Man's Best Friend - Shar Peis Rescued

Tucker and Savannah

Ken and I adopted Tucker (approx. 4 1/2 yrs) and Savannah (around 6 yrs) from the Tennessee Shar Pei Rescue in April 2009. It has been fun, rewarding, harrowing and exhausting at the same time. First of all, it was not a light decision to make. Two nearly 50 pound dogs as rambunctious as this type of dog was bound to bring some challenges. Also, we had originally only wanted Tucker. Then, upon the suggestion of the rescue group, we took Savannah too. It has been the best idea for Tucker to have a playmate rather than for him to be alone.

The day we picked them up.

Tucker

When we decided to get dogs I chose Shar Peis because of the breed. They were good watch dogs and loyal to their owners, as well as friendly with children. They also had minimum shedding and could be indoor pets. Not to mention they were a great looking breed. Then, I decided to go to a reliable rescue group for a full blood breed to get a pet that was already mostly trained. I did not feel like training a puppy. Plus there are many older dogs that desperately need owners but too often eventually get put to sleep.  And a rescue dog would already be fixed and have it's shots when I got it. That's a major incentive. Getting the dogs from the rescue was a fraction of the cost that it would have been had I gotten puppies and I still got two beautiful dogs to love.

Savannah

By using the TN Rescue Group we had to be approved as owners. They did not want their dogs going into another situation that is the same or worse for them than they had been before. Since I was a state away They worked with the local Humane Society. A lady from there came to inspect our home and to interview the family members. She was mainly looking to see if our house had a fence (we built one just for the dogs), was by a busy road, had any dangerous stairs, etc. Also, the whole family needed to be in agreement on getting a dog or dogs. Because of the construction of the fence we had to wait a month longer than we wanted before we got the doggies.

Their Rescue Stories

Savannah had been picked up as a stray and brought to the shelter. Even though she was possibly owner abused, the shelter nourished and loved her so that she was just fine around 3 year old Gavin. Her rescue story on the TN Shar Pei Rescue Page is here. Tucker had been an owner surrender. He was a playful pup and desperate for loving. We were told his previous owner didn't have the time to take care of him nor did her have a big enough space. The rescue integrated him with their toddler so I knew he'd make a great companion for Gavin. You can view his rescue story on the TN Shar Pei Rescue site here.

Their Personalities

They definitely have two very different personalities. I'm sure it's because of how they spent their formative months of growth. Tucker is very laid back. He's the watchful one. Instead of asserting himself he'll let Savannah take center stage almost every time. That makes Savannah the Alpha I guess. She certainly lets that be known - everywhere but the food bowl, lol. She's so jealous of Tucker that anytime he gets any kind of attention she's right there on top of him nosing him out of the way so she's the one getting the petting rather than him. Then Tucker just let's her have it. He knows he's loved. Sometimes they get into know-down drag-out fights that end up with bloody injuries. They happen so fast I can barely get them separated quick enough. Usually this happens over some kind of food one of them has found on the floor - because mischievous Gavin has thrown only one snack down instead of two, for instance. I try to always make sure there are two snacks at the same time to prevent them from fighting. They are, after all, Chinese fighting dogs and the entire breed was created as fighting entertainment originally. It's in their blood; they can't help it. 

One problem I have with Savannah is that she like to take tours around the neighbourhood whenever she gets the chance. It's probably left over from her street life days. The need to roam and see new places, pee on everything she sees to mark it as hers, over and over again. She takes her chance to run if she is not on a leash between the house and the fence, which doesn't surround our house. She also digs under the fence whenever she can and wherever she can. If we are standing, waiting on her to take a whiz and finish her business she'll usually not go under the fence but if we leave her at any time, unchained, she'll go under it and be off on a little trip. So, when we take her out to stay there for a couple of hours in good weather we have to put her on a chain. Unfortunately her habit is dangerous and annoying. Even though she always comes back, she's out there, running around people's houses, on the street. She could, and has once, gotten hit by a car or worse. She may not come back one day. We do our very best to make sure she's always on the leash between the house and the fence/chain inside the fence, but she's fast and determined some days. 

On the other hand, Tucker just lays out and watches her like she's a lunatic. I imagine him saying "you crazy bi..., you've got it made here, why are you running off trying to get yourself into trouble?" But then, that's the same kind of stuff I say to my daughter when she breaks the rules in school, without the cursing. Sometimes the forbidden is worth the risk to some people -- and dogs I guess.

All of us love the dogs, sometimes more than others. I didn't like it too much when they chewed on some of the wood work around the house, for instance. Erin loves taking them, one at a time, for a walk downtown when she visits on the weekends. Gavin loves running through the house with them as if he's a dog himself (sometimes I think he is). They, especially Tucker, are exactly what I envisioned in a dog/companion. One reason I wanted a dog was because I read that a pet was the only thing in the world that could make a person happy. That's because a person can't help but respond to the unconditional love that the pet will always give them, regardless of how the owner treats them. Not that I would mistreat my pet, but I wasn't sure I could give a pet the love it deserved so I hadn't had one before. Of all the family I am least playful with the dogs. Still, they know their loved and I'm grateful to have them.