Between their wrinkled bodies, blue-black tongues, and unique "hippopotamus" muzzles, a Chinese shar-pei is easy to spot. But there's more to the shar-pei than looks: This is an intelligent, independent pup with a desire to please her family--and keep them safe. Shar-pei owners need to provide plenty of early socialization and training so the dog's instincts, cultivated through centuries of being bred to stand vigilant, are properly channeled. If you're prepared to take this on, along with a laundry list of health issues shar-pei can be prone to, you'll be rewarded with a loyal friend for life.