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.

- Unknown outside of China, it was rescued from extinction in the 1960’s.