Utility group · China
Chinese Shar-Pei
Also called Shar-Pei, Chinese Fighting Dog.
Medium dog, low energy, trains well with consistency.
- Loyal
- Independent
- Calm
- Devoted
- Reserved
- Size
- Medium
- Weight
- 20 to 27 kg45 to 60 lb
- Lives
- 8 to 12 years
- Energy
- Low
- Trains
- Moderate
- Barks
- Low
Training
Training a Chinese Shar-Pei
Utility breeds. Many of these think before they obey. Earn compliance with reward and consistency; they do not do it for free.
Consistency From Day One
Start here
Strong-willed breed. Set clear routines from puppyhood and reward the behaviour you want to see.
Extensive Socialisation
Natural suspicion of strangers requires intensive early socialisation to prevent aggression.
Short Training Sessions
Independent thinkers who bore easily. Keep sessions brief and varied.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Chinese Shar-Pei and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, on video with Atlas and Shango.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Breeds developed for a job that no longer exists or never fitted a group. Includes the spitz and primitive breeds.
Gets on with
- ChildrenModerate
- Other dogsLow
- StrangersLow
- CatsLow
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 45-60 minutes daily. Moderate walks. Avoid exercise in heat due to breathing issues.
- Grooming
- Low maintenance coat but high maintenance wrinkles. Clean folds regularly to prevent infection.
- Drool
- Moderate
- Coat
- Horse coat, Brush coat, Bear coatFawn, Red, Cream, Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac
- In a flat
- Can work, with enough exercise outside it.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Shar-Pei Fever
Severe
Breed-specific inflammatory disorder causing recurring fevers and swollen hocks
Entropion
Moderate
Eyelids roll inward causing corneal damage; often requires surgical correction
Skin Fold Infections
Moderate
Wrinkles trap moisture and bacteria; requires regular cleaning and monitoring
Where they come from
History
Ancient Chinese breed dating back 2,000 years. Used for herding, hunting, and guarding. Nearly extinct by the 1970s until breeders in Hong Kong and America worked to save the breed.
- Rarest Dog Breed · Listed in Guinness Book of World Records as rarest dog breed in 1978 during near-extinction
