Ba-Shar

The Ba-Shar is a hybrid between the Basset Hound and the Chinese Shar-Pei. Basset Hounds, with their distinctive short legs and large heads, were first bred in France as hunting dogs in the late 1500s. The word "Basset" was recorded in French text written in the sixteenth century although the breed was developed by the  Friars of the Abbey of St. Hubert in northern France. The idea was to breed hounds that could follow hunters on foot. According to the American Kennel Club, the word “Basset” when referring to a breed of dog derives from the French adjective “bas” which means “low thing” or “dwarf”. Bloodhounds are a likely part of their ancestry and they have a very keen sense of smell. Hunters used them to track rabbits, fox, pheasants, deer and badgers although they were also used to hunt bigger animals such as wild boar and wolf. They were prized for being low enough to follow the scent of prey under brush in thick forests but were bred more for stamina than speed. One of the most famous Basset Hounds is Fred, the cartoon dog, who has been appearing in the Daily Mail for more than 50 years and under different names in some 200 newspapers around the world. The breed is sometimes referred to as a Hush Puppy. The Chinese Shar-Pei originated in the southern provinces of China around 2000 years ago and are known for the wrinkles in their coats. They were bred for their strength and used on farms for hunting although later became fighting dogs. They were brought to the United States in 1973 and accepted in the American Kennel Club Miscellaneous Class in 1988. In 1991 they were recognized by the club as a member of the Non-Sporting Group. They are also known as Chinese Fighting Dogs.