Author: Matgo Law, December 2015
Tail of Shar Pei is another important feature to distinguish the breed from other breeds of dog.
The FCI Standard No. 309 requires the tail of a Shar Pei : TAIL: Thick and round at the root, tapering to a fine point. The tail is set very high, a characteristic feature of the breed. May be carried high and curved, carried in tight curl or curved over or to either side of the back. Lack of or incomplete tail highly undesirable.
SERIOUS FAULTS : Low set tail
ELIMINATING FAULTS: Absence of tail; stumpy tail.
TAIL SET & PULL TIGHT
The FCI Standard has clearly pointed out the very high setting of the tail is “a characteristic feature of the breed.” lndeed the base of tail should be set the higher the better on the croup. There was an old Chinese term described the tail is set so high that causes position of the anus (which placed right beh ind the tail root) sets high and face the sky. Along with the equal importance the tail should pulls tightly forward to the head direction. This is the most important feature when we judge the tail of a Shar Pei.
The old theory beh ind it was : In dog fighting tail between legs is a sign of being defeated. And a very high pulled tightly tail will not show such defeated sign.
Root of tail is round however should not be too thick or large; tapering to a fine point; in short but full length. With some tails there found a kink or “break” in the middle or any part of the its length. lt is a small fault if the “break” does not change the direction of the curve of tail. The seriousness depends on how bad it affects smoothness of the curve of the tail. A naturally born implete short tail (with or without a kink at the end) is a serious fault. Down-curl tail (cover the anus), stumpy taíl (bob-tail) or no tail definately not acceptable.
TAIL CARRIAGES
The tails of Shar Pei may carried in different ways of:
1. curved over the back, to either side of the back.
2. in tight curl, in the shape of a ring
3. carried high and curved forward, tip pointing head direction, not over the back.
Th ese carriages of tail are of secondary importance to the high setting and power of pulled tightly. Different carriages of tail are to be judged in the same merit.
