to establish itself on this side of the
Pacific, people will learn that there is much more to the
shar-pei than just a cute, wrinkly face.
Health
Matters
The shar-pei
is a distinctive dog in every way, including its health problems.
An area of concern is the breed’s tendency toward skin trouble,
which is certainly not illogical given the dog’s wrinkly,
loose skin. The source of these skin problems is something
of a mystery, although they are often attributed to allergies.
A knowledgeable breeder may have some insights on what foods
and substances to avoid. In any case, the dog should be kept
as clean as possible, particularly in wrinkly areas, to help
prevent irritations in the skin folds.
Careful
breeding practices have reduced the breed’s previous problem
with enropian, a condition in which the edges of eyelids roll
inward, thus bringing the lashes into contact with the eyeball.
The problem can be corrected by a veterinarian.
Shar-pei
are subject to hip and elbow dysplasia and patellar luxation,
in which the knee cap (patella) slips in and out of position.
Prospective buyers ought to demand to see the results of these
tests for the parents of any puppy in which the buyers are
interested. The typical lifespan of a shar-pei is 8 to 10
years.
Skin
of Sand
The shar-pei’s
wrinkles are widely recognized, but many may not realize the
dog’s coat is also distinctive for its harsh, bristly texture.
The name shar-pei translates literally as "sand skin" and
loosely as "sand-paper-like coat." The coat is absolutely
straight and off standing on the main trunk of the body but
generally lies somewhat flatter on the limbs. Some shar-pei
exhibit a longer "bear" coat, called a "Song Ye" coat in China.
This is a recessive trait and is less common because of careful
breeding. The shar-pei’s coat is typically solid in shades
of cream, fawn, red or black. Shar-pei that don’t exhibit
solid colors – such as albino, brindle, patches, spotted or
tan-pointed patterns – are disqualified from competition by
the AKC.
Grooming
requirements for this bristly coat are not excessive — consisting
primarily of regular brushing and the occasional bath. A great
deal of attention must be paid to the skin to ensure that
no irritations exist within its folds. Bathing is a necessity
that is best taught early because a very strong characteristic
of the breed is their dislike of water, even rain. It’s much
better to introduce a docile puppy to bath time than to wrestle
with an adult shar-pei in a slippery tub.
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