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Miniature Shar-Pei
Puppies for Sale
Miniature Shar-Pei
(Miniature Chinese Shar-Pei)
Fiona the Mini Shar-Pei as a puppy.
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Pronunciation |
Chinese
Shar-Pei |
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Description |
The Miniature Shar-Pei shall be short, broad, almost square in proportion of body length to height. The most notable characteristic is the abundant, tight wrinkling about the head and body. The head should be slightly large in proportion to the body. Eyes should be dark, clear, and almond shaped being neither sunken nor protruding. In dilute dogs, the eye color may be slightly lighter. Eye tacks will not be allowed in the ring. Ears should be small, triangular, thick, lying close to the head and preferably curled back at the edge. They should set wide apart and forward on the skull and angle toward the eye. They may show a slight degree of mobility. Prick ears are a disqualification. The skull should be flat and broad with a moderate stop, with the plane of the forehead and top of the muzzle parallel. The muzzle should have adequate bone with enough padding to give a square appearance to the head with no hint of snipiness. The flews should be slightly flared. The nose is large and wide and may be darkly pigmented or conform to the general coat color of the dog. On lighter colored dogs, a brick nose is acceptable. Tongue and inside of the mouth is preferably bluish-black. The tongue may lighten somewhat due to heat stress. Teeth - a scissor bite is preferred. Deviation is a fault. The neck is of medium length, muscular, set well into the shoulders with abundant dewlap. Topline dips slightly behind the withers and rises somewhat over the loin. The chest is broad, deep, with the brisket extending to the elbow, rising somewhat under the loin. The Croup curves slightly downward to the high set tail. The tail is thick at the base tapering to a point and should curl. Tail carriage should be up and over the back. The absence of a complete tail is a disqualifying fault. The shoulders are muscular, sloping and well laid back. Forelegs when viewed from the front should be straight, moderately spaced with elbows close to the body. Viewed from the side, the forelegs are straight with adequate bone, the pasterns strong and flexible. The feet are proportionate to size. Removal of front dewclaws is preferred. Thighs are muscular, full and well defined with moderate angulation. The well let down hocks are short and perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. Rear dewclaws must be removed. The acceptable coat length may be short horse coat up to a brush length not to exceed 1 inch at the back of the neck. Texture may range from moderately harsh to soft without being wavy or excessively thick. Only solid colors are acceptable. A solid color dog may have darker shading down the back and on the ears or darker hairs throughout the coat as in the sable. Not a solid color is a disqualifying fault. The gait is balanced and free flowing. Both front and rear legs should tend to converge on a center line with strong forward reach and rear drive. |
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Temperament |
The Miniature Shar-Pei should be alert, confident, playful, adaptable, affectionate, easily trained and inherently clean and quiet. The Mini Shar-Pei is very loyal to his
handler.
Intelligent playful, active, dominant, and brave. They bond with their family, but are 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. The Miniature Shar-Pei
has a frowning expression, but is surprisingly easy-going, calm, independent,
and devoted. They make a delightful companion and good watchdogs. The Miniature Shar-Pei
needs a confident handler. If you are uncertain, inconsistent, too soft,
or mild, in the dog's eyes, it will take over as the boss. Shar-Pei need
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 as the ability to be "Top Dog".
Miniature Shar-Pei generally
hate water and try as hard as they can to avoid it. Mixing other dogs can sometimes be a problem if one of the dogs is displaying dominate behaviors. Socialization is important. Some
Miniature Shar-Pei are less dominant then others. The dogs temperament depends on how the owner treats the dog. Dogs who are allowed to believe they are the boss over humans will developed behavior issues. Dogs who are not taken for daily pack walks will also begin to display a varying degree of issues. A lot of this breeds health issues depends on the lines it comes from. Good Shar-Pei lines will not have skin problems, which is a hereditary condition. |
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Height, Weight |
Height: 17 inches and under (43 cm.)
Weight: 25-40 pounds (11-18 kg.) |
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Health Problems |
Fevers of unknown origin or swollen
hocks syndrome may be the early stages of amolydosis (kidney failure). One
misconception is that the Miniature Shar-Pei have skin problems due to their wrinkles. Yes
some Miniature Shar-Pei have skin problems, but it is not because the dog has wrinkles,
but rather a hereditary condition. Due to over popularity in the 1980's, some
Shar-Pei do have hereditary skin problems. However if you buy from a reputable
breeder, this condition should not be a problem. Be sure to find a breeder who
strives for healthy dogs. |
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Living Conditions |
The Miniature Shar-Pei will do okay in
an apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. It is moderately active indoors
and will do okay without a yard. Because of their padded head, the Miniature Shar-Pei is
very sensitive to heat. Shade and water must always be available. Provided they
get enough exercise, they will be very peaceful indoors. |
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Exercise |
The Miniature Chinese Shar-Pei have a
considerable need for exercise, which include a daily
walk. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as instinct tells a dog that the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. Do not over exercise them in the heat, as they are
sensitive to it. |
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Life Expectancy |
Up to 10 years. |
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Grooming |
The Miniature Shar-Pei should be brushed
regularly. Their coat is never trimmed. This breed does not have an undercoat.
The "bush" coat sheds a little year round, but the "horse"
coat tends to shed only during molting periods. Molting may leave the dog
looking unkempt. Bathing about once a week and brushing the coat daily during
this period will remove the old dead hair and allow the new coat to grow in.
Some owners are allergic to the harsh coat. |
| Origin |
The Miniature Shar-Pei is being developed as a downsized version of the Shar-Pei. It is a purebred Shar-Pei and the miniatures size comes from a recessive gene that these dogs carry in their DNA. The hope by breeders is that by selective breeding the recessive gene will soon become dominate in the breed. The Mini Shar-Pei is recognized by the AKC as a Shar-Pei, however the size of this dog is not recognized by them and is considered a fault in the show ring. The ancestry of the Shar-Pei is
uncertain. It may be a descendant of the Chow Chow, however, the only clear link
between these are the purple tongue. However, pictures on pottery suggest the
breed was present even in the Han Dynasty (206bc). For many years the Shar-Pei
was kept as a general-purpose farm dog in the Chinese countryside, used for
hunting, protecting stock, and guarding the home and family. During that time
the Shar-Pei was breed for intelligence, strength and scowling face. Later, it
was used in dog fighting. The loose skin and extremely prickly coat were
developed to aid the dog in fighting, making the Shar-Pei difficult for the
opponent to grab and hold on to. During the Communist Revolution, dogs were
rescued by a Hong Kong business man named Matgo Law, who appealed to Americans
in 1973 though a dog magazine to save the breed. From those few specimens, the
Shar-Pei fancy has grown tremendously over the past decades. Now the Shar-Pei is
in the Non-Sporting Group of the AKC with over 70,000 dogs registered as
foundation stock. When first introduced, Shar-Pei were astronomically expensive.
Now they cost about the same as any other purebred dog. |
| Group |
Southern, AKC Non-Sporting |
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Recognition |
MSPCA, CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, ANKC, NKC,
NZKC, APRI, ACR, DRA |
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MSPCA = Miniature Shar-Pei Club Of America
CKC = Continental
Kennel Club
FCI = Fedération
Cynologique Internationale
AKC = American
Kennel Club
UKC = United Kennel
Club
KCGB = Kennel
Club of Great Britain
ANKC = Australian
National Kennel Club
NKC = National
Kennel Club
NZKC = New Zealand
Kennel Club
APRI = American Pet Registry
Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry
DRA = Dog Registry of America, Inc.
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Fiona the Mini Shar-Pei as a puppy.
Shar-Pei
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