The Pit Pei: A Guide to the Shar Pei Pitbull Mix [With Photos]

Rocky Kanaka |

Sep 6, 2023

If you spend a little time searching, you can find almost any combination of dog breeds and an almost endless supply of designer mixes. The Pit Pei (AKA Sharpull, Sharpull Terrier, or Shar Pit) is one such designer mixed breed, but this one is both unexpected and fairly rare. The Pit Pei is a Chinese Shar Pei Pitbull mix and a fascinating combination of two much beloved and controversial breeds.

The Shar Pei is a truly unique dog breed originating in China whose features have gained international recognition. Wrinkled skin, small ears, large muzzles, and short coats that look almost like velvet are all hallmarks of the breed, and highly desirable to Shar Pei enthusiasts.

The American Pitbull Terrier (the most common breed combined with Shar Pei to create Pit Peis) is a mid-sized bully breed also considered a member of the terrier group. Pitbull Terriers are known for their broad, flat heads, high-set ears, and athletic physique. Like Shar Peis, Pitbulls also have short fur, but theirs is silkier and lays flat rather than standing on end.

Pit Peis (Sharpei Pit mixes) are goofy, energetic, alert dogs who develop deep bonds with their humans and display remarkable loyalty. Here, we’re going to dive into the world of this unique mix and share all of our findings on the Pit Bull Shar Pei mix.

Meet 7 Pitbull Shar Pei Mixes from Instagram

Get ready to see some of the cutest, wrinkliest, most smiley dogs you’ll ever meet! Pit Peis are truly a delightful mixed dog breed, but no need to take our word for it. Let’s take a look at a selection of Shar Pei and Pitbull mix pictures to get a good idea of what this mixed breed can look like!

1. Broskii

Broskii the pit pei — *^Source:*^{@BroskiiBrooo}

This very handsome and wrinkly boy is Broskii, a Pitbull mix with Shar Pei with all-red features! Broskii is still growing and has a lot of puppy left in him, but you can already tell he’s going to be a beautiful adult with that signature Shar Pei wrinkled skin.

2. Charlie

Charlie the pit pei — *^Source:*^{@CharlieThePitPei}

Charlie is a lovely red and white Pitbull Shar Pei mix who gets a lot of her features from the Pit Bull side but has a few wrinkles around her face and a lovely soft rounded muzzle, like a Shar Pei. Charlie loves getting zoomies in nature, snuggling with her mama, and playing in rivers, pools, or any other water source!

3. Balú

Balu the pit pei — *^Source:*^@Balu.MyDog

Balú is a six-year-old Pit Pei mix from Brazil who could play all day long if his humans let him! A happy-go-lucky pup with endless energy, Balú loves to play with other dogs, play with his toys, go for long walks, and watch beautiful sunsets from his balcony.

4. Penny

penny the pit pei — *^Source:*^{@LasAventuras_Penny}

Lovely Miss Penny here is a chocolate brown Shar Pei Pit mix from Tandil, Argentina. Penny looks a lot like a purebred Shar Pei, but if you look closely, you’ll see plenty of her Pitbull features. Penny loves to explore the great outdoors, spend time with her humans, and enjoy a life of luxury after being abandoned by her first humans. Thankfully, Penny was found by a group of friends and nursed back to health, and her life is beautiful now!

5. Gary

gary the pit pei — *^Source:*^{@GaryAndDougs_Life}

Gary is a very stately Pitbull and Shar Pei mix whose BFF is a little Boston Terrier named Doug! Gary is a playful boy with a mischievous streak and is a big fan of pretty much any and all dog toys. This Pit Pei is also quite the smartie pants and is great at solving puzzles for treats.

6. Luciano

luciano the pit pei — *^Source:*^{@Luciano_Sharpull_Terrier}

Luciano (or Lou for short) is a gorgeous reverse brindle Shar Pei Pitbull mix with a knack for falling asleep in almost any position! Reverse brindle means that Luciano’s base coat is red/fawn while his stripes are black. Standard brindle is a black base coat with red or fawn stripes.

7. Oreo

oreo the pit pei — *^Source:*^{@OreoSweetiePie}

Among examples of the Shar Pei Pitbull mix black is a semi-uncommon color. Although both American Pitbull Terriers and Chinese Shar Peis naturally can have black fur, most examples of the Pit Pei mix are red, fawn, or shades of brown. Oreo is a super sweet black and white Pit Pei who absolutely loves car rides, but would rather pass on the baths.

