Do Shar Pei have a lot of medical problems?
The Chinese Shar Pei was the “Rarest Dog in the World” according to the Guinness Book of World Records when they were first brought over to the United States. And only a few Shar Pei dogs were sent to the United States, so in the beginning there was a very limited gene pool for a breeding program. Unfortunately, some of these first dogs had health problems. Dedicated Shar Pei breeders have carefully worked towards eliminating these health issues by researching pedigrees and communicating with other breeders so that they only breed Shar Pei dogs that are sound and healthy. Unfortunately, some of the diseases that affect Shar Pei dogs are recessive and they can appear in even the most carefully planned breedings.
