Chesapeake Bay Shar Pei

The when, whys and what about Chesapeake Bay Shar Pei.

It all started in 2011. We had a wonderful dog named Smudge. He was an AKC registered pure breed Pug whom we all loved dearly. Unbeknownst to us when we got him in 2002, he was slated for a terrible later life. We bought him from a pug breeder, whom we later learned, did not screen their dogs for genetic defects. Most of our previous dogs we owned were from local shelters or rescue groups. All of them were, to put it nicely, troubled. When we got Smudge we were hoping for a “perfect dog” that we could love for a long time. Six years after he joined our family we started noticing a problem with his use of his back legs. The vet told us that it was a common condition in ill breed pugs that causes paralysis in the hind quarters. We were devastated that our beloved companions’ health was at a downfall. Each year he grew worse as did our fear of what was to come. In 2012 he no longer had control of his back end. He was incontinent, which upset him greatly because he was well potty trained, and had to drag himself with his front legs. We could no longer see him suffering like that and the decision I dreaded had come.
Around this time my wife saw a Shar Pei in a commercial and we researched the breed. What we found seemed to be an excellent fit for our family. The wife wanted a clean dog that doesn’t shed. I wanted a larger dog that would be family loyal with a good genetic history. My son wanted a trainable intelligent dog. In the Shar Pei breed we found our list of wants met.
My Shar Pei’s shed minimally and their skin is free of rashes as long as they are fed a grain free diet. This breed is larger than a Pug but smaller than a Labrador. They weigh in at 40-55 lbs. for females and 55-65 lbs. for males. Female and male Shar Pei’s grow to 20-22 inches at the withers. Some Shar Pei lines do have genetic conditions such as entropion, CHD, ciliary dyskinesia and renal amoidosis. We set out to locate a breeder with clean genetic lines that was not asking an arm and a leg for their dogs. We found one in the middle of the country. The owners had a couple breeding pairs whom they tracked and we were assured of clean genetic lines. So, my son and I arranged a pick up and two weeks later we were making the long trip.
I was able to meet our pups Dam and Sire. Both parents were in excellent health, good temperament and beautiful breed conforming dogs. Our puppy was energetic and friendly, though she was a little aloof at first, apricot dilute. The next day we put Baylee Breeze in the car and headed back to Maryland. This time the trip took considerably longer due to frequent rest stops. Baylee was well behaved the whole ride home and took to a leash without too much fuss.
When we arrived home she immediately became one of the family. She was completely housebroken and she knew the out of bounds areas in the house after the first week; our kitchen and couch is off limits to our dogs. Both of my dogs will not enter the kitchen or jump on our couch, unless we are not around. They are very smart but that also makes them very sneaky.
After two months I thought Baylee needed a playmate for when we were all at work or school, so I started looking for a companion. Through my search I noticed no one in our immediate area raised Shar Pei’s. Now I thought I should get Baylee a boyfriend, and not just a companion so others in my area could enjoy this wonderful breed. Since I knew the quality of Baylee and her siblings, my son and I meet the siblings on our Baylee trip, I contacted Baylee’s breeder. They had another litter from another pair that would be ready in a couple of weeks.
Two weeks later my son and I hopped in the car and picked up Storm Bruin, a beautiful blue male. Storm was more receptive of us than Baylee, he is our love bug, and he also took to leash walking without a fuss. The trip back was uneventful and Storm didn’t mind the snow half as much as I did.
Like Baylee, Storm was house broken and learned the off limit areas within a week. Also, like Baylee, he is sneaky-sneaky when we are not around. Baylee and Storm became good friends and enjoy playing and tormenting each other. They eat and sometimes sleep together, sometimes on the couch when we are not around.
I waited for both dogs to mature and kept record of their growth, health and temperament. Both dogs are free of skin and eye issues and grew strong. Baylee is more leery of strangers than Storm but will warm up to you if someone in our family introduces you to her; Storm usually just runs up to new people and starts sniffing and licking them. Both love children but have not been around cats. The dogs will bark to alert us of people approaching the house but are generally quiet, unless a squirrel intrudes in the back yard.
After watching the dogs carefully over a year and a half I decided to let them make puppies. My goal is to ensure that fellow dog lovers do not have to go through the same experience my family did with Smudge. Since birth I track the puppies’ weight and monitored their development. When you purchase a dog from me you are getting a healthy, happy puppy with a clean genetic history. After all, you’re not getting a dog; you’re getting a family member.