Shar Pei
The Shar Pei, a dog breed instantly recognizable by its distinctive wrinkled skin and solemn expression, carries a history as deep and convoluted as its folds. Originating from ancient China, this unique canine has journeyed from imperial guard dog to the brink of extinction and back again, captivating hearts with its unusual charm. Its story is one of resilience, transformation, and a captivating bond with human history. The Shar Pei is an ancient breed, likely dating back to the Han Dynasty, known for its unique 'basal' genetic lineage that predates many modern breeds. Once near extinction in the 20th century, the breed was dramatically saved through international efforts, leading to distinct 'bone-mouth' and 'meat-mouth' variations. Despite its endearing appearance, the Shar Pei is predisposed to several significant health conditions, particularly skin issues and a unique genetic disorder called Familial Shar Pei Fever.
AI Summary
The Shar Pei, a dog breed instantly recognizable by its distinctive wrinkled skin and solemn expression, carries a history as deep and convoluted as its folds. Originating from ancient China, this unique canine has journeyed from imperial guard dog to the brink of extinction and back again, captivating hearts with its unusual charm. Its story is one of resilience, transformation, and a captivating bond with human history.
- The Shar Pei is an ancient breed, likely dating back to the Han Dynasty, known for its unique 'basal' genetic lineage that predates many modern breeds.
- Once near extinction in the 20th century, the breed was dramatically saved through international efforts, leading to distinct 'bone-mouth' and 'meat-mouth' variations.
- Despite its endearing appearance, the Shar Pei is predisposed to several significant health conditions, particularly skin issues and a unique genetic disorder called Familial Shar Pei Fever.
Echoes from Ancient China
While definitive records of the Shar Pei's origins remain elusive, intriguing clues suggest a long and storied past. Evidence points to ancient China, where effigies from the Han Dynasty, around 200 BCE to 220 CE, depict un-wrinkled guard dogs that bear a striking resemblance to the breed's traditional form.
Many believe the modern Shar Pei, along with its close relative the Chow Chow, descends directly from these ancient canines. Genetic studies further support its antiquity, identifying the Shar Pei as a 'basal breed'—meaning its lineage predates the emergence of most modern dog breeds established in the 19th century.
A Brush with Oblivion
Once a popular and valued property guardian in southern China, the Shar Pei faced catastrophic decline in the 20th century. War, political upheaval, and the rise of communism in China led to severe restrictions on dog ownership, pushing the breed to the very edge of extinction.
By 1970, the future of the Shar Pei looked bleak. In 1973, a dedicated Hong Kong businessman named Matgo Law issued a heartfelt plea to the international community, particularly the American Kennel Club, to help save these magnificent dogs. His urgent call echoed across the globe.
The dire situation gained global attention when, in 1978, The Guinness Book of Records declared the Shar Pei the world's rarest breed, with a mere 60 individuals remaining. This heartbreaking revelation sparked immense demand for the breed in the United States, igniting efforts to bring them back from the brink.
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As demand soared, some unscrupulous breeders in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan began crossing their dwindling purebred Shar Peis with other breeds like Bull Terriers, Pugs, and Bulldogs. Their aim was to quickly produce puppies to sell to eager American buyers, often unknowingly.
These crossings resulted in a new type of Shar Pei, characterized by a much fleshier muzzle. This variant became known as the 'meat-mouth' Shar Pei. In contrast, the original, less-padded type of the breed earned the moniker 'bone-mouth' Shar Pei.
Enthusiastic breeders in the United States took up the cause, working with the smuggled dogs from the 1970s. A dedicated breed club was established, and by 1992, the American Kennel Club officially recognized the Shar Pei, setting a breed standard that largely favored the 'meat-mouth' type.
Today, traditional 'bone-mouth' Shar Peis are still maintained by a small number of dedicated breeders in Hong Kong, though their numbers remain incredibly small—estimated at only 50 to 100 individuals. They represent a living link to the breed's ancient past.
The Miniature Shar Pei
In the United States, some breeders have selectively bred Shar Peis for an even smaller size, creating what they call the 'miniature Shar Pei.' These dogs stand a maximum of 40 centimeters (16 inches) tall and are bred not only for their reduced stature but also for an abundance of wrinkles.
A Dog of Distinctive Features
The Shar Pei is a medium-sized dog instantly recognizable by its short, very harsh coat and, of course, its extensively wrinkled skin. Despite its resemblance to Mastiff-type breeds, genetic analysis places it more closely with Spitz breeds, making the Chow Chow its closest relative.
This unique kinship is perhaps most evident in their shared, striking feature: a blue-black tongue. This distinct pigmentation is rarely seen in other dog breeds and serves as a fascinating genetic marker linking these two ancient Chinese canines.
Adult Shar Peis typically stand between 44 and 51 centimeters (17-20 inches) tall and weigh 16 to 20 kilograms (35-44 pounds). Their short, bristly coat comes in nearly any solid color except white, with black, red, fawn, and cream being the most common hues.
