Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei: A Complete Owner's Guide

The Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei is a unique and stunning breed. They have a distinctive coat that's often described as a "bear coat" due to its rough, wrinkled texture.

Their coat requires regular grooming to prevent matting and tangling, which can be a challenge for some owners. You'll need to brush their coat daily, paying extra attention to the folds and wrinkles.

One of the most distinctive features of the Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei is their skin folds. These folds can be prone to skin infections if not properly cared for, so it's essential to clean them regularly.

As a breed, Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei are known for their loyal and affectionate nature. They make great family pets, but they do require regular exercise and mental stimulation to prevent boredom and destructive behavior.

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Brushing your Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei daily is a must, especially to prevent skin issues caused by dirt and moisture building up in their many folds.

Their long coat requires regular grooming to prevent tangles and mats, and they should be brushed at least twice a week to remove loose fur and debris.

They have two shedding seasons in spring and fall, so a good shedding brush will come in handy to save you from cleaning up mountains of hair.

In general, they only need to be bathed once a month, but be sure to use a dog-safe shampoo and thoroughly dry them afterwards to prevent skin issues.

Make sure to brush their teeth on a regular basis, and get them used to the sensation from a young age to make grooming an easier task.

Checking their ears regularly is also important, as their long hair can trap debris and damp hair can lead to ear infections.

These dogs are sensitive to heat, so it's essential to keep them cool at all times, especially when they're outside, and provide shade to prevent overheating.

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The health concerns of Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei are something to take seriously. Their short noses make them prone to overheating, so keeping them cool during summer is vital.

Bear Coats are also prone to hypothyroidism, which can lead to further conditions like epilepsy, obesity, and hair loss. This is why regular veterinary check-ups are crucial to catch any potential issues early on.

Ear infections are another common issue with their longer hair sometimes helping collect and trap debris in their ears. Regular ear cleaning and inspections can help prevent this.

The skin folds on their face can lead to a condition known as entropion, where their eyelids will turn inwards, irritating their eyes from their hair and lashes. This is another reason why regular grooming is essential.

Here are some common health issues to watch out for:

Familial Shar-pei Fever can cause kidney disease or failure, affecting about 20% of all Chinese Shar Pei. This is a serious condition that requires prompt veterinary attention.

Overall, with proper care and attention, Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei can live happy and healthy lives.

Training a Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei requires patience and consistency, as they can be difficult to train due to their stubbornness.

Their intelligence makes training relatively easy, but they crave positive reinforcement, so pack plenty of treats and keep them engaged.

Short training sessions with an element of fun can help keep them interested and prevent stubbornness from taking over.

These dogs are less food motivated than others, so finding alternative rewards for good behavior is crucial, such as praise, petting, or extra-tasty treats.

The Chinese shar-pei needs daily walks to stay fit and avoid obesity-related diseases.

They enjoy participating in activities like hikes and jogs with their owners, but they don't crave exercise like some other breeds.

Overexertion can exacerbate hip problems that may arise later in life.

This dog's unique features, such as their short nose and wrinkled skin, can make them more prone to health issues.

Daily walks can help prevent these problems from developing.

Their exercise needs are relatively low, but regular physical activity is still essential for their overall health.

Training your Chinese Shar-Pei requires patience and consistency.

Their intelligence makes training relatively easy, but their stubbornness can make it difficult.

Keep training sessions short and fun to keep them engaged.

Praise, petting, extra-tasty treats, or even access to sniffing are great rewards for good behavior.

These dogs are less food motivated than other breeds, so finding alternative rewards is essential.

Begin rewards-based training from an early age to prevent problematic behavior.

They can be quite stubborn, but with consistency and positive reinforcement, they will learn.

Consistency is key when training a Chinese Shar-Pei, and they will try to take over if they feel their human handler is not authoritative enough.

Fortunately, they are one of the easier breeds to housebreak, but they are not fond of water.

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Bear Coat Chinese Shar Peis require a strong and consistent authority figure to establish the pecking order early on, as they can challenge your authority and ignore commands if they think they're above humans.

They need constant reinforcement, making it a commitment that requires a significant amount of time and effort from their owners. This breed needs a gentle but firm approach to training.

A Bear Coat Shar Pei's natural tendency to take over if they perceive their owner as uncertain or inconsistent can be managed with a strong harness, especially when walking them off-leash at the dog park.

