hey all, i posted a wee while ago about my oh and i looking to get a dog next summer and any suggestions of breeds. i've been scouting around and trying to get research on breeds that appeal. i've been having a wee shifty today at the shar pei (this is a post at the very very begining of any research on the breed), they are a bit bigger than what i've been looking at (its for a flat) but from the info i'm seeing they don't seem super active. anyone got any fabulous insights please about the temprement etc?

Hi

Are you still thinking about a rescue or are you going for a puppy now?

Maxine

it'd be a rescue still. we are considering getting a new flat now, up less stairs but it still don't feel its appropriate for a pup. another issue is i simply don't have the money for one large outlay for a pup at the moment. There are quite an astonishing number of shar pei in rescue actually, i was quite surprised. those i understand they have a strong guarding insitinct so i suppose people get them cause they are super cute and it turns into a big strong dog that guards the oh thinks (much to disappointment cause i love them) that the frenchies ears just look silly (mad, mad man...maybe i'll ditch him and get a frenchie instead...hmmm ), but we're considering a staffie, i'm looking at english bull terriers or a bulldog. as you can tell i like my bull breeds lol. shar pei's a new one for me...

if you are looking to get a dog locally you are unlikely to get a frenchie, a bulldog, an EBT or a sharpei.  Dundee is a fairly small place and all of the above breeds that I know, the breeders have all gone quite far affield to get their dogs and they are numerically small. 
If you are looking to get a dog locally the most common ones that come up needing rehomed are staffies, gsds and labs, collies and a variety of crosses of these. 
the champdogs breeders section lets you look at breeds by area so you can select bull breeds and see local breeders if you decide not to get a rescue and go for a pedigree.  I love EBT's too but they are a bit of a rarity around here.

i'd not just be looking in dundee for ease, i'll be wiling to go quite a way to get the perfect dog for us. i think temprement, breed etc are more, much much more, important than accessibility. there are rescues on the net i've found for all the breeds i'm looking into so i'll be contacting them all with our details and seeing how things pan out.

I was hoping someone who owned Shar Pei would answer you but since there's nothing yet I'll tell you my very limited experience. I've only met one here in the UK and it was a nasty little so-and-so. It was very aggressive toward people and dogs. But in fairness its owner was a plonker. The breed was developed for hunting and use in organized dog fights (per D. Morris in The Dictionary of Dog Breeds). It's described in the book as having strongly aggressive tendencies and anyone I know who has met one would agree. Everything I've read about Shar Pei I would be incredibly careful about where I got one (well, I wouldn't ever get one myself but that's not what you're asking) Thinking about it there is someone on CD who has one. You can see what they say in this thread.

Then you have the health issues like entropian and skin problems. Some even need cosmetic surgery. Your best off talking to a breed specialist about to expect but cute, cuddly little furballs as portrayed on the cosmetic ads they're not. Lovers of the breed are trying to eliminate the negative traits. You may already know all this but I thought it worth mentioning.

And you can't let them off the lead too!   So you'd have to walk around Camperdown time & time again to tire it out.   I think the Shar Pei is not a breed for a firsttime dog owner to be truthful, not a dog for taking on a whim hence the load in rescue!  I've only seen one Pei in Dundee and it was one of the worst specimens of the breed I'd seen.

*And yes, I don't live far from Dundee too*

ok, thanks for the comments. just to clarify i'm not a first time owner, i've had bullmastiffs and mastiffs my whole life. I've also got plenty of experience with rottweilers and frenchies. this will only be my first non family dog. and certainly not taking on a whim or just asking because i like the look, though i must admit i do. my concern is their reputation for sharpness as there will be times where the dog needs to be around my parents dogs (three bullies, 1 complete male and 2 bitches) and my sisters whippet (christmas and what not). there are some on the rescues that do appear suitable (e.g. one whos owner died and needs a new home, well socialised and trained, just sad circumstance). a strong guarding instinct is something i'm familiar with with the bullies. as to excersize, we're thinking of moving before getting a dog, and we fancy being next to baxter park... plenty walking room :D

My mum lives near Baxter Park, I can walk around it in 15 mins tops!

lol, christine we can walk the dog more than just round the park once. from the research i've been doing it doesn't appear that they are particularly active, we're not talking working collie level, though as i said at the begining of the thread i'm only just starting research on them. the bf and i aren't moving in together till june, we're waiting a couple of months till we get the dog to ensure we are settled so i've plenty time to become more familiar with the breed before making a decision. need to meet some examples first etc

ta for that link lori, the health survey looks interesting

Looked scary to me. :) I knew they had health problems but the owners guide on the Shar Pei club of America is a novel on avoiding and ealing with health issues. Worth a read too I think.