History

As far as it is unusual and not ordinary itself shar pei, his history - from almost full disappearance and an interdiction before erection in alive curiosities is so unusual also.

 It is difficult to present, that 20 more years back shar pei were on the verge of disappearance though on some sources they are known almost from Christmas. Their captivating folded muzzles look at us from the works of art dated of 220-200 B.C. Ancient figurines with the image found a shar pei in archeological excavations so frequently, that they are named archeologists " sepulchral dogs ". In the Asian Art Museum in California there is a statue " the Dog of the Tomb ". This figurine precisely represents early type a shar pei: the hippopotamus form of a head and other attributes of breed. Thus, the history of breed covers 2000!

 In translation with Chinese "shar-pei" sounds as " a sandy dog ". Breed is obliged to the name to unique quality of wool, is compared sometimes with an emery paper. Under the description of Chinese, the wool should be rigid at a touch, but at the same time should create illusion of softness of velour.

 Most two versions of an origin of breed are authentic. One of histories says, that a shar pei have taken place from coast of South China sea from small town Dah Let of province Kvantunge. The second - that dogs have been deduced in Tibet or Northern China long before it. More exact information cannot be received today. Ancient a shar pei weighed three times more, than modern, were initially used as the hunting and sentry dogs. From generation to generation in character a shar pei the qualities necessary for protection of the family and extraction of livelihood - care and distrustfulness to strangers, high intelligence, fidelity and reliability, the hunting passion and skill developed. Then there has come the period when a shar pei began to use for the dog fights. Physically a shar pei are well adapted to fights: the rough and rigid wool is unpleasant for a mouth of the opponent. Free leather folds protected from serious wounds, allowed to get out and continue to attack the opponent even if it has made clutch. Deeply planted eyes and small ears did not allow to put serious traumas, and the bent canines allowing to keep the contender. Despite of it a shar pei had no taste to fights. Others have appeared the fighting breeds surpassing them in aggression, force and weight. Fans of the dogfights have lost interest to the Chinese dog. Intelligent, clever, pleasant and friendly a shar pei approach to show the hunting and service skill of a house, instead of on fights much more. And though sometimes a shar pei also name Chinese fighting dog, they have not been recognized as fighting breed and have not been included in this quality in the register of any official club.

 When in China to authority there came communists, for dogs hard times have come. In 50th years breed has got under developed Mao Dzedune the company on destruction of pets with the purpose of economy of the foodstuffs. It a cat, sparrows, a rat, other pets have not avoided also. Persecutions on owners of pets were so large, that by the end of 50-s' to contain even one dog in China it became impossible. By 1972 all dogs in China have been practically destroyed: in cities of dogs was not in general, in rural districts them remained very little. A shar pei almost have completely disappeared: the small livestock remained in Hong Kong and on Taiwan. Breed admitted Hong Kong Kennel club till 1966 then registration a shar pei has stopped. Documents on history of breed have been lost. It is not known, that would become with breed, if not enthusiasm of the factory owner from Hong Kong Matgo Lou. After shar pei has been brought in the Guinness Records Book as the most rare breed of dog, Matgo Lou has addressed from pages of magazines to the American factory owners with an appeal to help to rescue breed. Publications had the big resonance, and many factory owners have responded to his appeal. Rescue of breed - result of resolute actions of the first enthusiasts. Matgo Lou has received huge quantity of letters from people with offers on the help. The first in this list were spouse Albright. Their nursery in California was the first in which in 1974 has appeared litter a shar pei. In 1981 have got in Matgo Lou's nursery a little bit shar pei and known factory owners Patterson. In 1974 the American Chinese Shar Pei Club has been created. His first president became Ernest Albright. Triumphal rise of popularity of breed became its second birth.

 The first deduced dogs imported in the USA, differed on type from modern a shar pei. As the initial breeding material has been limited, at the first stage in cultivation there were those individuals which possessed even one pedigree attribute a shar pei (dark blue language, bristly wool, skin folds). It is possible and blood injecting from other breeds - the chow-chow, molloss, and also Thai ridgeback which more all is similar to a native branch Chinese a shar pei.

 Some conservative factory owners consider, that dogs with a heavy head, a crude muzzle such as "meat -mouse" is American type a shar pei. The Chinese type is easier skeleton, long legs, a muzzle such as "bone-mouse" - dry and not volumetric, wool such as "hors". Actually there is standard FCI, which we should adhere in cultivation, and if any representative of breed very much differs from the given standard it not the "Chinese" type, and simply the dog that is not corresponding to the standard. Division into the "Chinese" and "American" type is justified only for the first dogs with which revival of breed began. In modern China the basic livestock is the shar pei, taken out of Russia at what the preference is given dogs with superfluous folded.

The materials are taken from the book "Shar-Pei the eighth miracle of world", Bella Kazarian