Pit Pei Basic Info

Results can be a little uncertain when you start mixing different dog breeds, even if they have similar traits. For example, one Shar Pei Pitbull mix puppy might be very affectionate and eager for attention from humans, while another Shar Pei Pit mix puppy from the same litter might be aloof and independent. Purebred dog breeds are more predictable in terms of looks and temperament thanks to standardization, but it’s impossible to truly standardize mixed-breed dogs.

With this in mind, we’ve done our best to collect information about Pit Peis to try to give you an idea of what life with one might look like. Remember, there’s no guarantee your Pit Pei will be the same as someone else’s, but we can give you some general tips, bits of advice, and pieces of information based on other people’s experience with the Shar Pei dog Pitbull mix.

Pit Pei Temperament

The Chinese Shar Pei and the American Pitbull Terrier have fairly different personalities. The Shar Pei is calm, independent, stubborn, and loyal, and has a strong protective nature. They are suspicious of strangers, and may take time to warm up, but can be deeply affectionate with their humans, Most Shar Pei mixes inherit at least a few of these qualities.

“We’ve had Shar Pei and Pit Bulls for years and recently just adopted a Shar Pei/Pit Bull mix…Something that has been consistent with every single Shar Pei that we’ve ever had has been their stubbornness,” says a comment from a Reddit user who owns a Pit Pei. “I swear I’ve never seen a more stubborn breed of dog and our [Pit Pei] puppy seems to have inherited the stubborn Shar Pei streak as well.”

a pit pei — *^{Source: Kira – Mabbr.org}*

American Pitbull Terriers are lively, social, energetic, and eager to please. Known for their love of humans (adults and children alike), Pitbulls are excellent family dogs and love to play, snuggle, or just be in the presence of their people. Athletic and alert, some Pitbulls can be reactive to other dogs or small animals, and need plenty of mental and physical stimulation to keep them happy and balanced.

“Our Shar Pei Pit is older and slower now but was always an aloof girl…Quite tolerant of our other Pits but was never super into running around and playing. She will pick a human and want to lay next to you. Loves every human she meets…but otherwise usually just wants to do her thing,” says another comment from a Reddit user. Further down in the discussion, this commenter added more detail: “She is definitely loving but she isn’t a velcro dog like our [Doberman/Pitbull] mix, or water or toy obsessed like our Staffy. High prey drive and the most food motivated creature though.”

Pit Pei Size

The size of a full grown Shar Pei Pitbull mix can vary, especially depending on what variety of “Pitbull” your Pit Pei is mixed with. The majority of Pit Peis are a mix of American Pitbull Terrier and Chinese Shar Pei and are large to medium-sized dogs that stand an average of 17–21 inches tall and weigh around 45–60 pounds.

Pit Pei Health

Shar Pei dogs are unfortunately plagued with a host of health issues, several of which are shared by the American Pitbull Terrier. Pit Peis may inherit health problems from either of their parent breeds, but can of course also develop health issues independent of their genetics. We’ve compiled a list of health problems your Pit Pei could inherit, and have made those health conditions that are common in both parent breeds bold.

Skin problems (e.g. skin infections, fungal infections, skin allergies, demodectic mange, atopic dermatitis)
Joint problems (e.g. hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation)
Allergies (e.g. environmental, food)
Hypothyroidism
Bloat
Eye problems (e.g. cataracts, glaucoma, entropion)
IBS
Shar Pei Fever

Where To Find Pitbull Mixed with Shar Pei Puppies

Because a Shar Pei mixed with a Pitbull does not create a purebred dog, and because these two breeds do not combine to create a dog that is healthier or more temperamentally stable than either purebred parent breed, we do not recommend trying to buy Pitbull Shar Pei mix puppies from a breeder.

If you really have your heart set on a Pitbull Shar Pei puppy (or adult!), try visiting a local shelter (which we promise will be full of Pitbull mixes) or checking out a breed-specific rescue. Here are a few resources to help you start your search for a Pit Pei.

Comprehensive Pit Bull rescue list featuring rescues in every state from Pit Bull Rescue Central
Chinese Shar Pei Club of America list of Shar Pei rescues
Petfinder

Pit Pei FAQ

We don’t blame you for having more questions about this mysterious mix! Here are some of the most common questions asked by other dog lovers learning about the Pit Pei.

