The Chinese custom is to refer to the most commonly known similar shape or form to describe each part of a dog, so the Chinese standard for Shar-Peis is especially vivid.

In his book, “Dogs,” author Desmond Morris summarizes the description: “It must have a head like a Wu-Lo melon, ears like clamshells, a nose like a Guangzhou cookie, legs like Pae Pah musical instruments, a back like a shrimp, a tail like iron wire, a face like a grandmother, a neck like a water buffalo, a body like a wun fish, an anus that faces the sky, a rump like a horse, feet like garlic, toenails like iron and a mouth like a mother frog or a roof tile.” In 1978, the Guinness Book of Records called this the rarest breed in the world, with only 60 Shar-Pei still known to be alive. Happily, the breed is on much better footing now.

Image: Chinese Shar-Pei by Svetlana Novikova
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