Golden Pei Basics
Protective and family-oriented, the Golden Pei will be your most loyal companion. This relatively rare designer dog breed was developed by crossing the affectionate Golden Retriever and devoted Chinese Shar-Pei. The combination of these two purebred dogs results in a medium to large dog with a low-maintenance coat and moderate activity levels. The only fairly demanding thing about the Golden Pei is that it can be a bit strong-willed, so you might need to put slightly more effort into its training.
Golden Pei that has been properly socialized will be a friendly dog with a kind nature. Your new designer dog pet will get along with children, other dogs, and even cats if you made sure to teach them their manners. However, due to the Chinese Shar-Pei in the mix, they and also be quick to react if your child pulls their tail or tries to take their food bowl in the middle of the meal. That’s why this dog breed is a better match with families with older or no children.
Due to its lovely personality, moderate exercise needs, and good health, the Golden Pei makes a good pet to almost anyone.
Origin
There is still a lot we don’t know about designer dog breeds. While there have always been (and always will be) accidental mixings of purebred dogs, their intentional crossing is a fairly new concept. In an effort to create new breeds with hopefully improved traits, breeders are combining two or more well-known dog breeds into one. However, there’s very little we know about the history of individual designer dogs. The origin of the Chinese Shar-Pei and Golden Retriever mix is as mysterious as that of most hybrid breeds. Likely, the Golden Pei was created in the last two decades, somewhere in the United States.
Of course, designer dogs might be a new and rare occurrence, but we can learn more about them if we study their parents.
Pedigree
As the Golden Pei is a designer dog breed, it is not recognized by the American Kennel Club. Or any other official, internationally recognized canine organizations, for that matter. However, while there won’t be any pedigree papers to go with your new hybrid puppy, that doesn’t mean they won’t have any pedigree. After all, a pedigree is just a well-documented family tree. Any respectable breeder can offer you insight into the ancestry of your pooch, as they’ll know all about the family history of their Golden Retriever or Shar-Pei parents.
Even when talking about pedigree in terms of good breeding, the Golden Pei has a lot to be proud of. The Golden Retriever has consistently been one of the most popular breeds in the world, ever since the breed’s beginnings in the 19th century. Similarly, the Chinese Shar-Pei is held in great esteem in its native land, as well as the rest of the world.
Food/Diet
Every dog needs a nutritious, well-balanced diet to thrive. The Golden Pei is no different! These mixed breed pooches are usually in the medium to large range of weight and height, and their food should reflect that. Additionally, make sure to pick out kibble appropriate for their age (puppy, adult, senior) and activity level, too. Choose a high-quality dry dog food that will meet your pet’s nutritional needs- and keep their taste buds happy.
In addition, you could base your pet’s diet on home cooked or raw meals. Granted, to make sure that your dog is really getting all the essential micro and macronutrients from the diet you prepared for him, you will need to consult with a veterinarian that specializes in canine nutrition. Otherwise, you’re putting your pet’s health to risk.
When it comes to Golden Pei, there’s another important aspect of their diet to mention. These pooches tend to have a voracious appetite- which, if indulged, can lead to weight gain in no time. Obesity is a serious issue for all pets, so make sure to keep to recommended serving sizes and provide enough exercise.
This designer dog breed can be prone to resource guarding, but early socialization could counter this behavior issue.
Training
Golden Pei is considered to be exceptionally smart. Owing both to Chinese Shar-Pei and the Golden Retriever, this lovable hybrid is quick to learn new things and eager to please its owner. Needless to say, this combination of qualities lends itself well to training! In most cases, your new pet will respond well to your positive reinforcement training technique and learn commands and tricks in no time. However, there is a possibility for your Golden Pei pooch to favor the Shar-Pei parent more; and with it inherit a bit of a stubborn streak. While this doesn’t mean they’ll be impossible to train, the process might require more patience and time than usual.
In either case, timely socialization and training will save you a lot of trouble in the long run. Teaching your Golden Pei puppy what’s OK and what’s not makes sure they grow up to be a well-behaved dog. Pay special attention to teaching your puppy that nibbling is not nice and that they should share their food. This designer dog breed can be prone to resource guarding, so early socialization could counter this behavior issue.
Weight
Every designer dog is unique- but some more than others, though. With hybrid breeds, it’s hard to predict how a dog will look like when they grow up, mainly because crossbreeding yields varying results. In the case of the Golden Pei, the differences are not that drastic, but there is still potential for variation in size and looks, even across a single litter of puppies. Most Golden Pei dogs will weigh between 40 and 65 pounds in their adulthood. Females will be closer to the lower number on the scale, while males tend to be bigger.
