Appearance
Shar-Pei come in many colors: red (rose), sand, cream, black and blue. They have the same characteristic blue-black tongue as the Chow Chow. Loose skin and wrinkles cover the head, neck, and body.
Shar-Pei usually come in two varieties: one is covered in large folds of wrinkles, even into adulthood (the Western type), and the other variation's skin seems tighter on its body, with wrinkles just on the face and at the withers (the original type). Small, triangular ears, a muzzle shaped like that of a hippopotamus, and a high set tail also give the Shar-Pei a unique look.
Coat and Color
The Shar-Pei also comes in three coat types: Horse, Brush and Bear Coat.
The Horse Coat has short bristly hair and is closer to the original Shar-Pei breed in looks and coat type than the Brush or Bear Coat. The Horse Coat is generally thought to be more active than the Brush Coat.
Brush Coats have a slightly longer coat and are softer to the touch than the Horse Coat. The Brush Coat is generally thought to be more of a 'couch potato' than the Horse Coat.
Unlike the Brush and Horse types, the Bear Coat does not meet breed standards and therefore cannot be shown. The coat is much longer than the Brush and Horse Coat, in most cases the famous wrinkles cannot be seen. A Bear Coat can occur in any litter.