Shar-Pei: The Owner’s Guide from Puppy to Old Age - Choosing, Caring for, Grooming, Health, Training and Understanding Your Chinese Shar-Pei Dog
By Alex Seymour
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About this ebook
Wouldn’t it be incredible if 18 expert Shar-Pei breeders and veterinarians combined with a top dog trainer to create the ultimate complete owner’s guide with all your frequently asked questions answered in one place?
Well here it is! You will literally find this book jam packed full of useful quotes giving clear advice and secret tips from the world’s top Shar-Pei breeders who between them have hundreds of years of experience in caring for Shar-Peis.
This one-stop ‘instruction manual’ is the essential companion to your lovable Chinese Shar-Pei. Over 194 pages we cover everything you should know from buying a new puppy through to old age and how best to look after your precious Shar-Pei including three in-depth top breeder interviews packed with advice and tips.
Start off with the right advice so bad behaviors don’t even start, but if they do, we show you how to overcome common problems. We will help you understand your Shar-Pei so you can build an ever stronger loving bond with your best-behaved member of your household.
Our experts can also help save you a small fortune by showing the best ways to keep your Shar-Pei healthier and live a longer and more fulfilled life, reducing expensive trips to the vets.
The book written in an easy-to-understand style with funny and entertaining stories interspersed with practical, actionable advice and tips from all our qualified expert breeders.
Cate Stewart Nordic Star Shar-Pei says: “I am so pleased with how the book came together. I was honored to be a contributor to the book as well as having a featured chapter. With the input from the breeders in this book the reader is getting 100s of years of experience and knowledge! This is by far the most comprehensive Shar-Pei book available. It should be required reading for every Shar-Pei owner. In the future when I sell a puppy this book will be given to the new owner.”
Andrea Robins of Gumby’s Chinese Shar-Pei Perm Reg’d says: “Finally a book that is informative and honest about our breed. Excellent that breeders were consulted and had such a big part in the book so its readers can benefit from their years of experience. I will be recommending this book to all my puppy buyers and people who adopt through Rescue.”
Order now and you can soon be sitting back, relaxing and enjoying this Shar-Pei owner’s guide. Buy it now either on paperback or instant downloadable e-book.
Just some of the subjects covered include: origins and history of the Chinese Shar-Pei, keeping your vet bills down by giving your Shar-Pei better health, how to help your Shar-Pei live longer, colors, buying a dog or puppy, male or female, rescue, adoption, breeders, personality, socialization, spaying, neutering, house/potty training, bringing your puppy home, grooming, combing, bathing, health, vaccinations, training, understanding your Shar-Pei, play and toys, what food and nutrition, old age and what to expect, and much more...
"Very well-written and full of facts and useful advice from a host of top breeders which reassured me greatly." David York
Alex Seymour
Alex Seymour enlisted in the Royal Marines Commandos as a teenager, serving for 6 years and completing 2 tours of duty on active service. Twenty years later he returned to the service as the oldest front line commando in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. He is currently the Technology Account Director for a global technology company and lives with his wife and children in Buckinghamshire, England.
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Shar-Pei - Alex Seymour
Shar-Pei
The Owner’s Guide from Puppy to Old Age
Choosing, Caring for, Grooming, Health, Training and Understanding Your Chinese Shar-Pei Dog or Puppy
By Alex Seymour
Copyright 2015 - Published by Alan Kenworthy at Smashwords.
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Disclaimer and Legal Notice
This product is not legal or accounting advice and should not be interpreted in that manner. You need to do your own due diligence to determine if the content of this product is right for you. While every attempt has been made to verify the information shared in this publication, neither the author nor the affiliates assume any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein. Any perceived slights to any specific person(s) or organization(s) are purely unintentional.
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The accuracy and completeness of information provided herein and opinions stated herein are not guaranteed or warranted to produce any particular results, and the advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every individual. The author shall not be liable for any loss incurred as a consequence of the use and application, directly or indirectly, of any information presented in this work. This publication is designed to provide information in regard to the subject matter covered.
Neither the author nor the publisher assume any responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor do they represent or warrant that the ideas, information, actions, plans, or suggestions contained in this book are in all cases accurate. It is the reader’s responsibility to find advice before putting anything written in this book into practice. The information in this book is not intended to serve as legal advice.
