The Hong Kong Kennel Club, affiliated with the London Kennel Club, registered Shar-Pei as late as 1966. The Shar-Pei is certainly the world's most extraordinary dog, the press has dubbed him Mr. Wrinkles. The head is deeply furrowed, and the back and sides are more or less pleated with loose skin which often extends down the legs, giving a droopy-drawers effect on the hindquarters, or that of oversize pantyhose. Puppies are more wrinkled than adults. The skin tightens up over the lower half of the body as a pup matures, with full size being reached at six to eight months.
Colors range from light to dark fawn, red fawn, cream,black, chocolate and sable.
The coat is not slick or glossy and should have a gritty feel because of its stiff and bristly texture. Coat types are the very short bristly harsh coat and the brush coat which is not over one inch in length and stands off from the skin at 90 degrees over the wrinkle. The name Shar-Pei means sandy coat. The tongue has the distinction of being either all blue-black or flowered, meaning one with spots of various sizes. Also many have black flews and roof of mouth.