HISTORY OF THE CHINESE SHAR-PEI by DR. JEFF VIDT
T here is evidence to indicate the Chinese Shar-Pei, as we know it today, had its begin- nings in the Chinese Fighting Dog. It may go back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) and maybe as early as 1000 BC—truly an ancient breed. Many proponents of the ancient history of the breed point to tomb dog figures of the Han Dynasty, which lasted from 206-220 AD, as evidence that the Chi- nese Shar-Pei is an ancient breed. They were used by the peasant farmers for herding, hunting, companionship and dog fighting. The Communists in China declared dogs as nonproductive, bourgeois luxu- ries and ordered their large scale exter- mination. An increase in the tax on dogs was designed to discourage dog owner- ship in 1947. Hong Kong provided one of the few safe havens for dogs in all of China and the canine refugees swelled the dog population of this coastal city. While attempting to preserve these Chi- nese Fighting Dogs, some of the Hong Kong fanciers selected for the best examples of dogs fitting the Chinese Fighting Dog standard. As early as 1966, Chinese Fighting Dogs registered by the Hong Kong Kennel Club had been shipped to the United States. These exports to the United States occurred, a full seven years prior, to Matgo Law’s famous plea to save the breed, given in 1973. In the May 1971, issue of Dogs magazine, an article appeared by Lynn Ryedale entitled, “Who’ll Save Our Endangered Breeds?” It featured rare dog breeds and included the Chinese Fighting Dogs. Two years later, in April
1973, Matgo Law, owner of Down- Homes Kennel in Hong Kong, pub- lished his now famous appeal in Dogs magazine to save the Chinese Fighting Dog. Mr. Law actually found his first Chinese Fighting Dog in 1965 while walking among the street traders in Hong Kong. He saw a litter of Chinese Fighting Dogs in a basket and bought one. He later received his second Chi- nese Fighting Dog, Down-Homes Sweet Pea, as a gift from a dog fighter. Mr. Law and Mr. Chung Ching Ming, another Hong Kong dog fancier, conceived and set into motion a plan to save the breed from extinction. They were concerned that if and when Hong Kong fell into the hands of the Chinese Communists, the dog population would be decimated. In response to his letter of 1973, Matgo Law received over 200 inquiries and a few months later, the first specimens of the American Shar-Pei arrived in the United States. The efforts of the Hong Kong fanciers had been worthwhile and the future of the breed was assured. Shortly after these early importa- tions, Shar-Pei fanciers in the United States recognized the need to orga- nize and publicize the breed. The first organizational meeting of the CSPCA was held April 26, 1974 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Sanders of Ashland, Oregon. By this time, there were 13 known owners of Shar-Pei with a total of 27 dogs. At this meeting, the deci- sion was reached to change the name of the breed from the Chinese Fighting Dog to the Chinese Shar-Pei, which was necessary due to the negative publicity concerning dog fighting in this coun- try. The name of the club was decided
upon as well—Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America, Inc. Subsequently, a standard was approved and a registry set up. The first pedigree certificate (CSPCA–1) was issued November 9, 1976, to Down- Homes China Souel, owned by Ernest Albright. The first annual Chinese Shar- Pei National Specialty show took place in Hinckley, Illinois June 17, 1978, at Pioneer Park, which was sponsored by the CSPCA. The Shar-Pei has since developed along two separate lines. The “pure- bred Chinese Fighting Dog” remains basically unchanged as the Chinese Shar-Pei, which still exists in Hong Kong today and shows up in the U.S. as the horse coat variety. The “Americanized” version of the Chinese Shar-Pei is found in the U.S. and had its origin in Hong Kong in the late 1960s. It is undoubt- edly derived from the crossbreeding of the Chinese Fighting Dog with other English breeds. The new breed was characterized by heavy bone, abun- dant wrinkling, large head, the longer and softer coat (brush coat) and the milder temperament. This new “ver- sion” captured the fancy of American dog breeders. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, as large numbers of the “meat mouth”, abundantly wrinkled “American” version Shar-Pei were being exported, breeders of the pure-bred Chi- nese Shar-Pei became concerned that this newer dog had drifted too far away from the traditional standard. In a letter dated July 15, 1975, the Hong Kong Ken- nel Club indicated it had stopped the registration of the Chinese Fighting Dog. Beginning in 1982, the Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America, Inc. (CSPCA) severely
CONT’D ON PAGE 285
“THEY WERE USED BY THE PEASANT FARMERS FOR HERDING, HUNTING, COMPANIONSHIP AND DOG FIGHTING.”
S how S ight M agazine , A ugust 2017 • 279
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