Breed Standard
Revised 2/28/98
General Appearance
An alert, 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 body, the small ears, the "hippopotomus" muzzle shape and the high set tail impart to the Shar-Pei a unique look peculiar to him alone. The loose skin and wrinkles covering the head, neck and body are superabundant in puppies but these features may be limited to the head, neck and withers in the adult.
Size, Proportion, Substance
The height is 18 to 20 inches at the withers. The weight is 45 to 60 pounds. The dog is usually larger and more square bodied than the bitch but both appear well proportioned. The height of the Shar-Pei from the ground to the withers is approximately equal to the length from the point of breastbone to the point of rump.
Head and Skull
The head is large, slightly, but not overly, proudly carried and covered with profuse wrinkles on the forehead continuing into side wrinkles framing the face. Eyes - dark, small, almond-shaped and sunken, displaying a scowling expression. In the dilute colored dogs the eye color may be lighter. Ears - extremely small, rather thick, equilateral triangles in shape, slightly rounded at the tips; edges of the ear may curl. Ears lie flat against the head, are set high, wide apart and forward on the skull, pointing toward the eyes. The ears have the ability to move. A pricked ear is a disqualification. Skull - flat and broad, the stop moderately defined. Muzzle - one of the distinctive features of the breed. It is broad and full with no suggestion of snipiness. (The length from nose to stop is approximately the same as from stop to occiput.) Nose - large and wide and darkly pigmented, preferably black but any color conforming to the general coat color of the dog is acceptable. In dilute colors, the preferred nose is self-colored. Darkly pigmented cream Shar-Pei may have some light pigment either in the center of the nose or on the entire nose. The lips and top of muzzle are well-padded and may cause a slight bulge above the nose. Tongue, roof of mouth, gums and flews - solid bluish-black is preferred in all coat colors except in dilute colors, which have a solid lavender pigmentation. A spotted pink tongue is a major fault. A solid pink tongue is a disqualification. (Tongue colors may lighten due to heat stress; care must be taken not to confuse dilute pigmentation with a pink tongue.) Teeth - strong, meeting in a scissors bite. Deviation from a scissors bite is a major fault.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck - medium length, full and set well into the shoulders. There are moderate to heavy folds of loose skin and abundant dewlap about the neck and throat. The topline dips slightly behind the withers, slightly rising over the short, broad loin. A level, roach or swayed topline/backline shall be faulted. Chest - broad and deep with the brisket extending to the elbow and rising slightly under the loin. Back - short and close-coupled. Croup - flat, with the base of the tail set extremely high, clearly exposing an up-tilted anus. Tail - the high set tail is a characteristic feature of the Shar-Pei. A low set tail shall be faulted. The tail is thick and round at the base, tapering to a fine point and curling over or to either side of the back. The absence of a complete tail is a disqualification.
Forequarters
Shoulders - muscular, well laid back and sloping. Forelegs - when viewed from the front, straight moderately spaced, with elbows close to the body. When viewed from the side, the forelegs are straight, the pasterns are strong and flexible. The bone is substanial but never heavy and is of moderate length. Removal of front dewclaws is optional. Feet - moderate in size, compact and firmly set, not splayed.
Hindquarters
Muscular, strong, and moderately angulated. The metatarsi (hocks) are short, perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. Hind dewclaws must be removed. Feet as in front.
Coat
The extremely harsh coat is one of the distinguishing features of the breed. The coat is absolutely straight and off standing on the main trunk of the body but generally lies somewhat flatter on the limbs. The coat appears healthy without being shiny or lustrous. Acceptable coat lengths may range from extremely short "horse coat" up to the "brush coat", not to exceed one inch in length at the withers. A soft coat, a wavy coat, a coat in excess of one inch in length at the withers or a coat that has been trimmed is a major fault. the Shar-Pei is shown in its natural state.
Color
Only solid colors and sable are acceptable and are to be judged on an equal basis. A solid color dog may have shading, primarily darker, down the back and on the ears. The shading must be variations of the same body color and may include darker hairs throughout the coat. The following colors are disqualifications: Albino; Not a solid color, i.e.: Brindle; Parti-colored; Spotted; Patterned in any combination of colors.