Temperament/Behavior
With parents such as the noble Golden Retriever and the rare Chinese Shar-Pei, it hard for the Golden Pei to be anything other than magnificent. These dogs have a confident, independent personality that gives them an air of certain grace. Of course, that is until their silly antics come to light and they “reveal” themselves as truly lovable goofs. Highly intelligent, they will impress you with their wits, but this also means that you’ll have to challenge their mind to prevent boredom and depression.
In general, the Golden Pei is a sweet-natured, cuddly dog that quickly and deeply bonds with its owner. When you’re home, this lovely hybrid dog will want nothing more than to be around you, expecting belly rubs and ear scratches every five minutes. They are affectionate and extremely loyal, but their devout loyalty is not always a good thing.
Owing to its Chinese Shar-Pei parent, this designer dog breed can have some behavioral issues, as well. The devotion they have for their owner can lead to aggressive behavior towards strangers or anyone perceived as a threat to the family. At best, they’ll be distrustful of strangers, but at worst, they’ll be prone to attacking other dogs or people. To make sure that this doesn’t happen, you’ll need to socialize and train your dog on time.
Common Health Problems
When people started intentionally cross breeding purebred dogs, one of the main reason was the belief that it will lessen the number of hereditary diseases. While there’s still debate about this, some hybrid dogs do tend to be healthier than either one of their parents. The Golden Pei is generally a healthy dog, with minimal concerns when it comes to inherited issues. These include epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder ( OCD), Von Willebrand’s disease and hypothyroidism. Additionally, if your new puppy takes up after the Shar-Pei and has facial skin folds, there is a possibility for them to have sensitive skin, prone to infections and irritations.
A well-balanced diet, plenty of exercise and preventive health care will make sure that your pooch stays healthy throughout their life, but genes do play a role. Make sure never to get a puppy from a puppy mill or a backyard breeder, as it all but guarantees sickness and hereditary issues. Not only that their breeding practices are cruel and inhumane, but they also don’t care about the health of their puppies.
Life Expectancy
With a designer dog breed so rare and recent (but, frankly, all hybrid dogs are relatively new to the scene) it’s hard to know their exact life expectancy. After all, it’s not as they’ve been around as long for us to gather data about their lifespan! Even so, there’s a lot to be said about the designer dog based on its parents. For the Golden Pei, this means you can expect them to live between 8 to 15 years on average.
Exercise Requirements
While your Golden Pei dog will not be begging for daily hikes, this is still a fairly active breed. In addition to long daily walks, they will appreciate some time dedicated to playing. Whether it’s a game of fetch in the dog park, individual playing with their puzzle toy, or playing tug with you, they need their playtime to be happy and content. Ideally, an owner of a Golden Pei could dedicate an hour each day to their pooch’s exercise needs.
If you have a home with a backyard, your Golden Pei will love to play zoomies in there or sniff every inch of it in their daily explorer missions. However, the yard should be secured properly with a high fence, as this strong, large pooches can easily break through anything flimsy and inadequate.
Owing to its parental breeds, the Golden Pei puppies grow into confident, loyal, loving dogs.
Recognized Clubs
We already mentioned that the American Kennel Club and its international counterparts do not recognize hybrids as official dog breeds. But, there are other canine clubs and organizations that do! These designer dog breed enthusiasts are working to improve the standards of crossbreeding practices and give hybrids the recognition they deserve. Those of them that recognize the Golden Pei as a breed in its own right include the American Canine Hybrid, Designer Dogs Kennel Club, Dog Registry of America, and International Designer Canine Registry.
Coat
Same as it is the case with all of its other traits, the type of coat Golden Pei has will largely depend on which parent they favor. In general, these designer dogs tend to have a short to medium, dense coat that can be either fine like with the Shar Pe or water-repellent and slick like the Golden Retriever sports. The coat color possibilities for the Golden Pei include cream, red, white, brown or black.
When it comes to grooming, Golden Pei has minimal requirements. Brushing them every day or every other day will keep their coat shiny and beautiful. Bathe your pooch every few weeks or so- your nose will instruct you when it’s time to get to scrubbing. Make sure to use a shampoo that’s made for dogs with sensitive skin to prevent irritation.
Puppies
Golden Pei puppies are unbearably adorable- but, what puppy isn’t? Their cuteness and silliness shouldn’t make you forget you need to train and socialize them, as puppyhood is the perfect time for learning manners. If you put in the effort to teach your puppy how to behave, both around other pets and people, you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble down the road.
Owing to its parental breeds, the Golden Pei puppies grow into confident, loyal, loving dogs. Intensely attached to their families, these dogs can get overly protective, especially when encountering strangers. Granted, with a bit of training, that can be corrected- unless a watchdog is just what you need. Due to its lovely personality, moderate exercise needs, and good health, the Golden Pei makes a good pet to almost anyone but is the perfect choice for singles or families with older or no kids.
Photo credit: Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock; GymXPhotos/Shutterstock; Robwhiteimages/Shutterstock