Photo Credit: Joy & Richard Bayliss of Tianshan Shar Pei and owner Russell Sheehan
Foreword
Many of the world’s top breeders have been involved in contributing to this book and once you’ve read this book, you will have all the information you need to make a well-informed decision about whether or not the Shar-Pei is the breed for you.
As an owner, expert trainer and professional dog whisperer, I would like to teach you the human side of the equation, so you can learn how to think more like your dog and eliminate behavioral problems with your pet.
The Chinese Shar-Pei, once a rare dog in the Western world, has gained enormous popularity in recent years. Almost human-like, they are incredibly smart, intuitive and comical at times!
These sturdy, stoic dogs appear calm and confident at first glance. Aloof with strangers, but deeply devoted to their humans, the Shar-Pei garners accolades for being clean, easily housebroken, and quiet.
This is not, however, a breed without drawbacks, and a first-time dog owner needs to be fully aware of all possible health issues. Most Shar-Pei mind their own business unless provoked, but they can be highly territorial with other dogs, and in some cases predatory with cats. In a rural setting, unless properly contained, the breed’s ancient hunting instincts may surface.
Perhaps the greatest challenge of the Shar-Pei is his stubborn dominance of the world around him. If you don’t have the capacity to be the alpha
in your household, your Shar-Pei will immediately become the leader of the pack and do as he pleases. To be a successful Shar-Pei owner, you must be able to forge a relationship predicated on mutual respect.
Many enjoy cuddling, but they are too big to be lap dogs. They don’t like to be petted on the head by a stranger, because, for the most part, they cannot look up due to the heavily wrinkled eyebrow. Adults or children need to be taught to approach a Shar-Pei by touching them under the chin.
All breeds need crate training, because that helps teach them their boundaries, and the Shar-Pei are certainly no exception. They do not need a great deal of exercise, however, and can live happily in an apartment so long as they get a 20-minute walk per day. When well-trained and well-behaved, the breed is a loyal and highly enjoyable companion.
The information in this book will help you to form a fuller sense of what life with a Shar-Pei would be like, and arm you with the correct questions to ask in your discussions with breeders. No pet purchase should be undertaken without careful consideration. This is particularly true for a breed as special, and at times enigmatic, as the Shar-Pei.
Photo Credit: Lynn and Michael Olds of Lava Kennels Chinese Shar-Pei
Acknowledgments
In writing this book, I also sought tips, advice, photos and opinions from many experts of the Shar-Pei breed.
In particular I wish to thank the following wonderful experts for going out of their way to help and contribute to the book:
USA & CANADA
Cate Stewart of Nordic Star Shar-Pei
nordicstarcsp@yahoo.com
Bobbie Libman of Mikobi Shar-Pei
http://www.sharpeidogs.ca/mikobi
Lauren J Alexander of Lauren’s Shar-Pei
http://www.lasharpei.com
Bonnie Stoney of Stoneys Chinese Shar-Pei
bstoney@earthlink.net
Linda J.M. Tintle, D.V.M.
Wurtsboro Veterinary Clinic
163 Sullivan Street, P.O. Box 910
Wurtsboro, New York 12790
845-888-4884
wvc@warwick.net
http://www.wvc.vetsuite.com
Susanna Björnsson of Brekkukots Shar-Pei
http://www.brekkukots.com/
Georgette Schaefer of Yu Kou Shar-Pei
ghschaef@gmail.com
Andrea Robins of Gumby’s Chinese Shar-Pei Perm Reg’d
http://www.gumbysurprise.com
Barbara & Stephen LaVere of Tzo Wen Shar-Pei
http://www.tzowen.com/
Kathy Probst of Conrad Knoll Shar-Pei
conradknol@aol.com
Lynn and Michael Olds of Lava Kennels Chinese Shar-Pei
http://www.lavakennels.com/
Deena Harvey of Harvs Shar-Pei
http://www.harvssharpei.com/
Kathy Torres & Marie Bradley of Maka Chinese Shar-Pei
http://makacsp.ambercreek.net/
Marilyn Vinson of China Fleet Shar-Pei
Dee Dee Wells of Margem Hills Shar-Pei
http://margemhills.com/
Judy Dorough of Tuj’s Chinese Shar-Pei
http://www.tujschineseshar-pei.com
UNITED KINGDOM
Joy & Richard Bayliss of Tianshan Shar-Pei
http://www.tianshansharpei.co.uk/
Claire Davis of Deakie Shar-Pei
http://deakie.com/
Chapter 1 – Meet the Chinese Shar-Pei
The Chinese Shar-Pei is one of the most distinct and easily recognized of all dog breeds. That very uniqueness explains their growing popularity, but this is not the dog for everyone.
