The shar pei is one responsible and protective canine that an experienced dog owner may want to give a look on. Thy are known for being loyal, playful, active, and sometime imperious; they are commonly known for their courage too. The shar pei is essentially a one-family dog. And one thing we now know about the shar pei is that they are indeed the oldest of all dog breeds!

It's hard to forget about the shar pei dog once a person sees those wrinkles and blue-black tongue. The breed has a rough and near-prickly coat, which explains the shar pei's name (Chinese for "sand skin"). A shar pei puppy has a lot of wrinkles, which fade away and get smoothened over as the dog grows older.

The shar pei also happens to have a variety of coat colors. A dog can be red, sand, blue, black and even cream.

There are three different coat types for this breed: brush, bear and horse. They are also prone to a variety of health problems brought about by reckless breeding. An example of a major health concern is entropion, a condition of inward-curling eyelashes which irritate the eyes. Dog food manufacturers are also formulating special dry foods to address the needs of most pet owners' concerns over skin allergies.

The shar pei dog is independent minded and furthermore, is also very reserved and picky when it comes to making friends with strangers. Despite this, the shar pei is very devoted to at least one particular family member, and is affectionate to all its family's members. Socialization may be able to help tone down most of its watchdog tendencies, which shows through the dog's territorial and possessive instincts.

Prospective breed owners need to know that although the shar pei has many watchdog traits, and is relatively more aggressive than most breeds, the shar pei is a good learner too. It responds to training which must never be too repetitive, so that he does not get bored.

The Shar Pei is Chinese in terms of country origin, specifically from the Guangdong province, and is well known for its tenacity and strength when fighting. The breed has also been watchdogs for early Chinese royals. Despite the Chinese Communists' drive to eradicate the shar pei dog, it has survived and is now currently all over the world, sometimes affectionately called the "Golden Lion".