Gait
The movement of the Shar-Pei is to be judged at a trot. The gait is free and balanced with the feet tending to converge on a center line of gravity when the dog moves at a vigorous trot. The gait combines good forward reach and a strong drive in the hindquarters. Proper movement is essential.
Temperament
Regal, alert, intelligent, dignified, lordly, scowling, sober and snobbish essentially independent and somewhat standoffish with strangers, but extreme in his devotion to his family. The Shar-Pei stands firmly on the ground with a calm, confident stature.
Major Faults
Deviation from a scissors bite.
Spotted tongue.
A soft coat, a wavy coat, a coat in excess of 1" in length at the withers or a coat that has been trimmed.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Pricked ears
Solid pink tongue
Absence of a complete tail
Albino; not a solid color, i.e.: Brindle; Parti-colored; Spotted; Patterned in any combination of colors
WHAT exactly is a CHINESE SHAR PEI?
Commonly referred to as "the wrinkled dog", the CHINESE SHAR PEI is a loyal and wonderful companion. Shar Pei are regal, dignified and extremely intelligent. This breed thrives on love and attention and should NOT be thrown in the backyard and forgotten. Shar Pei are a pack or "family" animal and enjoy companionship. Being the intelligent breed they are, they can and will test you to see how far they can get. Therefore you should make it evident who the boss is! A firm but loving hand will help your Shar Pei reach it's full potential. It's never too early to start training! SOCIALIZATION IS ESSENTIAL! This includes interaction with strangers, puppy kindergarden, obedience, fun matches, frequent walks*....anything and everything will do! Your efforts will certainly be rewarded and your Pei will love you for it!
*make sure puppies are fully vaccinated before exposing them to potential harmful situations!
| | | | Where did CHINESE SHAR PEI come from?
The Chinese Shar Pei, is an ancient and unique breed that has existed for centuries in the Southern Provinces of China, apparently since the Han Dynasty (c. 200 BC). Statues bearing a strong resemblance to the Shar Pei have been discovered and dated to this period.
Following the establishment of the People's Republic of China as a communist nation, the dog population of China was essentially eliminated. During this period a few Chinese Shar Pei were bred in Hong Kong, BC and in the Republic of China (Taiwan). The breed was not recognized by the Hong Kong Kennel Club until about 1968. Subsequently the Hong Kong and Kowloon Kennel Association established a dog registry and registered the Shar Pei. Today the breed is also registered in Taiwan, Japan, Korea and organizations in Europe, Canada and Great Britain. In the US a few were imported in 1966 from stock registered with the Hong Kong Kennel Club. Interest increased and the Chinese Shar Pei Club of America, Inc., held its first organizational meeting in 1974. On May 4, 1988 the breed was accepted into the Miscellaneous Class. Acceptance into the Non Sporting Group came on August 1, 1992.
information taken from AKC | | | | APPEARANCE
Shar Pei pups are commonly dripping in wrinkles but should lose most of their wrinkling as they mature. Adult wrinkling should be limited to the area between the head, neck and withers. An overdone (dog having excess wrinkling) as an adult is incorrect to the Shar Pei can be found in three different coats, only two being correct to the Standard:
HORSECOAT: Short and harsh; stands off from body
BRUSHCOAT: Longer than the HORSECOAT; should be just as harsh.
BEARCOAT: long and wavy in excess of one inch; this coat is INCORRECT to the Standard
*a soft or wavy coat in INCORRECT in any length*
*Did you know Shar is a type of gritty sand and pei means dog in Chinese? This emphasizes the importance of a correct coat in the Chinese Shar Pei!*
Shar Pei come in a Rainbow of Colors. Fawn/Red Fawn/Mahogany/Black/Chocolate/Apricot/Five Point Red/Lilac/Blue/Isabella/Cream/Sable. Many of these colors can be found in Dilute (no black pigmentation).
Shar Pei can be found in the flowered pattern, pointed, brindle and black and tan. (incorrect to the Standard).
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