Getting a Shar Pei Puppy

 

Getting a Shar Pei Puppy

Getting a Shar Pei puppy is always exciting, they are fun and playful, not to mention how cute they are but raising a puppy is a big responsibility. If you have chosen the Chinese breed Shar Pei then you need know how important training your puppy is.  The breed can be stubborn and they tend to be more dominant than most other breeds of dogs you will need to lay down the rules early and stick to them. House training them is probably one of the most important things to do to keep them from making an accident in your home.  If they do make a mess inside, contact a carpet cleaning service and they will help by cleaning the mess and spraying some things that will discourage them from going on the carpet again.

Taking Care of Their Health

First and foremost you need to make sure that your puppy stays healthy and that is going to include regular vet visits for check-ups.  Your puppy will also need to be vaccinated and you will need to stay up to date with their booster shots.  Your vet will recommend a schedule for you to keep your dog healthy.  While you are there you may also want to discuss prevention of heartworm along with flea and tick treatments.  Here is a look at the shots your puppy is going to need.

Food

It is important that your puppy have the right kind of food, you need to make sure that they are fed high grade food. Dogs need lots of protein along with fat, so the first ingredient in any food should be some kind of meat. Their food should be made up of at least 20% protein along with at least 20% fat. Dogs will also need some vegetables but they are not like humans and there are plenty of human foods that will make your dog sick. Speak to your vet or breeder about the type of food they recommend.

Socializing Your Dog

You will need to start socializing your dog early especially if you have children and other pets.  Your puppy may be very good with your children but not so good around other dogs.  Your puppy is going to be stubborn so you need to be firm when it comes to discipline.  However Shar Pei’s don’t respond well to yelling and loud voices, positive reinforcement along with treats will work much better.

Exercise and Grooming

Your puppy is going to need regular exercise but keep them on a leash while you are walking them.  You may also want to consider puppy school to help you with training.  Shar Pei’s are sensitive to heat so make sure there is plenty of water and shade.  Shar Pei’s are fairly low maintenance so they only need to be brushed once a week or so, the exception being during hot weather when they shed.  Get their ears cleaned regularly and trim their nails and that is pretty much it.

These are great dogs and lots of fun, but like any puppy you will need to take care of them properly.

What You Should Know Before Getting a Shar Pei

 
What You Should Know Before Getting a Shar Pei

Wrinkle Dog Shar Pei Dog Breed Chinese

The Chinese Shar Pei is easily recognized by its wrinkly appearance.  Shar Pei’s are medium sized dogs that reach heights of almost 20 inches and weigh around 50 pounds.  They have a bristly coat that is usually sable colored and the dog has a life span of about 10 years.  The breed was nearly eliminated during the communist regime but some Hong Kong breeders managed to keep the breed alive.  Like any breed the Sharp Pei has some unique characteristics, here is what you should know before getting a Shar Pei.

  1. The breed falls into the category of molossers, these types of dogs have “smushed” faces similar to bulldogs so they can be noisy, your Shar Pei is going to snore and it will snort regularly.
  2. These dogs only shed their coats during the summer months, if you have dog allergies these dogs may be a little easier for you to own.
  3. The wrinkles make harder for the dog to see and these dogs will shy away when you try and pat their head. They don’t see you until you are right in front of them, they don’t have much in the way of peripheral vision.  When you approach them you will need to do it from the front.  Shar Pei’s are not ideal family pets and you will need to supervise them when they are around children.  These dogs need to be socialized, always allow the dog to sniff your hand when you greet them.
  4. Because these dogs are so wary around strangers they can make for a good watch dog. These are independent dogs and they can work while their master is away.  This independence can also mean the dog is a bit on the stubborn side.  The easiest way to train these dogs is with a combination of praise along with food treats when your dog behaves the way they are supposed to.5.  The tongue of the Shar Pei is bluish black and this is also a feature of the Chow Chow, many experts and breeders believe that the two breeds may share a common ancestor.

The Shar Pei is a great breed of dog but before you go and get one from a breeder you should make yourself aware of the characteristics of the breed beforehand, the good and the bad.  This is not the ideal family dog and they don’t mix well with other dogs but for the right owner they can be a great companion.