Raising Your Shar Pei Pup

Posted on October 14, 2008
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by Melissa Coleman

The Shar Pei is an intelligent and playful breed that can also be headstrong at times with a stubborn streak. It is important to use persistence when training a Shar Pei pup since they are dominant and will run your house if you let them. By starting training early and being persistent you can establish yourself as the head of household.

However, it is also important that you take care of your Shar Pei pup so that they can have a long, healthy and happy life. To do this make sure you get your Shar Pei pup vaccinated when you first get them and then make sure you get their booster shots on the exact schedule that your veterinarian recommends in order to maintain their immunity to diseases.

It is also a good idea to talk with your veterinarian about flea control products, heartworm preventative treatment and worming. All these things can help you to keep your Shar Pei pup healthy and happy.

It is also important that you take care of your Shar Pei’s diet. A Shar Pei pup should be fed a high-grade dog food. The first ingredient of any dry dog food should be meat. The crude protein of the food should be between twenty-two and twenty-six percent with the crude fat being not less than twenty percent. There should also be a fiber content of four percent or less.

From a very early age it is important that you socialize your Shar Pei pup with children and any other pets in your household. The Shar Pei is very playful around children but they can also be aggressive when around other dogs. When you train your Shar Pei pup you should avoid using a sharp voice. Rather the Shar Pei does well with kind words and positive reinforcement, usually in the form of treats. However, because of their stubborn streak you still want to be firm when handling your Shar Pei pup.

You should make sure your Shar Pei pup is exercised at least once a day, but to avoid conflicts with other dogs you should keep them on a leash. Consider taking your Shar Pei pup to puppy kindergarten training classes when they turn about ten weeks of age. When exercising in hot weather make sure your Shar Pei pup has plenty of shade and water since they are extremely sensitive to hot weather.

At least once a week you should brush your dog’s coat with a bristle brush and grooming should be done several times a day when they are shedding. Give you Shar Pei pup a bath as needed but be careful not to shampoo them too frequently since this can make them more susceptible to dry skin.

You should bath your dog no more than once every two weeks if possible. Check your pup’s nails regularly and trim them at least every two to four weeks. When your Shar Pei is still a puppy you should begin a nail-trimming schedule. To avoid ear problems make sure you check and clean their ears with a cotton swab often.

About the Author:
About the author: Melissa Coleman is a passionate lover of the Shar Pei and owns a popular website where you’ll discover how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved Shar Pei. Among other topics there, you can also learn all about Shar Pei Puppy Care plus a whole lot more.

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