The traditional Chinese breed standard for the Shar Pei offers a poetic description of its unique physical traits. It speaks of 'clam-shell ears,' a 'butterfly nose,' a 'melon-shaped head,' and a 'grandmotherly face'—capturing its endearing, wise appearance.
Further describing its structure, the standard mentions a 'water buffalo neck,' 'horse's buttocks,' and 'dragon's legs.' These colorful analogies highlight the breed's compact, muscular build, broad muzzle, small triangular ears, and deeply set eyes—all contributing to its unforgettable look.
Health Considerations for the Shar Pei
Life Expectancy
Like all purebreds, the Shar Pei is prone to certain health conditions. A 2024 UK study found the breed's average life expectancy to be 10.6 years, which is slightly below the average of 12.7 years for purebred dogs and 12 years for crossbreeds.
Skin Conditions
The Shar Pei's iconic wrinkles, while charming, can unfortunately predispose them to various skin issues. A review of veterinary records found Shar Peis to have a higher prevalence of atopic dermatitis and demodicosis compared to the general dog population.
Specific skin conditions common in Shar Peis include allergic skin disease, cutaneous mucinosis (excessive mucin in the skin), intertrigo (skin fold dermatitis), otitis externa (ear infections), and vasculopathy (blood vessel disorders).
Familial Shar Pei Fever (FSF)
Perhaps the most serious health concern for the breed is Familial Shar Pei Fever, or FSF. This inherited condition is characterized by recurring fevers and often swelling of the hocks, the joints resembling human ankles. It shares similarities with Familial Mediterranean Fever in humans.
While its exact cause is still being researched, FSF is thought to be inherited and involves an elevated level of interleukin 6. This leads to an accumulation of acute phase proteins in the body during fever episodes, which can then break down to form amyloid protein.
This amyloid protein deposits primarily in the kidneys, and less often in the liver, spleen, and gastrointestinal tract. Over time, this buildup—known as amyloidosis—can tragically lead to kidney or liver failure, often before the age of six years. An estimated 23% of Western-type Shar Peis are affected.
Symptoms of FSF, including fever and painful hock swelling that resembles a 'flaccid water balloon,' typically resolve within two days. While NSAIDs like carprofen can manage symptoms, prevention of amyloidosis often involves medications like colchicine or dimethyl sulfoxide for dogs with recurrent episodes.
Other Conditions
Beyond skin and FSF, Shar Peis are also predisposed to hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough hormones, affecting metabolism and overall health.
A painful eye condition called entropion is also common, where the eyelashes curl inward, constantly irritating the eyeball. If left untreated, this can lead to blindness. Fortunately, it can often be corrected with surgery, either by 'tacking' eyelids in puppies or removing excess skin in older dogs.
Furthermore, Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common and suspected hereditary problem in the breed, highlighting the importance of careful dietary management and veterinary monitoring.
Orthopedic issues are also a concern, with a review of over 250,000 elbow scans revealing that 24% of Shar Peis over the age of two suffer from elbow dysplasia, a painful joint abnormality.
Finally, the Shar Pei is one of the breeds most commonly affected by primary open-angle glaucoma, a serious eye disease that can lead to blindness. This condition is linked to an autosomal recessive mutation in the ADAMTS17 gene, making genetic screening an important consideration for breeders.
Article
Shar Pei
The Shar Pei (Chinese: 沙皮; Cantonese Yale: shā pèih; pinyin: shā pí) is a dog breed from southern China. Traditionally kept as a property guardian, the shar pei was driven to the brink of extinction in the 20th century. The breed is known in the West for its deep wrinkles, while a traditional less wrinkled form is maintained in Hong Kong.
History
Shar Pei
Chinese sculpture of a shar pei dog from the Eastern Han dynasty c. 100 CE Kept in the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
There are no records indicating the origins of the shar pei, although it closely resembles effigies of an un-wrinkled type of guard dog kept in southern China during the Han dynasty; some believe the modern breed, along with the chow chow, descends from these dogs. The breed has been identified as a basal breed that predates the emergence of the modern breeds in the 19th century.
The shar pei was once very popular, but war and political turmoil in China in the 20th century took its toll on the breed and by the 1970s it was close to extinction. In 1973 a Hong Kong businessman named Matgo Law appealed to the international community, in particular the American Kennel Club, to help save the breed; by 1978 the breed was named by The Guinness Book of Records as the world's rarest breed, with only 60 remaining. The resultant publicity led to great demand in the United States for examples of the breed, and unscrupulous breeders in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan took to crossing their remaining purebred animals with other breeds including the bull terrier, pug and bulldog, and selling the offspring to unwitting American buyers. The results of the crossings led to a dog with a much fleshier mouth than the original breed, these dogs became known as "meat-mouth" shar peis, while the original dogs are called "bone-mouth" shar peis.
