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Wrinkly skin with a blue tongue, the Shar-Pei is a unique breed whose Chinese name translates to “sand skin.” Three types of coats are included in the breed standard, a horse coat, bear coat, or brush coat. All three coats are considered short and smooth, but the bear coat is the longest.
Although the American Kennel Club only recognizes 17 colors for Shar Peis, 20 are possible and are frequently included by other kennel clubs such as the United Kennel Club. Here’s the full list, as well as a description of what they look like.
Overview of Shar-Pei Coat Colors
You might be surprised to learn that the Shar-Pei comes in 20 different colors, although 3 of these are not officially recognized as standard colors by the American Kennel Club. Some of them are quite similar, so it can be tricky to tell them apart!
The 20 Shar-Pei Coat Colors
1. Apricot Dilute
These dogs are as cute as a peach. An apricot dilute Shar-Pei is lighter than red and darker than cream. They usually have a pink nose.
2. Black
One of the most common coat colors, a solid black Shar-Pei looks sharp indeed. The dark hues show off their adorable wrinkled skin, and their rough fur can take on a velvety texture.
3. Blue Dilute
The blue dilute Shar-Pei has consistently blue-gray fur with no darker pigmentation around their face and paws. This color makes the Shar-Pei look like a wrinkly Weimaraner and shows off their rolls in a soft shade of gray.
4. Lilac Dilute
These truly beautiful dogs are the result of a mixture of the genes that give Shar-Peis either a chocolate or blue coat. This lilac variation takes on both of these colors but with a “washed-out” appearance. The resulting mix gives the Shar-Pei a hint of lavender. Lilac Shar-Peis may have a pink nose and paws, as opposed to the standard brown or black.
5. Cream
Similar to white but with honey hues, the adorable cream Shar-Pei is included in the AKC standard. Often their extremities such as their ears take on a hue that may be closer to blonde than a neutral color.
6. Cream Dilute
With a pale pink nose and light cream-colored fur, the cream dilute looks like a light pink rose on an early spring day.
7. Brown
Like a cup of coffee with a generous dose of creamer, the brown Shar-Pei is lighter than chocolate but darker than cream. Markings around their face are often on the chocolate side.
8. Chocolate Dilute
This fun pup resembles an unwrapped milk chocolate bar with its soft brown color. Since they’re dilute, these dogs won’t have any darker pigmentation and will look fairly uniform.
9. Red
Did you know that red is usually a rare color in the canine kingdom? Not so much for a Shar-Pei! In fact, red is wildly popular in this unique breed.
10. Five-Point Red Dilute
This Shar-Pei possesses beautiful amber fur throughout their body with darker hues around their eyes, nose, paws, and tail. They’re much rarer than the popular red Shar-Pei.
11. Red Fawn
Darker than fawn but lighter than red, the red fawn Shar-Pei often has darker pigmentation near their extremities and in between their standard rolls of skin.
12. Fawn
Light tan with a hint of red characterizes the fawn Shar-Pei. Although they’re very similar to the red fawn coat color, a true fawn Shar-Pei will have a slightly lighter coat that takes on more of the tan than red.
13. Isabella Dilute
Another name for a dilute fawn Shar-Pai, the Isabella coat refers to a light tan color with pink or blue pigmentation around their nose and paws.
14. Black Sable
Similar to the standard German Shepherd, a black sable Shar-Pei has lighter fur with dark tips that may make them look black.
15. Cream Sable
These striking dogs are cream in color with dark tips to the fur which appear concentrated in the folds, giving them almost a striped appearance.
16. Fawn Sable
The fawn sable actually has three colors in its coat: red, tan, and black. They may also have darker fur around their face and paws.
17. Red Sable
Darker than a fawn sable, the red sable may also have patches of black fur on its face and paws.
18. White
The United Kennel Club recognizes the white Shar-Pei, but the American Kennel Club does not. That doesn’t stop us from admiring their snow-white coats, however. Unfortunately, solid white dogs are often deaf or blind, so breeding them isn’t recommended. If you find a rescue, consider yourself lucky.
19. Blue Sable
These dogs may take on a charcoal color due to the black tips on their blue fur. This stunning variation isn’t included in the AKC breed standard, but it’s beautiful, nonetheless.
20. Brown Sable
Light brown fur with black ends characterizes the brown sable Shar-Pei. Unfortunately, you probably won’t see any of these dogs strutting around the show ring in the United States because the brown sable isn’t included in the AKC breed standard.
Is the Shar-Pei the Right Breed for You?
Like all dogs, the Shar-Pei breed is special beyond their appearance. The Chinese Shar-Pei usually weighs between 45 and 60 pounds and stands 18 to 20 inches high, which classifies them as a medium-sized dog. While they love their family, the Shar-Pei can be aloof and wary of strangers.
The Shar-Pei tends to bond very strongly with their family and will love and protect them for life. Because of this, it is important to properly socialize them with a range of other dogs and humans from a young age.
Despite usually having quite a short coat, the Shar-Pei are notorious shedders, so daily brushing is recommended. Their most recognizable feature is also their most problematic, with their skin rolls often being a source of skin infections, ear problems, and eye issues. When it comes to their rolls, ‘less is more’ in terms of health; dogs with more extreme folds and rolls are very susceptible to these issues.
Shar-Pei pups should be introduced to having their ears, eyes, and skin folds checked and cleaned from a young age. We strongly recommend investing in a good pet insurance policy that covers them for life, as skin problems can end up being one of the most expensive health conditions overall.
Conclusion
There are 20 coat colors recognized in the Shar-Pei breed, but only 17 of these are included in the AKC breed standard.
In addition to the wide variety of coat colors, the Shar-Pei is most famous and recognizable for their wrinkled skin. While this roly-poly appearance may look appealing, it can carry with it some significant health issues, and new dog owners need to do their research.
These loyal but stubborn dogs make loving companions and great guard dogs, but they are often quite independent in nature and can be wary of strangers. They are not a breed for inexperienced owners.
- You might also want to check out: 20 Dog Breeds With Blue Tongues (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: Cavan-Images, Shutterstock
