The Origin Of Shar Pei Allergies
Ownership of any pet should start with a consideration of the health, behavioral problems and liabilities associated with the animal. This is especially true with the Shar Pei. Although Shar Pei allergies can present in a dramatic manner given the unique texture of their skin and hair, these conditions are by and large similar to other dogs with similar skins and breeding. For instance pugs and bulldogs have a similar nasal frame and skin texture.
Although these dogs might not have as many wrinkles they are after all pure bred dogs as well. Pure bred dogs usually have some element of cross breeding in them that is not normally a good thing when dealing with diseases of the skin and other Shar Pei allergies as their auto-immune system may not be as strong as it should be.
However, the Shar Pei was bred as a fighting dog in China, and it is interesting that the wrinkles of the skin may have been a defense mechanism initially. In fact the wrinkles result from an overabundance of a chemical known as mucin. This compound also most interestingly serves to assist in the healing of their wounds.
Training in grooming tolerance should begin when the dog is a very young puppy with the goal of establishing your dominance. A Shar Pei does not like their ears being touched or their nails being trimmed. Because of the rather aggressive nature of a Shar Pei this could lead to some real problems if the dog has not been trained early on its life to tolerate basic grooming of this form.
As with all dogs they can get an allergic reaction to mites and fleas, but these should be prevented by good general dog care. However, unfortunately even good grooming is sometimes problematic for Shar Pei owners.
It is unfortunate that such an unusual dog is hard to take care of in this manner given their tendency to exhibit certain health problems. A Shar Pei is clearly not your traditional pet. With a documented history going back hundreds of years in China they have largely been bred for their temperament and not for their robust health. Although Shar Peis can live to the age of fifteen most live for eight to twelve years.
Shar Pei allergies and skin issues are typically cosmetic and many Shar Pei specific allergies do not really contribute to this short life span. This short life span is rather more a factor of the size of the dog and its behaviors.
Furthermore, their mysterious origins appear to compensate for many of their shortcomings, and there is an obvious demand in today’s pet markets for their very unusual look. However, the need for training and the unusual nature of the health of this animal would nominally indicate that this is one pet that needs a truly committed dog owner and not a part-time pet lover.
