Shar Pei Puppies Blog

Is it normal, anyway?!

Yes, it is. Just imagine the situation from the point of view of your Shar Pei. He is part of the family, often treated as “the kid”, and then, suddenly, a new creature arrives and takes all the attention of his beloved family. It is quite similar to what older children feel, when a little brother/sister arrives. One of the differences is just that the dog can’t speak English

Actually, if we are aware of this ‘problem’ in advance, the situation can be handled, but it needs consciousness and to be started in time, long before the baby’s arrival. Let’s see how we can prepare our Shar Pei for the new family member.

If your dog’s daily routine has to be changed with the baby’s arrival (it probably will), you should start changing the rules much earlier, giving him plenty of time to get used to the new set up. This way it isn’t going to be so sudden and shocking. If your Shar Pei hasn’t really been trained before, it’s high time to start. He should learn at least a few commands, like sit, stay, etc. This way, he’ll be easier to handle.

Many families worry about their dog endangering the health of the child, so the best thing to do is to take your pet to the vet, get him checked and get some advice. Get your Shar Pei used to the new smells, sounds in advance (blankets, lotions, toys). It’s also a good idea, that just after your baby was born, send home a blanket that the baby had been in, so your dog can experience the child’s smell in advance. It is very important to know that your  Shar Pei will get a lot less attention from the mother, so when taking the baby home for the first time, the mother should greet the dog, so it is better if someone else is carrying the baby.

It is also a good idea not to leave them alone together at the first times, until your Shar Pei feels comfortable with the baby, because, for example, it is very possible that the dog won’t tolerate the child’s crying very well in the beginning. You have to teach him that this is a normal sound, and you should motivate him not to bark (with treats, for example).

And the most important rule for last, maybe it seems too obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning: try to give as much attention to your Shar Pei as you can. The point is that he has to feel that you do care about him. If you keep this in mind, most probably there will be no problem. You could also try Preparing Fido, which is an amazing collection of Baby sounds designed especially to get your dog ready for the arrival of the new Baby!

The narrow line between training and abuse

Many dog owners think that their Shar Pei is the smartest in the world. There’s no problem with this, up to certain a point. This point is when the owner expects as much from the dog as if it really was the most intelligent creature the world has ever seen. They expect them to learn everything right away, whereas dogs need time to learn things, the same way as we, humans do. Just in a different way Well, the point is, that training requires time and patience. It can be different for all dogs, but we do have to keep this in mind and take the time and energy to train our Shar Pei.

Another common mistake (also because of the lack of patience) is to give up. Many people think that they have already tried everything but the dog doesn’t want to learn. In this case, maybe the methods are not the best, or they need more time. There are no dogs who wouldn’t be able to learn at least a few commands. Giving up is never a solution.

So, if we have the time and the patience we can avoid the next, and maybe the biggest mistake: to turn training into abuse. Probably you expect me to tell you where this line is. I can’t. This is something the owner should know. Training is all about communication. If you know your Shar Pei, if you pay attention to him, you see how he feels. Unfortunately many dog owners don’t have this ability, because they only keep pets for entertainment, while a dog is much more than that.

Going back to training, a very important rule is that your goal should be that your Shar Pei obeys to commands because he is keen to do so. NOT BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID. Many-many owners forget about this, and feel the training successful, but actually they are making their dog unhappy. How can someone live happily in fear? No way. These owners are only keeping a dog to make themselves happy, and don’t feel the responsibility they should.

So the point is, that ‘positive training’ is possible. Actually, that’s the only way.

The first difficulties most Shar Pei owners face is potty training their puppy. As with general training, the main principles remain the same: a positive, rewarding approach and a lot of patience is required. There are, however a few tips and tricks that will make the whole process faster and easier for both puppy and owner. Find out what Sharda Baker has to say on the topic, who has developed her best practices by years of trial and error.

Please comment if you have something to add.

Why spend money on vet bills, if you can do it too?

As sweet as it is now, this puppy wil become less and less cute as time goes by…  But as it was originally intended to be a fighter, the shar-pei is an excellent protector of people and property. This breed used to entertain people is pit fights. Take this into consideration before buying one.

Chinese Shar Pei most of the time are suspicious of strangers which is natural as they were bred original as guard dogs. Generally, this breed’s proven to be a loving, devoted family dog. Chinese Shar Pei is very independent and reserved as well. They are extremely devoted, loyal and affectionate to their family and are amenable to accepting strangers, especially when they are socialized properly.

Chinese Shar Pei just like any other dogs, need to be trained as well. This is to maintain their body’s activity and to keep their health from deteriorating. You need to walk your pet out everday or even at least thrice a week. After a tiring walk with your Chinese Shar Pei, pour a cup of coffee for yourself using the Shar Pei Coffee Mug and enjoy the lovely morning with your pet. This is a 15oz oversized mug and can be a great gift for Shar Pei or dog enthusiasts out there.

For some Shar Pei owners, it may be noticed that there are white flakes on the coat and on the skin. Also at times, it has been observed that some even scratch the area incessantly causing cuts and bruises. If you notice this with your Shar Pei, start by checking the shampoo and switching it with another. But this may not be the main cause so it is very much recommended that the diet of the dog be check for more often than not, it could be an allergic effect of something the dog has been eating.

You will want to get them dog food that has no wheat or corn in it. This is a common cause for food allergy. Some have tried home cooking of lamb and rice as well as giving them a spoonful of vegetable and even cod liver oil not only to prevent itchiness but to help keep their coats gleaming and healthy looking. For the best advice regarding what to feed them, ask breeders and vets to know more about the digestive and allergic working of the breed. They may eat good food, but it may not be the right food.