About the Shar-Pei

The Shar-Pei is very loyal to its person. Intelligent playful, active, dominant, and brave, It bonds with its family, but is not unfriendly toward strangers. If the dog meets cats and children while it is still young, it usually will not have a problem with them.

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The Chinese Shar-Pei is easy-going, calm, independent and devoted. It makes a delightful companion and a good watchdog. The Shar-Pei needs a confident owner. If you are uncertain, inconsistent, too soft or mild in the dog's eyes, it will take over as the boss. The Shar-Pei needs a firm, but gentle, extremely consistent authority figure. The dog must be taught all humans are above him in the pecking order. Those who see themselves as above humans will be stubborn and bold. This breed needs firm obedience training to establish your leadership. They may refuse commands from family members who have not established leadership over them. They need an owner who has the ability to be "Top Dog"

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The Shar-Pei is generally not fond of water and often tries to avoid it. This breed is very clean and one of the easier breeds to housebreak. Mixing other dogs can sometimes be a problem if one of the dogs is displaying dominant behaviors. Socialization is important. However, some Shar-Pei are less dominant then others and show lines tend to be less dog-aggressive, mixing well with other dogs.

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Some Shar-Pei tend to slobber, especially when in pain. It is important to find a reputable breeder when seeking a Shar-Pei. This breed was very popular in the 1980s. It was referred to as one of the "Yuppie Puppies," meaning it was one of the breeds that were carelessly over-bred. The dog's temperament depends on how the owner treats the dog. Dogs that are allowed to believe they are the boss over humans will develop behavior issues.