There are some Shar Pei allergies that are easily managed and there are some that require very specific care. For instance Shar Peis have very sensitive paws and a quick temper when a stranger touches them. The Shar Peis paws will need to be carefully cleaned and examined. It is not unusual for Shar Peis to get sores associated with salts and other chemicals from walking on city streets in the winter. In the winter some pet owners even wash their pet’s feet after each walk.
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.
A Shar Pei is a large dog and can weigh up to sixty pounds for a large specimen. Its large number of wrinkles exacerbates the potential for skin allergies on such a large dog. Of course these features of its appearance are based on the historic uses of the breed. A Shar Pei can be frightening when this rather unusual collection of skin and fur faces you off. Their tendency towards aggressive behaviors can lead to additional problems with routine care items such as nail trimming and ear cleaning.
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.
Shar Peis that were not suitably trained may end up with some Shar Pei allergies originating with dirty ears or damaged paw pads. Shar Peis are in general rather easy to annoy, and because of their powerful nature and their low center of gravity a fully-grown Shar Pei cannot be physically subdued by an average person.
This mysterious dog has an unusual history that has contributed to its overall health and welfare. At one point the Shar Pei was facing extinction. In fact the Shar Pei only began to make its mark in North America in the last thirty to forty 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.
Similarly to mastiffs and the tougher hound breeds, a Shar Pei requires constant exercise with a commitment to manage the problems that come with owning a large animal. As with all large dogs there are typically hip issues and concerns with their gait as they age and they become victims to inflammations akin to arthritis. It is without a doubt that large dogs in modern society seem to exhibit a surprisingly large number of problems with their skeleton that most likely are worked out in previous times through rugged exercise and work.
