Shar Pei: Index
The Shar-Pei is a very distinctive looking dog, with folds of skin around its face and a purple tongue. The breed has been around for over 2000 years, but with no clear lineage or ancestry. After nearly becoming extinct in the mid 1900's, the breed was re-established in the 1970's and then overbred and oversold to Americans in the 1980's, as the trendy "in" pet of the time. This has led to some serious hereditary health conditions, but a reputable breeder (not a dog farm) will ensure than these defective traits have been eliminated.