The cause of saving the breed was taken up in the United States by enthusiastic breeders using the dogs smuggled there in the 1970s, a breed club was founded and it received American Kennel Club recognition in 1992, with breed standard specifying a meat-mouth type dog. Some breeders in Hong Kong maintain the traditional bone-mouth type, although it is estimated only 50 to 100 examples of this type remain.
In the United States, a number of breeders have selectively bred shar peis for a smaller size, creating what they call the "miniature shar pei", much to the opposition of many breeders of traditionally sized shar peis. Standing to a maximum 40 centimetres (16 in), the miniature shar pei is bred for both for its smaller size and increased wrinkles.
Description
Shar Pei
"Meat-mouth" shar pei showing the blue-black tongue
The shar pei is a short-coated medium-sized breed of dog, renowned for its excessively wrinkled skin. The breed resembles many dog breeds from the mastiff family; however, it is most closely related to spitz breeds, with the chow chow being its closest relative. This is most clearly seen with the two breeds both possessing unique blue-black tongues. This dog falls within the same genetic group as the chow-chow, the akita, the shiba inu, the malamute and the Greenland dog.
Adult shar peis typically stand between 44 and 51 centimetres (17 and 20 in) and weigh between 16 and 20 kilograms (35 and 44 lb), they have a short, very harsh coat that can be any solid colour except white, although black, red, fawn and cream are the most common.
The Chinese breed standard states they have clam-shell ears, butterfly nose, melon-shaped head, grandmotherly face, water buffalo neck, horse's buttocks and dragon's legs. The breed's head is relatively large compared to its body with a broad muzzle that usually darker than the rest of the coat and well padded causing a bulge at its base, the ears are set wide apart and are small and triangular, and the eyes are set very deeply into the folds of skin on the head. The breed has straight, well boned, muscular legs below sloping shoulders and a medium length broad tail that is curled over their back in a manner typical of spitz-type dogs.
Health
Life expectancy
A 2024 study in the UK found a life expectancy of 10.6 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.
Skin conditions
A review of over 23,000 records from the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Sydney found 7.7% of Shar-peis to have atopic dermatitis, higher than the overall of 3.1%. A review of records from over 600 US hospitals found 4% of Shar-peis under the age of 2 to suffer from juvenile onset demodicosis compared to just 0.58% overall. A study in the UK found the Shar-pei to have an overall prevalence of 0.9% compared to 0.17% for the general population. For juvenile onset demodicosis (under 2 years) the Shar-pei had a prevalence of 1.8% compared to 0.48%. For adult onset demodicosis (over 4 years) the Shar-pei had a prevalence of 0.6% compared to 0.05%. The Shar-pei is predisposed to several skin conditions including: allergic skin disease, cutaneous mucinosis, intertrigo, otitis externa, and vasculopathy.
Familial Shar Pei Fever
A Shar Pei with Shar Pei Fever
Shar Pei fever (also called familial Shar Pei fever or FSF) is a condition seen in Shar Pei characterized by recurring fever and swelling of the hocks. It is similar to familial Mediterranean fever in humans. The cause is unknown, but it is thought to be inherited. Shar Pei fever can result in renal and liver failure through accumulation of amyloid in those organs (amyloidosis).
Affected Shar Pei have an elevated level of interleukin 6, and this leads to an accumulation of acute phase proteins in the body during the fevers. The acute phase proteins are broken down to form type AA amyloid, which deposits in the kidneys and less so in the liver, spleen, and gastrointestinal tract. This eventually leads to kidney or liver failure by the age of six years.
The symptoms of Shar Pei fever include fever, swelling, and pain in the hocks that usually resolves within two days. The swelling in the hocks is easily recognizable—the hock will resemble a flaccid waterballoon, rather than stiff swelling following a sprain or break. The symptoms can be treated with NSAIDs such as carprofen. Kidney and liver failure cannot be treated except by the conventional manner usually used for those diseases. Prevention of amyloidosis is sometimes used in dogs with recurring episodes of Shar Pei fever. Colchicine and dimethyl sulfoxide are most commonly used. The disease is associated with the Western type and it is estimated that 23% of dogs in the US are affected.
Other conditions
The Shar-pei is prediposed to hypothyroidism.
A common problem is a painful eye condition, entropion, in which the eyelashes curl inward, irritating the eye. If untreated, it can cause blindness. This condition can be fixed by surgery—"tacking" up the eyelids so they will not roll onto the eyeball for puppies, or surgically removing extra skin in adolescent and older shar peis.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common problem in the Shar Pei and is suspected to be hereditary.
A review of over 250,000 elbow scans in North America found a 24% of Shar-Peis over the age of 2 to suffer from elbow dysplasia.
The Shar Pei is one of the more commonly affected breeds for primary open angle glaucoma. An autosomal recessive mutation of the ADAMTS17 gene is responsible for the condition in the breed. A review of hospital records in North America found 4.4% of Shar-Peis to suffer from glaucoma compared to 0.71% for mixed-breeds.
The Shar Pei is one of the two most commonly affected breeds for hiatal hernia.