Shar Pei puppies look like raisins with legs. They are so ugly that they are cute. Shar Peis became very popular in the 1980's with the yuppie generation in North America. Their popularity has declined due to many factors, one of which is their size. These are big dogs that average fifty pounds when they grow up. They are square and solid with a broad chest and a head that looks a little too big for the body.

It's the wrinkles that are the claim to fame for the Shar Pei. Unlike most other breeds of dog, this one is quite distinctive! The puppies are far more wrinkled than the adults. The Shar Pei breed standard calls for the adult to have loose skin, if not wrinkly skin, but wrinkles are still expected around the face. Because of the heavily wrinkled face, it is normal for these dogs to slobber a lot.

Only solid colored Shar Peis are permissible for showing in sanctioned American Kennel Club shows. But there are many part-colored and even spotted Shar Peis running about. Heads that look too big for the body are preferred, but it is common for Shar Peis to have heads in proportion to their large, blocky bodies. All Shar Pei information will tell you that they naturally come in three coat lengths, but for some reason only the two shortest coats are allowed.

Another quirk that Shar Peis have - besides their eye opening about the wrinkles - is that they have a blue-black tongue, sometimes described as purple in some reliable Shar Pei information sources. This is a trait shared with the breed thought to be the ancestor of the Shar Pei, the Chow Chow. In size and build, the two breeds share a lot in common. Shar Pei tails are left undocked and naturally curl over the back in much the same way as a Pug's.

There is some strange Shar Pei information floating around, especially on the web, so you have to select your dog or puppy very carefully. Shar Peis need a lot of exercise - at least a vigorous half hour walk a day - but need little grooming. There are three kinds of coat lengths, only two of which are recognized by the American Kennel Club. These coats consist of the short "horse coat", the longer "brush coat" and the very rare "bear coat", which has hair longer than one inch.

Only solid colored coats are permissible by the American Kennel Club, which means there are a lot of parti-colored and flower colored pureblood Shar Peis in North America looking for homes. They are solid and square dogs that are built a lot like Chow Chows. Their heads are usually large, but some average sized heads are permissible. Their chest is broad like a Rottweiler's with the forelegs spread widely apart. Their tails curl over the back.

Melissa Coleman has published hundreds of articles on dogs, including Shar Peis. The Shar Pei has a sketchy history at best. By learning Shar Pei information, there will be fewer Shar Peis abandoned.

Source: www.isnare.com