Shar Pei Grooming

The short, bristly coat of the Shar pei may look easy to maintain but actually requires a medium level of effort. This is because the Shar pei has highly sensitive skin so, aside from a bath every other month, the wrinkles will need to be kept clean. Dental care and nail care will also be part of your routine. This page will explain the basics of grooming your Shar pei.

Overall Shar Pei grooming doesn't require too much effort--and likewise, maintaining these dogs' coats isn't especially time-consuming. The short, bristly coats shed regularly, and will need brushing once or twice per week to help collect dead hairs.

Neither do these dogs need frequent bathing (once every couple of months or so is fine), but the wrinkles on their skin will need to be cleaned weekly to keep them from developing yeast or fungal infections. After baths, the wrinkles will need to be dried completely to avoid infections too.

The Shar Pei's short coat doesn't need haircuts at all.

And while it's easy for owners to learn how to fulfill all the Shar Pei grooming requirements on their own, it's a good idea to take the dog to a professional groomer at least once. The groomer can give the dog a nice makeover, and provide tips on how to groom a Shar Pei at home.

Maintaining these dogs' coats will also require the use of a few Shar Pei grooming tools, including a bristle brush or grooming mitt, a greyhound comb, hypoallergenic canine shampoo, and an optional de-shedding tool.

Shar peis are easy to brush due to their short, bristly coat. They do not need to be brushed very frequently but doing so once per week can help reduce shed hair. A rubber bristle brush does a great, yet gentle, job at removing the dead hairs from the coat. This breed does shed a normal amount so brushing will greatly lessen the amount of pet dander flying around and the amount of cleanup you will have to do. Also, brushing is a great way to do a thorough check up of your Shar pei's skin. The breed has notoriously sensitive skin so check for bumps, scratches or hives.

For Shar pei puppies' coats, the best brush for sale is a one with gentle rubber bristles or you can even use a grooming mitt. Brushing a puppy is an excellent way to get your dog used to grooming from the very beginning.

Though Shar Pei coats don't tangle or mat too much, they can sometimes develop hair "snarls"--especially when dead hairs get tangle up with healthy ones instead of falling out. The first defense against this happening is to brush consistently!

Some owners do like to use de-shedding tools to reduce the chance of coat tangles (and to minimize shedding in general). The tool's fine, sharp teeth reach down into the coat to pull out dead hairs. With de-shedding tools like a Furminator, Shar Pei dogs don't shed as much, and in turn, the coats tangle less often.

The problem with de-shedding tools is that they will remove healthy hairs along with the dead ones. So if your Shar Pei's coat does develop a tangle, the best way to deal with it is to use your fingers. This method may be more time-consuming, but it's less damaging to the coat. Simply use your thumbs and forefingers to separate the hairs, going strand by strand if necessary. If you like you can spray the snarl with de-tangling solution beforehand to lubricate the hairs. With extra-stubborn tangles, use scissors to cut them in half (or even fourths) to get the untangling process started.

If a tangle is impossible to get out, the only option left is to cut it out with scissors--but this should only be a last resort.

Shar pei need a good bath every 6-8 weeks or so. They are dignified, regal dogs that are not overly active so bathing them more frequently may be unnecessary and irritate their sensitive skin. You will, however, need to wipe out the wrinkles with a damp cloth weekly. This is very important since the wrinkles are the main site for skin infections. Bathing is a great time to get hands on with your pet and check for any bumps, lumps, wounds or irritation. It's also a wonderful time to brush out that excess shed with a rubber brush. We don't recommend any doggy wipes or perfumes for this breed unless specified they are hypoallergenic.

The best dog shampoo for Shar pei is most definitely a hypoallergenic shampoo. You can look for one with all natural ingredients if you prefer and you can ask your veterinarian for brand recommendations if you are still unsure if the shampoo is good for your pet. The skin of Shar pei is highly sensitive so remember to never use human shampoo on them. Having the tub pre filled with a few inches of lukewarm water will help to ease bathtime stress. Make sure to was in between the wrinkles and rinse thoroughly-- then rinse again! Leaving soap on the Shar pei's sensitive skin will cause further irritation. Dry your dog thoroughly after the bath and make sure the wrinkles are dry too! You can put powder (preferably hypoallergenic) between the wrinkles to soak up any excess water.

The frequency which your pets nails will need trimming will depend on his/her activity level. Shar pei that spend a lot of time outside will need trimming less frequently. We recommend to check the nail length at least once a month. If you can hear sharp dog nails clicking on your floor, it is definitely time to cut them. If you prefer to do this yourself at home you'll need a pair of sharp dog nail clippers-- most owners opt for a guillotine style clipper due to the Shar pei's medium size.

Another important factor to your Shar pei's health is dental care. Regular dental cleaning can not only prevent gum disease but also the organ damage that results from not treating the gum disease. We recommend brushing your dog's teeth weekly-- this isn't going to be easy so it's best to get them used to it as a puppy. Some people wonder why the puppy teeth are so sharp but don't worry, they fall out quickly and are replaced by their less sharp adult dog teeth that are much stronger. If you don't feel that can brush your Shar pei's teeth at home, most veterinarians offer this service.