Ratings

Breed Introduction

　The Shar-Pei, known in English as the Shar Pei, originated from the Dali Town area of Nanhai, Guangdong, China, and is one of the world’s famous fighting dog breeds. The Shar-Pei has a history of about 2000 years. This breed is somewhat contradictory; those who like it really like it, but there are also many who dislike it.

　The characteristic of the Shar-Pei is its many skin folds, which may be considered unattractive according to Chinese aesthetic standards, but abroad, the Shar-Pei is a very popular breed. Also known as the Dali Dog, the Shar-Pei is one of the rarest dog breeds in the world. In the past, Shar-Peis were trained and raised as fighting dogs. Up until the early 1950s, there were still fighting arenas for Shar-Peis in Guangdong.

　However, from the 1960s to the 1970s, this breed declined in China. After being introduced to the United States, the Shar-Pei gained popularity in the 1970s, leading to the establishment of the ‘Chinese Shar-Pei Club’ across various states in the U.S., with over ten thousand officially registered Shar-Peis. Paintings from the Han Dynasty in China depict images resembling the Shar-Pei.

　At one time, the Shar-Pei faced the danger of extinction, but American breeders made considerable efforts to preserve this breed, which is somewhat ironic. Although the ancestors of the Shar-Pei remain uncertain, its origin in Guangdong Province, China, is an undisputed fact