By Macy Gen Veterinary AssistantMacy Gen Last updated: 17th November 2022

American Ori Pei

By

Macy Gen Veterinary Assistant Macy Gen
Last updated: 17th November 2022

The American Ori Pei, also known as the Ori Pei, Sharpug, Pugpei, was created in the 1970s in North America.  It is a cross bred dog, created by crossing the Pug and the Shar Pei. This toy dog has a pug like appearance with moderate wrinkles. Its solid stocky body is accompanied by a massive round head, square-shaped muzzle, dark eyes. The thin ears are slightly turned on the head and are rose-shaped or button-shaped. The Ori Pei’s tail is tightly curled over the back and it has an outstanding personality like the pug.

American Ori Pei Pictures

Quick Information

Dog BreedOri Pei
CoatShort
ColorBlack, brown, gray, white
Breed TypeCrossbreed
Group (of Breed)Nonsporting, toy
Lifespan12 to 15 years
SizeMedium
Weight15 to 30 pounds
Height10 to 14 inches
SheddingModerate
TemperamentFriendly, Intelligent
Good with ChildYes
HypoallergenicYes
BarkingLittle
Health ConcernsCherry eyes, skin problems, respiratory infection issues
Competitive RegistrationACHC, DRA, ICA, UABR, APRI, CKC


Temperament and Behavior

They are intelligent, playful, loving and get easily attached to the family. They may be stubborn at times but are not aggressive. The Ori Pei is easy to train and they love pleasing their master by learning new tricks. They are not highly active and enjoy staying indoors, playing with toys or even sleeping. The well-mannered and fair-tempered nature of the Ori Pei makes them get along well with children. They are protective towards the family and property and can be excellent watch dogs. However, they do not bark unnecessarily. Their charm and sense of humor is appealing. The Ori Pei enjoys chasing cats and smaller animals but is not harmful to them.

Care

Exercise

This strong and intelligent breed needs moderate exercise.  Though they are good house dogs they may be taken out for a walk or run to improve their physical and mental health. The owner should lead the dog while going on a walk or a jog and train it to walk on the leash behind them. It is not comfortable in roaming out when the climate is hot and must be kept indoors then. Moreover too much of outdoor exposure may make it difficult to clean its wrinkles. Therefore it is ideal to keep it indoors most of the time.

Grooming

The Ori Pei has a soft but double-layered coat and its wrinkles must be cleaned regularly to avoid formation of spots, infection and irritation. The folds of the skin should be wiped with a damp cloth and the skin must be thoroughly dried to prevent the growth of bacteria. The American Ori Pei tends to shed moderate amount of short hairs throughout the year and so the coat should be combed with a soft-bristle brush. However, the coat needs minimum brushing. It must also be bathed and shampooed occasionally to ensure cleanliness.

Health Problems

The smaller breeds of the Ori Pei are prone to inward sneezing. Another common health issue of this breed is cherry eye which is a condition when its third eyelid bulges out forming a reddish or pinkish tinge.  The other ailments that the Ori Pei suffers from are Entropion, Dermadectic mange, Giardia. Though its respiratory concerns are lesser than the pug, its breathing must be monitored during vigorous exercise, mainly in the summer months.

Training

Though the Ori Peis are easy to train, their stubborn nature may at times be a hindrance to training. Improper training may result in a behavioral problem. The trainer must be firm, patient and confident and train the dog to obey him. The Ori Peis are strong for their size and is needed to undergo leash training to instill a sense of obedience in them. In order to build up a good temperament, adequate socialization training is necessary since its puppy days so that it may interact well with strangers and also other animals.

Feeding

Like other general toy dogs, both the American Ori Pei adults and puppies require high quality dry dog food in adequate amount, which is to be divided into two equal meals.

Interesting facts

  • This cross-breed was developed to correct health issues in both the parent breeds.
  • Ori Peis snore at times.
  • This dog would respond briskly to a ringing bell, barking instantly to the sound.

4 responses to “American Ori Pei”

  1. Daniel Alkan says:

    I wish I had this dog instead of my puggle.

  2. Sam says:

    I loved the Shar Pei breed however lived in a smaller apartment and so wanted a smaller dog, and a previous shar pei I had years before had developed entropion and it was really painful for her. Plus the surgeries… Awful.
    I got Molly the Ori-Pei at 8 weeks and she’s been an absolute treasure. I work as a dog trainer and I started Molly off with positive reinforcement clicker training right from the get go and she is such a clever, trainable, food driven dog. It takes typically 5-6 repitions of a new behaviour before she understands, or less.
    She can close doors, jump through hula hoops and “arm hoops”, do freestyle dance-obedience tricks, heeling, and like a million other things. Such a clever cookie!
    Molly does have the typical Shar Pei guard dog behaviour attitude and can get quite worked up about new people coming in the house but she accepts people after a couple visits or a few treats. She gets over it much quicker if new people ignore her completely, she will come right over to them to cuddle. Actively attempting to pet her while she’s barking will only make her bark more. Outside of the home she is a perfect lady and will accept pets from strangers.
    Molly also loves to play at the dog park.
    In my experience, with plenty of socialization from a young age the Ori Pei can be a great family dog to have around kids and other dogs, as well as a clever and capable obedience or agility dog.
    Ideally if the Ori Pei is a first generation mix the Shar Pei should be on the smaller end of the shar pei size spectrum. The larger Pei’s mixed with Pugs tend to look disproportionate (in my opinion) . Even better would be a hybrid a few generations in. Highly recommend ! 🙂

    • Nancy Kilpatrick says:

      Hello, We just discovered this breed. We have had 3 Shar Peis and they were great dogs, but lots of medical issues. Our last pei just died of cancer. We are very interested in learning more about the Ori Pei. How did you find your puppy, through a breeder or rescue? Thanks!

      • Artur Ceallaigh says:

        We just lost our female of 13 years. Lisi was totally amazing. She was one of a kind. She ruled the house and we are truly heartbroken to loose her. She developed kidney issues and we had to let her go. Shamus is lost without her. Shamus is 12 and has never been sick until this last year and we saw him through a lot. He developed pneumonia in one lung, was dehydrated and had swelling on both sides of the brain. After a week in the hospital we brought him home and he is doing awesome.
        We now live in California(we were in Saint Louis) and sorely miss the fact that there are no breeders here for them as they were originally bred in Missouri and still are. I would love to have another one to go with Shamus as he is lost without her.
        They are bred for the short hair though being part Sharpe they do shed!!!, but I would gladly buy another vaccum clearer

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