Shar-Pei - History

The shar-pei breed history originates far deep into the centuries. Ancestors of this dog have appeared at the time of a dynasty the Khan (the second century of our era). According to one kind of sources, they have arisen at coast of the Chinese sea in vicinities of a small place of Dag-Let of a province of Kvun-Tung. According to another kind of sources, their cradle is Tibet or Northern China.

Today, nobosy can tell how it was actually, however without any doubts, modern shar-peis are connected by consanguinity with those dogs who existed in the Chinese area about two thousand years ago. The certificate figurines and wall painting with the image of the dogs can serve that there were the dog possessing characteristic features of shar-peis, but the sizes of these dogs were much more impressing. Their weight was approximately 60-70 kgs.

During that far epoch shar-peis were not the palace and capital dogs. They lived the Chinese villages, and their life was very heavy. On set of the reasons these dogs have completely disappeared further.

Shar-peis protected dwellings and herds, and also it is real enough that they served people as food.

The approach of a communistic mode became a real crash for the Chinese dogs . Dogs were the greatest competitors in food for the people of China, and, therefore, should disappear, that as a matter of fact happened. Shar-pei, for example, has disappeared almost completely.

All was almost hopeless, but in the 70-th of the last century, mister Matgo of Lavas from Hong Kong, has begun restoration of this rare breed. He has found out the rests of shar-peis in one of deaf provinces of China, in Hong Kong, in Thailand, and was accepted to cultivation of these remarkable dogs. The first nursery was called «Down Homes».

In 1972 mister Matgo of Lavas, from the pages og the magazine "Dogs", has addressed for the help to the American cynologists. Shar-peis have been imported to the USA, and in December, 1974, in the nursery of spouses Albrigt, the first-ever, outside of China, shar-peis were born.

In 1979 shar-peis have appeared in Germany where they were brought from the USA by Joahim Vajnberg and Linda Rajnelt. Further, in 1980, there was an import from Hong Kong. In 1981 the first shar-peis have been delivered from the USA to England where in 1983 there was a club of Chinese shar-peis. In 1987 this breed was recognised by the English Kennel-club.

In the former countries of a socialism shar-peis have appeared in May, 1986, and now, in the CIS countries their livestock is various enough.

Shar-pei is the rare dog who is mentioned even in the Guinness Book of Records, and interest to it all over the world steadily grows.