The Shar Pie dog breed?

A question about : The Shar Pie dog breed?

Good breed for families?

Very mixed reviews online, just wondered if people had kids and this breed of dog?

Best answers:

• Firstly, it is Shar Pei and not Shar Pie.
  Why would you think about this particular breed? Have you got any experience with strong, willful dog breeds? Shar Pei is a "fighting" breed and needs an experienced handler for good socialisation from a puppy or things can go very wrong.
  As any dogs they are lovely BUT they do need an experienced owner/handler to became stable, lovely companions.
  Quick change of heart?
  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...737&highlight=
• "Mixed reviews online" presumably means that there are several that say they are not a good breed to have with children. How many 'good' reviews on here would be sufficient for you to take the risk?
• Known quite a few of them and never known any problems with children. One of our dog walking buddies has always taken on rescue Shar Peis so we've known them quite well. Very similar in temperament to bulldogs in quite quiet, but very bold bordering on stubborn. Likely to rise to a challenge of another dog rather than avoid it.
  My main observation of them are that they seem to be prone to health issues. Mainly skin conditions (alopecia, allergies etc) so that might be something to consider long term. That could be skewed by the amount of rescue ones I've met though.
  One other thing I've noticed, is some of them seem to make really angry growling sounds even when not being aggressive which can make other dogs unsure of them. Can make socialising them a little tricky.
  Depends on your experience with dogs I guess. Can be a tricky one, but then every dog has its nuances. I probably wouldn't get one as a first dog, but wouldn't hesitate to have one around kids if raised well (again goes for any dog really).
• As a breed, I believe they're prone to quite a few issues, physically and behaviourally. Skin issues due to the excessive folds, prone to entropian (eyelashes that grow into the eye), ear problems due to narrow ear canals, hypothyroidism is quite rife in the breed, and "Shar Pei fever" (causing swollen joints and kidney failure).
  Their physical attributes can make them a hard dog to read by other dogs - wrinkles can cause the eyes to look 'tight' and unfriendly, the flat ears and cork-screw tail don't allow for the natural body language of a dog. Having a similar history to the bull breeds - having been 'pit dogs' - many lines can have a natural inclination to be aggressive towards other dogs.
  Lots of this can be avoided or minimised by finding a reputable breeder who does all the necessarily health tests, sources good breeding dogs, socialises their pups well and so on - but even so, with the hunting/guarding element of the breed, expect a breed that isn't necessarily a naturally social dog, not necessarily the kind of dog you can just walk to the park and let off-lead (the hunting aspect may lead to a high prey drive - a desire to chase squirrels, rabbits, even a possible predatory drift to small dogs in some cases).
  There's a reason breeds like the Labrador and Retriever as often bought as family dogs - they were bred to be biddable dogs to do the owner's bidding, making them dogs that are easily pleased, with a nature desire to stick with their family (yet a social temperament). Independent breeds like the Shar Pei want to please themselves first, making them more suitable for experienced dog owners.
  If you're undecided about the breed to go for, how about trying to attend a show like Crufts or Discover Dogs? You'll get to see lots of breeds 'in the fur', as well as speak to breeders, breed rescues, owners, etc. to get their personal experience.
• Also, from a financial POV, it can be tough to get insurance on the Shar Pei - many insurers exclude them. However, due to the multiple issues they're prone to, 'self insurance' may not be the best way forward, unless you save up a fairly good pot of money beforehand. Just something to bear in mind.
• I've got two Shar Pei crosses. Both have had operations for entropion (thank goodness for insurance). The girls also has very sensitive skin and a number of allergies. They both eat very expensive dog food to minimise the allergies.
  The other is a 'grumbler'. Very stubborn; hates being told what to do. He also dislikes other dogs, although a lot of hard work has improved this somewhat. Getting insurance is very hard and very expensive so I now have a dedicated credit card for their care.
  I love them very much but would wouldn't get another Shar Pei.
• I'm a vet nurse and I try to be open minded about each individual dog but I am very wary of shar peis. Have met some very nasty ones who have tried to bite with no warning.
  I don't blame them though to be honest. Most are in constant pain due to skin infections, ear infections and problems with their eyes. Another example of a breed which is bought by people because of their looks.
• I have only ever met 3, and they have all been a bit standoffish with people.
  Our pup plays with everything but was very wary of 1 of the Shar's ( also a puppy) and didnt want anything to do with it. She seems to sense dogs that are a bit more -shall I say not easy going-
  The other 2 , which were adults , 1 of them began growling at her, for no apparant reason other than she was too close.
  So where children are concerned maybe not the best breed as children usually barge in the door with a starnge friend in tow and in general forget little things like keeping the doors closed or not bringing their friends little dog close to theirs.
  Its a bit concerning that you are going from a Lab to a Shar- Quite the opposites, when you read all about their history/upkeep/tendancies