How long do Shar Pei and Pit mixes live?

Unfortunately, life expectancy for a Pit Pei is not particularly long, especially since many Shar Pei mixes begin to show signs of health issues at a young age. By looking at the average lifespan of both parent breeds (American Pitbull Terriers and Shar Pei) we can guess that most Pit Peis will live around 8–15 years.

What is the average Shar Pei Pitbull mix price?

If you are buying a Shar Pei Pitbull mix puppy from a breeder (which we don’t recommend) you’ll pay between $500—$2,000. While this may not sound like much money in comparison to other designer mixed breeds, it’s important to remember that there is no oversight for the breeding of these dogs, and the people producing them are largely backyard breeders and puppy mills.

Are Shar Pei mix breeds good family dogs?

Sometimes. American Pitbull Terriers are well-known for their love of people and gentle nature with kids, but as with all breeds, they should still be supervised with young children. Shar Pei may tolerate or even be affectionate with children in their immediate family, but are often suspicious and aloof around children they don’t know.

If you have little kids, the Pit Pei may not be the right mix for you, but remember, all dogs are individuals with unique personalities.

No matter what, always supervise your dog with your children.

Do Sharpei Pitbull mixes make good guard dogs?

No. We don’t recommend using any breed as a guard dog, especially if you are not a professional whose work involves working breeds doing official jobs. While Shar Pei may be slightly territorial and protective, they are certainly not guard dogs. American Pitbull Terriers love everyone, and would happily give an attacker a kiss.

What do you call a Shar Pei Bull Terrier mix?

You might think that a Shar Pei Bull Terrier mix would be called a “Bull Pei” but that’s actually the name for a Shar Pei mixed with an English Bulldog. You might also think the name “Sharpull Terrier” could apply to the Shar Pei Bull Terrier mix, but this term describes a Pitbull x Shar Pei.

For now, the official way to describe this hybrid breed is the Shar Pei Bull Terrier mix.

What do you call a Shar Pei Lab Pitbull mix?

A Shar Pei mixed with a Lab is called a Lab Pei, and a Shar Pei mixed with a Pitbull is called a Pit Pei. While there’s no official name yet for a mix of Shar Pei, Labrador Retriever, and American Pitbull Terrier, we figured we might as well create one ourselves. Let’s call this hybrid the Shar Labull Terrier.

What is the difference between a Shar Pei and a Chow Chow?

Both Shar Pei and Chow Chow originate in China, and many assume that these breeds both stem from the same indigenous dogs. Shar Pei today mostly have short fur, while Chow Chows look like little wrinkled teddy bears. Both breeds are considered aloof and independent, but the Shar Pei is more even-tempered than the Chow.

What is the best best Food For My Pit Pei?

What is the best food for your dog?

The three foods that are super healthy and that almost every dog loves, even the pickiest dogs, are:
1. The Farmer’s Dog.

This is a fresh-frozen food that’s delivered to your home in just the right amounts for your dog. There are a number of fresh frozen dog foods available on the market and I tested them all. The Farmer’s Dog came up the winner with my picky dogs. You can see the fresh frozen food test here.

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2. Sundays Food For Dogs

This is an air-dried food. It has the convenience of kibble (just pour it in the bow) but is much much healthier. It’s like little pieces of jerky, so dogs go crazy for it. There are a number of air-dried foods on the market. My dogs tested 3 of them. You can see the results of the air-dried food test here.

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3. We Feed Raw.

This raw food for dogs comes delivered to your home is perfectly sized portions for your pup. They primarily source their ingredients from trusted U.S. farmers, with two exceptions: venison and lamb. These ingredients are sourced from New Zealand, where some of the highest-quality and most ethically raised venison and lamb can be found. Pasture-raised and grass-fed and finished, we highly recommend trying these formulas if you’re interested in the best-quality ingredients. Save 25% on your first order.

Supplements:

I highly recommend using a supplement on your dog’s food, not matter what you feed them, to ensure the meal is balanced and they are getting all the right supplements to help them stay healthy. The supplement I use is called The One from Front of the Pack. It has 12 ingredients that have been clinically-proven to keep your dog’s joints, skin, heart, digestion, and even their breath in tip-top shape. It’s also a powder, so easy to sprinkle on your dog’s food. For a limited time, when you buy one month you get a second month free.