FÉDÉRATION CYNOLOGIQUE  INTERNATIONALE

FCI Standard N° 309 /14.4.1999 /GB

Shar-Pei

ORIGIN: China.

PATRONAGE: F.C.I.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID

STANDARD: 14.04.1999.

UTILIZATION:  Hunting- and watch-dog.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I.:           Group 2                 Pinscher and Schnauzer,

                                                                                                                                                                                                          Molossians and Swiss

                                                                                                                                                                                                          Mountain-and Cattledogs.

Section 2.1                

 Molossian, Mastiff type.  Without working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: This Chinese breed has

existed for hundreds of years in the provinces bordering the South

China Sea. The town of Dialak in the province of Kwun Tung is

probably the place of origin.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Active, compact, short coupled and

squarely built dog of medium size. Wrinkles over skull and withers,

small ears and « hippopotamus » muzzle impart to the Shar Pei a

unique look. Dogs larger and more powerful than bitches.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: The height of the Shar Pei from

withers to ground is approximately equal to the length of the body,

from point of shoulder to point of buttock, especially in males. The

length from nose to stop is approximately equal to the length from

stop to occiput.

BEHAVIOVR / TEMPERAMENT: Calm, independent, loyal,

affectionate to his family.

HEAD

Rather large in proportion to body. Wrinkles on forehead and cheeks

continuing to form dewlap.

CRANIAL REGION:

Skull: Flat, broad.

Stop: Moderate.

FACIAL REGION:

Nose: Large and wide, preferably black, but any colour conforming

to general coat colour permissible. Wide opened nostrils.

Muzzle: A distinctive feature of the breed. Broad from root to tip of

nose with no suggestion of tapering. Lips and top of muzzle well

padded. Bulge at the base of the nose permissible.

Mouth: Tongue, roof of mouth, gums and flews: bluish black is

preferred. Pink spotted tongue permissible. Solid pink tongue highly

undesirable. In dilute-coloured dogs the tongue is solid lavender.

Jaws/Teeth: Jaws strong with a perfect scissor bite, i.e. the upper

teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Padding of lower lip should not be so excessive as to interfere with

the bite.

Eyes: Dark, almond-shaped with a scowling expression. Lighter

colour permissible in dilute-coloured dogs. Function of eyeball or lid

in no way disturbed by surrounding skin, folds or hair. Any sign of

irritation of eyeball, conjunctiva or eyelids highly undesirable. Free

from entropion.

Ears: Very small, rather thick, equilaterally triangular in shape,

slightly rounded at tip and set high on the skull with tips pointing

towards eyes; set well forward over eyes, wide apart and close to

skull. Pricked ears highly undesirable.

NECK: Medium length, strong, set well on shoulders. The loose

skin under the neck should not be excessive.

BODY: Folds of skin on body in mature dogs highly undesirable

except on withers and base of tail, which show moderate wrinkling.

Topline: Dips slightly behind withers; then it rises slightly over loin.

Back: Short, strong.

Loin: Short, broad, slightly arched.

Croup: Rather flat.

Chest: Broad and deep, brisket reaching the elbow.

Underline: Rises slightly under the loin.

TAIL: Thick and round at the root, tapering to a fine point. The tail

is set very high, a characteristic feature of the breed. May be carried

high and curved, carried in tight curl or curved over or to either side

of the back. Lack of or incomplete tail highly undesirable.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS: Forelegs straight, moderate length, good bone.

The skin on forelegs shows no wrinkle.

Shoulders: Muscular, well laid and sloping.

Metacarpus (Pastern): Slightly sloping, strong and flexible.

HINDQUARTERS: Muscular, strong, moderately angulated,

perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other when viewed

from the rear. Wrinkles on upper thighs, lower thighs, rear pasterns

as well as the thickening of the skin on hocks undesirable.

Hocks: Well let down.

FEET: Moderate size, compact, not splayed. Toes well knuckled.

Hindfeet free from dewclaws.

GAIT l MOVEMENT: The preferred gait is trot. The gait is free,

balanced, active with good forward reach and strong drive from the

hindquarters. The feet tend to converge to a center line when the

speed increases. Stilted gait undesirable.

COAT

HAIR: A distinctive feature of the breed: short, harsh and bristly.

The coat is straight and offstanding on the body, but generally flatter

on the limbs. No undercoat. The coat may vary in length from 1 cm

to 2,5 cm. Never trimmed.

COLOUR: All solid colours acceptable except white. Tail and rear

part of thighs frequently of a lighter colour. Darker shading down the

back and on the ears permissible.

SIZE:

Height: 44 - 51 cm at withers (17,5 - 20 inch).

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be

considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be

regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

SERIOUS FAULTS:

·       Deviation from a scissor bite (as a transitory measure, a very
slightly undershot mouth is permissible).

·       Snipy muzzle,Spotted tongue (except pink spotted tongue).

·       Large ears.

·       Low set tail.

·       Coat longer than 2,5 cm.

ELIMINATING FAULTS:

·       Flat foreface with badly undershot bite; overshot bite.

·       Solid pink tongue.

·       Lower lip rolled in, interfering with the bite.

·       Round bulging eye. Entropion, ectropion.

·       Skin, folds or hair disturbing the normal function of the eye.

·       Pricked ears.

·       Absence of tail; stumpy tail.

·       Heavy folds of skin on body (except withers and base of tail) and limbs.

·       Not a solid colour (albino, brindle, patchcs, spots, black and tan, saddled pattern).

N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully

descended into the scrotum.

REMARK: Any artificial physical alteration to the Shar Pei (in

particular lips and eyelids) eliminates the dog from competition.