How The Shar Pei Got Its Name

The Shar Pei (some people refer to it as Chinese Shar Pei because of its origin) is easily recognizable with their unique head that is shaped like a hippo, their wrinkles and blue-black tongue.

They are said to have originated in China, in a place Kwun Tung which is in the southern part of the country.

How did it get its name?  Well, ’shar’ is sand, and ‘pei’ is Chinese for dog.

According to Wikipedia, the name was probably derived from the British spelling of  Cantonese equivalent ’sa peih’ which means sand skin.

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