An independent, loyal companion, the Lab Pei is a medium to large breed dog that's a hybrid of the Labrador Retriever and the Chinese Shar-Pei. The history of these hybrids remains a little mysterious as the sudden rise and popularity in creating designer breeders only arose within the last 20 years. Nevertheless, it can be speculated that the hybrid may have originated around the 2000s, likely in North America. The Lab Pei is considered a low maintenance dog, requiring very little grooming. These dogs are often described as nippy, naughty breeds and so they are aren't recommended for homes with younger children. The Lab-Pei is a strong breed that often has a very muscular, compact physique. They are moderately active dogs that very rarely bark. They can be quite well suited to an apartment or urban lifestyle.
Lab-Pei’s seem to be a relatively new designer dog breed that may have only recently emerged during the 21st century. We can speculate that they are indigenous to the United States as they are currently only recognized by the Dog Registry of America. The Lab-Pei gets its proud, protective nature from the Chinese Shar-Pei which is an ancient medium sized dog that was believed to have first been spotted around Southern China over 2000 years ago. During the Han Dynasty, the Shar-Pei mainly served as a versatile breed that worked on fields, farms and in palaces often partaking in activities such as hunting, herding and guarding. Unfortunately, these dogs were hunted and killed to near extinction when the People’s Republic of China was first established; this was because communist parties believed that the ownership of dogs was considered an influence of the western world. The Labrador Retriever is a famous Canadian breed that originated from St. John's, Newfoundland during the 1800s. Labradors are notorious for their water-retrieving and swimming skills. These breeds originally served as a fishing net retrieving dog for the fishermen that owned them. When the Labrador was introduced to the United Kingdom their main purpose changed to hunting, flushing and retrieving wild game. Today, the Labrador ranks as America's most popular breed. These multi-talented dogs now serve a more noble purpose working as service, guide, and police dogs.
The Lab Pei is a strong built, compact breed. They may be medium in size but don't let their smaller size fool you, as they are designed for strength. The Lab Pei typically has a very short and dense coat that may be water resistant; this is a trait they inherit from their Labrador lineage. These hybrids don't tend to be heavily wrinkled like their parent breed the Shar-Pei, but they will have very mild folds and wrinkles around their forehead. The Lab-Pei will have small, dark almond shaped eyes that appear alert. Ears are set high on the head and are semi-flopped down, with a pointed tip. Skulls are wide and broad, while their muzzle tends to be medium in length. These breeds have very broad shoulders, heavy, deep chests, and strong limbs. Tails are set high, are strong and semi-curved.