If you're an experienced dog owner, a Bear Coat Shar Pei might be the perfect companion for you. They require a gentle but firm and consistent authority figure to establish a pecking order early on.

These dogs can be challenging to train, especially if they think they're above humans in the hierarchy, so be prepared to invest time and effort into their training.

A strong harness is a worthwhile investment for a Bear Coat Shar Pei, as they tend to pull on their leash at the dog park. Confidence is key with these dogs, and they need a consistent and firm owner to establish trust.

Constant reinforcement is needed with this breed, so if you do decide to bring one home, be prepared to make a long-term commitment to their training and care.

With the right owner, a Bear Coat Shar Pei will provide endless entertainment and guardianship to you and your family.

Healthy dogs like shar-peis can live from 8 to 12 years, but health issues like kidney failure can shorten their lifespan.

Shar-peis are medium-sized dogs, typically ranging from 18 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder.

Being quite stout, they can weigh between 45 and 60 pounds, which is a common size for many shar-pei owners.

Their medium size makes them a great fit for many living situations, from apartments to houses with small yards.

The Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei is a unique and stunning breed. They have a short, smooth coat that comes in a variety of colors, including solid, parti-color, and phantom.

Their short coat requires minimal grooming, making them a great choice for busy owners. They need to be brushed occasionally to remove loose hair and distribute skin oils.

The Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei is a relatively small breed, weighing between 35-60 pounds and standing between 17-22 inches tall.

The Chinese Shar-Pei is believed to be a descendant of the Chow-Chow due to their blue-black tongue.

Found on pottery dating back to 206 B.C., the Chinese Shar-Pei has a rich history that dates back thousands of years.

They were strong and hardworking dogs, used for various tasks such as hunting, guarding, herding, and ratters.

The Chinese believed that the wrinkles and dark mouth of this canine warded off evil spirits.

Once near extinction, the Chinese Shar-Pei was accepted by the American Kennel Club as a recognized breed in 1992.

This recognition helped spur the proliferation of the breed, with over 70,000 dogs registered with the AKC as foundation stock.

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The Chinese Shar-Pei is a breed that's hard to forget, thanks to their perpetually pudgy air and excess skin.

They were originally bred for peasants in rural China to be versatile hunters and herders.

As puppies, Chinese Shar-Peis have wrinkles that hang off in layers and folds, which lessen as they age but still give them a distinctive look.

Their short coat can take on a range of colors, but they're best known for a light apricot hue.

Their hair is quite coarse, and some individuals may find it irritating to the skin, which can lead to skin allergies.

The shortest coat type is the most common, but Chinese Shar-Peis also come in brush and bear coat types, with the brush coat being slightly longer and the bear coat being downright shaggy.

Their high-set, triangular ears are small and rounded at the tips, and their eyes are small and sunken in a sea of wrinkles.

Chinese Shar-Peis have three coat variations: horse-coat, brush-coat, and bear-coat, with the bear-coat being rare and related to the Chow-Chow ancestry.

The Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei is a beautiful breed, but they do come with some financial and practical considerations.

Their thick coat requires regular grooming, which can be time-consuming and expensive, especially if you're not experienced with dog grooming.

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On average, a Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei needs to be bathed every 2-3 weeks, and their coat can require up to 2 hours of grooming per session.

Their diet is also a significant expense, with high-quality food costing around $50-75 per month for a single dog.

You'll also need to factor in the cost of veterinary care, which can range from $500 to $1,000 per year for routine check-ups and preventatives.

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The Bear Coat Chinese Shar Pei's protective instinct is a remarkable trait that makes them excellent guardians of the home. They have incredible hearing that alerts them to potential dangers.

Their loyalty to their owners is unwavering, and they make brilliant companions. This breed is known for its tenacity, but it's essential to socialize them properly to prevent their protective ability from being directed at undeserving targets.

Bear Coats can be very independent and territorial, which means they may not take kindly to new people and dogs. Teaching them to not overreact to unfamiliar situations is crucial when they're young.

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Their tendency to bark loudly at almost anything can be a challenge, but with proper training, they can learn to be more discerning. In general, they tend to be more aggressive with other animals than humans, but they're fiercely loyal to their family.

It's essential to remember that Bear Coat Chinese Shar Peis have a strong protective instinct, so they may lash out at intruders or other dogs if not socialized properly.