Has anyone had as a pet or dealt with Shar-peis?

Ugh.

Skin issues, eye issues, knee issues, ear issues.
Some nice, some aggressive.
If you’re sensitive, the hair will break you out into hives (they stand on end like little hypodermic needles).
They get something called “Shar pei fever”.
And it’s probably not pertinent, but they have this disgusting condition called mucinosis that causes them to exude a slime whenever they have a wound – makes performing surgery disgusting.

=o(

In my personal experience I have always found them to be a very serious breed. They have always struck me as very cat like in their personalities.

I had a short association with a Shar Pei that my late husband rescued from a shelter. She proved to be quite aggressive & we could not keep her (because we had several other dogs – my late husband liked animals more than he liked people). So he found someone who did not have other dogs & actually needed a watch dog, & he gave her to that person. And I disagree with @Leanne1986 , Shar Pei dogs are nothing like cats at all – I have two cats that I got from a shelter when they were little kittens (after my older cat died at the age of 20). My kittens are now grown & they are very lovable – they have nothing in common with a Shar Pei personality.

An adult sharpei pretty seriously bit my really small, non-aggressive dog (she weighed 5–10 pounds). Aggression issues can be a definite problem. Their skin can also develop some problems due to all the folds. I wouldn’t really consider them the ideal first pet for example. If you have other pets or small children I’d make sure there were no major behavior issues.

Well…thanks to @syz ‘s incredible and humorous sharing I think I shall never consider getting a Sharpei lol Wow! You’re writing is superb @syz , very convincing. lolol ;-)

What the heck is going on here?

That dog’s just very vocal – the play posturing is pretty cute. From the rattling and “snoring” noises, I’m guessing that it has an elongated soft palate or some other deformity.

The can have a lot of skin issues because of the folds of their skin.

If you feed them too much, the skin folds fill up with fat, and the dog will look like a small hippo (like my step-dad’s Shar-Pei).

Personal experience includes having them stay in my kennel and handling – I would never want to own one. Many do not have nice disposition and I have a scar to prove it. They almost always smell and have some sort of skin problem, ear problem. I didn’t know about eye problems, but I am sure @syz is more up to date than I.

There are so many good breeds, not to mention smarter, which is something I value as much as any other aspect of a dog’s makeup, I would never personally consider owning one.(And there are not many dogs I would say that about!)

The only Sharpei I ever dealt with was a neighbor’s pet. Very lovable, gentle around kids, affectionate towards just about everyone, and overall a sweetheart.

Of course, another neighbor thought it was a pit bull and kept “anonymously” dropping off newspaper clippings about pit bull attacks and such, but the way I see it, any dog that has a toddler yank it’s tail and does nothing to retaliate despite the pain is no danger to anyone.

The only problem I had with it was that it’s coat felt like a three-day beard; a bit prickly. That wouldn’t have really been an issue if he wasn’t so pettable, but he was a lovebug.

When the skin is inflated with fat cells, the prickly hairs stand outwards like porcupine quills.

Yeah my step-dad’s dog needed eyelid surgery.

What a load of nonsense posted on this page I own two they are loyal loveable dogs and contrary to the urban myth they do not have skin disorders if fed a proper diet like any other dog. They do have an odour as they exude an oil sometimes As for a precious poster commenting about having them in their kennel they obviously have very little knowledge of the breed and shouldn’t be looking after them. They do have the ability to make their bristles stand on end hence the name Shar pei or sandpaper skin

I have to admit, I recently worked with a Shar Pei that had the sweetest nature (despite having a horrendous start in life) and I could have easily taken him home!