Chinese Shar-Pei Appearance

Origin: China.

Utilization: Hunting and watch-dog.

FCI-Classification: Group 2 Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossians and Swiss Mountain-and Cattledogs.  Section 2.1 Molossian, Mastiff type. Without working trial.

General Appearance Shar Pei: it is an active, compact, short coupled and squarely built dog of medium size. Wrinkles over skull and withers, small ears and « hippopotamus » muzzle impart to the Shar Pei a unique look. Males are larger and more powerful than females.

Important  Proportions:

• The height of the Shar Pei  from withers to ground is approximately equal to the length of the body, from point of shoulder to point of buttock, especially in males.
• The length from nose to stop is approximately equal to the length from stop to occiput.

Format: square.

The head is large to body proportions. The large folds on the forehead and cheeks form the dewlap. The skull is flat and wide. Stop (transition from forehead to muzzle) is moderate.

Neck: strong, of medium length, it is well-planted on the shoulders.

Nose is big with wide open nostrils; pink or black.

The muzzle is wide from the base to the tip of the nose. Lips and top of muzzle are visually filled. This is a hallmark of the breed. It is permissible bulge at the base of the nose.

Eyes: almond-shaped, dark, medium-sized. It looks frowning.

Ears: dense, very small, look like an equilateral triangle, slightly rounded at the tips, set high on the skull. Wide-set over eyes, are pressed on to the skull.

Teeth: jaws are strong, scissors bite; upper teeth closely overlapping the lower.

The tongue, palate and gums are bluish-black color. Breed Shar Pei has three colors of tongue:

• Bluish black (with shades of purple)
• Lavender
• Blue, with pink spots

Blue tongue is a compulsory attribute of breed Shar Pei of basic color. Dilute-coloured Shar Pei has a lavender tongue. Dogs of blue shades have completely blue tongue or with pink spots.

Body: the body length from the glenohumeral joint to the ischial tuberosity is almost equal to the height of the withers (it is especially noticeable at males).

Back: short, strong and broad.

Topline: dips slightly behind withers; then it rises slightly over loin.

Tail: thick at the base, tapering to the end; set high, is carried high and curled in a ring.

Skin: the main feature of the breed is the abundant folds of the skin.

Coat: Short, hard, bristly, without undercoat. Wool sticks out all over his body.

Shar Pei has three types of wool:

• Horse coat is straight, thick, stiff, and prickly to the touch; the length is shorter than 1 cm. On the muzzle, ears and behind the ears it is shorter than 2-3 mm. The tail is covered with short wool.
• Brush coat is straight, elastic, rough, not tight to the skin, hard to the touch. Length of wool on the body 1 cm - 2.5 cm, on the muzzle and ears of 3-5 mm.
• “Bear Coat” is soft, wavy, length of more than 2.5 cm; it is a serious defect.

Forequarters: straight, medium length, strong, moderately spaced. Elbows are held tightly to his chest; without wrinkling. Shoulders are muscular, sloping. Pasterns are slightly sloping, strong. Hock is lowered.

Hindquarters: muscular, strong. Wrinkles are not permitted on the thigh, lower leg, ankle and the ankle joint.

Toes: well arched. Dewclaws on front paws are removed.

Movement: free, harmonious, and balanced. Gait "trot" is preferred.

P. S. Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Colour of Shar-Pei

Colors of breed are divided into two groups. Shar Pei of the basic color has black pigmentation like mask on the muzzle and the belt on the back:

• Fawn
• Red Fawn
• Red
• Cream
• Black
• Blue
• Chocolate
• Lilac
• Isabella

Dilute-coloured dogs don`t have any black colour:

• Cream
• Apricot
• Red
• Chocolate
• Violet
• Isabella
• Fawn

Nonstandard color:

• Spotted (on a white background there are red, blue, black or chocolate spots)
• Black-backed (black back and a light tan)