Shar Pei (Detailed Introduction)

       The Shar Pei has about 2000 years of history. This breed is quite contradictory; those who like it like it very much, but there are also many who dislike it. The Shar Pei's distinctive feature is its many skin wrinkles. From a Chinese aesthetic perspective, it might seem rather unattractive, but abroad the Shar Pei is a very popular breed.

       The Shar Pei, also known as the Da Li dog, is one of the rarest breeds in the world. In the past, Shar Peis were trained and raised as fighting dogs. Until the early 1950s, there were still Shar Pei fighting arenas in Guangdong. The breed declined in China during the 1960s and 1970s, but after being introduced to the United States, a Shar Pei craze has taken hold since the 1970s. The "Chinese Shar Pei Club" spreads across American states, with over ten thousand Shar Peis officially registered. Paintings from the Han Dynasty in China depict images very similar to the Shar Pei. At one point, the breed faced the danger of extinction, but American breeders made considerable efforts to preserve it, which is quite ironic.

       Although the Shar Pei's ancestors remain uncertain, its origin in Guangdong Province, China is indisputable.