Although they may look like a soft mass of wrinkles, their coat can be harsh and bristly to the point of causing skin irritations in some sensitive individuals. There are three different coat types: horse coats, brush coats and bear coats. Both horse coats and brush coats should have a harsh coat. Bear coats have very fluffy, dense coats similar to Chow Chows.
Horse coats are a little less commonly seen in the show ring; however, they are both judged equally. One is not preferred over the other. Some prefer brush coat, some people prefer horse coat.
The dogs are extremely stubborn and, if not well socialized, can be territorial and aggressive. If a Shar-Pei doesn’t want to do something, they won’t! At the same time, however, they are incredibly intelligent, and extremely loyal and devoted. If you know what you’re getting into, having a Shar-Pei in your life can be a superb experience.
They are one of the easiest dogs to groom, requiring an occasional quick brush and muzzle wipe. As most rarely smell, they need infrequent bathing – you just need to wipe out their ears once every few weeks.
The History of the Shar-Pei
Although an ancient breed, the true origins of the Chinese Shar-Pei are poorly documented, in part because all records regarding the country’s canine population were destroyed in 225 BC. The Chinese bred dogs as companions, but also as sources of meat, pelts, and leather.
An interesting fact is there are a few breeds that most closely resemble the wolf genetically. A genetic study has revealed that two branches of the canine family tree were the earliest to diverge from the wolves. One branch includes the oriental breeds Shar-Pei, Shiba Inu, Chow Chow and Akita; the other, the seemingly diverse breeds of African Basenji, Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Afghan Hound and Saluki. In addition to these ancient dogs, three other groups were developed later, including canines for guarding, herding and hunting.
The Shar-Pei can be traced with some certainty to tomb statues and vases from the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). Most experts agree that the Chow Chow figures in the Shar-Pei genetic history, in part because both dogs have a unique bluish black tongue. The Tibetan Mastiff is also a likely ancestor, as is the Great Pyrenees, a breed with double dew claws that sometimes appear in the Shar-Pei as well (although rarely). But the most direct line of descent is believed to be from the Dah Let fighting dog.
The modern Shar-Pei shares many of the same physical characteristics of the Dah Let. Both have powerful jaws and a stiff coat uncomfortable to the mouth of an opponent. Shar-Pei intentionally stiffen their coats as a means of defense. The highly flexible skin in both dogs allows them to maneuver and turn, easily breaking another dog’s hold. The skin’s spongy, thick texture protects the tissue underneath. If the skin is cut it will excrete mucin, which is the consistency of egg whites; this helps seal and heal the skin. The breed’s tiny ears give an attacker little to grab, while still covering the opening.
There are various theories bandied about, one being that the original horse coat Shar-Pei was indigenous to Southern China, where it is warmer, and the brush coat variety comes from Northern China, where it is colder, and that at one time the horse coat Shar-Pei was crossed with a Chow, that is how the coats got longer. The truth is there is currently no hard evidence to prove this speculation.
Dog fighting was one of the only means of entertainment for people living in small, rural villages and on farms. Images of fighting dogs are found throughout Chinese art, but the modern Shar-Pei is not a fighter unless he is seriously provoked.
In China, all dogs that protected property were called fighting
dogs, but the Shar-Pei was actually more multi-faceted, serving as a home guardian and a hunting animal, but not a retriever. The Shar-Pei instinctively shakes anything it catches, unless the habit is broken through training. Shar-Pei are extremely versatile and have excelled in agility, performance, herding and retrieving.
After 1949, the Communists imposed heavy fines for anyone keeping dogs. The animals were seen as luxury items. Mao Tse-tung ordered mass killings, decimating the canine populations in cities. In the outlying districts, a few Shar-Pei survived and were smuggled out of the country in the 1950s. Concerted efforts to save and promulgate the breed began in the 1970s, principally by C. M. Chung and Matgo Law.
As many existing specimens