Five things you did not know about Sharpeis
A dog with a wrinkled face and rough coat, these best describe the Shar-Pei (literally meaning “sand skin”). Despite its description, this breed was researched to be one of the most ancient breeds today and was once declared as the world’s rarest dog breed. With this title, what could be other wonderful facts the Shar-Pei holds? Let look at these five interesting facts about this breed.
1. Black Tongue
Shar-Pei have bluish-black (sometimes lavender) colored tongues similar to the Chow-Chow. That is why there are some speculations that the Chow-Chow and Shar-Pei likely have a common root or ancestry. Actually, a normal looking pink tongue is undesirable in dog show competitions.
2. Shy Dog
Many people observe that Shar-Peis tend to shy away when they attempt to touch the dog’s head or when approached abruptly. This is because their hooded eyes make it harder for them to see especially in the sides. They behave otherwise when approached from the front.
3. Rocky Beginnings
The Communist Revolution in China caused a dramatic decrease in the breed’s population. In an effort to save the Sharpei, 12 dogs were imported from Hong-Kong to the U.S. They are of inferior quality than today’s dogs and are actually street dogs with nasty dispositions.
4. Three Coats
There are actually three varieties of Shar-Pei coats although only 2 are acceptable in dog shows. The first is the Horsecoat, described as sand-paper texture and the other is Brushcoat, a bit longer than the horsecoat and is distinguishable by the fluffy tail. The third is the Bearcoat, which resembles a Chow-Chow and is longer than the other two but is not permitted in the show ring.
5. Two of a Kind
The Chinese Shar-Pei is different in appearance from the U.S. version. The Chinese differentiate the types by calling the Western as meat-mouth and the other as bone-mouth.
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