Latest Chinese Shar-Pei Frequently Asked Questions:
I have a Chinese Shar-Pei that is almost a year old. She has dry skin problems and is a short hair dog but is shedding. I took her to the vet. and spent close to $200 on her not long ago and she keeps having sores from sratching dry skin. I've put this stuff called hot spots on her for flees, ticks, and everything else. Plus baby oil to hydrate her skin. Please any advice will be appreciated. She is like my daughter.
Answer:Unfortunately, Shar-Pei are still a health-challenged breed. Several years ago they were very popular and everybody and his brother were breeding them for the $$$$$$ with no regard to health or quality. The problem is not inbreeding, but careless breeding. The breed is still recovering. The first thing I would look at is diet. If you are feeding a food with corn, try one without. Try different protein bases. A friend of mine raises them and says they don't do well on a high-protein food. You may have to try several different foods before you find one that will help, or you may even have to make her food yourself. You might also look into the vaccination issue. Although I do believe in vaccinations, I think they are overused. A dog with allergies has a defective immune system, and too many vaccinations will make it worse. Discuss with your vet the possibility of going to a 3-year schedule for shots. I had a dog whose allergies were so bad his vet said he must NEVER have another shot. Also watch out for certain topical medications ( like frontline or advantage) that SOME dogs are sensitive to. These are useful products, but some dogs should not use them. Do some research on nutrition & allergies. Unfortunately, most vets are not very knowlegeable on either of these subjects and simply dispense medication to treat the symptoms, rather than working on the cause. Good luck!
Our Shar Pei will be 18 years old January 25, 2008 and I have heard that 18 is the oldest. Does anyone know how long past it's 18th birthday this one lived or if it is still living? Mine has arthritis but her coat is beautiful and she eats well and does everything else well. She is deaf but that's not unusual for 18.
Answer:Thats amazing- congrats. I have had 3 Pei's, the first died at 8.5, I had one pass in November at 6.5, and my last remaining one is 6.5 now (and already going blind). I have heard of them making it to 14 before, but never 18. The average really is 8-10. I dont know anything specific about an "oldest Shar Pei"- I think something like that would be excessively difficult to ever find out, as most people arent going to be keeping that precise of records in regards to that.
I have a dog that is about 10 months old and planning to get another what other kind of dog would be really friendly with him. (my dog is a boy)
Answer:I believe that the question is not what breed of dog would be a good companion for your shar-pei but moreso what type of personality in a dog would be ideal for your dog. This is obviously a hit or miss situation. I had a female cocker spaniel for 4 years before I decided to get another cocker (male). They fought for almost a year before they actually started to like each other. They had to establish between each other the alpha dog (leader). Once that is established through their own battle, everything begins to simmer down. My first dog was depressed for a very long time (years) before she came to accept the new dog. It was terrible. She would sit and face the wall with her head hanging. But eventually she began to accept him. It is always a big risk to bring a new dog into the house with an existing dog. They may learn to live together, but then again, they may not. There may be an instant connection or they will have to work at it. Whatever the case may be, be prepared for your shar-pei to experience depression. It is not a pretty sight. It is heart wrenching. Really think it over before you make your decision. Nancy http://www.happyk-9.com
Does any one know wherei can find a map of where they live and how many pups it haves at a time?
Answer:I'm not sure what you mean about a map of where they live. The Shar Pei is a domesticated animal. That means that they live with humans, as their pets, alll over the world. As to how many puppies they can have, that will vary, as it does, for any dog breed. Your best bet would be to research the breed on AKC.org. From there, you can connect to the specific breed club and find all sorts of info! Good luck!
I have an adult Shar Pei with a very strong personality, she loves other dogs but her social skills are poor. I can see she gets very lonely and I am thinking to get her a companion but am scared to get the wrong breed as I heard it is difficult to match a Shar Pei temperament with most other dogs, which breed will make a good friend for my lonely dog?
Answer:You have to be very careful with this breed. Like the APBT and the SBT, this breed was bred as a fighter, and those cute wrinkles are actually there to draw blood away from the eyes during a fight. This breed is known for its dog based aggression, and if your dog has poor social skills with other dogs I highly recommend getting your dog into a group training course so your dog can learn proper dog manners. Introducing another dog to your home is the last thing you want to do right now because it could escalate into a fight. Dogs that have poor social skills, especially those with dominant personalities like your dog, usually bully other dogs. This behavior is not acceptable because eventually, there will be a fight. I have worked with a Shar Pei who had extreme dog and people aggression. The dog was locked in the basement when people were over, and you could hear the dog making a huge racket trying to break the door down. If you don't socialize, exercise, and train this breed early on, they will develope some problems, and bringing another dog into the mix is not a good idea right now. If you are determined to do it despite my advise, then you want a submissive dog, prefferably a female of similar size, and breed. With these dogs, you want to mix the genders to avoid dominance based aggression. You most definately want both dogs to be spayed and neutered. That will decrease the problematic behaviors you may be struggling with if your male is still intact. I hope this helps, and good luck with your boy.
