The Shar-Pei was originally used for hunting and fighting, so it tends to have a strong spirit and benefits from daily walks and movement. With suitable training, it can also learn to respond well to human commands.
Many people prepare treats before starting to train a Shar-Pei. Most of the time the dog will respond well, but sometimes it may seem completely uninterested in the snacks and may not pay attention to the owner at all. This is not as strange as it seems. Often it simply means the dog has never tried those treats before and does not yet know their value. In that situation, the owner may need to use other methods to keep training moving smoothly.
The Shar-Pei may simply not have tasted the treats before
Some dogs do not truly dislike tasty food. They are just not interested at first because the treat has not yet become meaningful. A dog that has never experienced a particular treat may not immediately recognize it as a reward. In such a case, the owner can experiment with different foods to discover what the dog prefers. Some people even use safe human foods as bait, placing the food near their own mouth first so that the dog becomes curious by watching the owner. Seeing the owner apparently enjoying the food may help the dog become interested.
Even when using human foods, they must still be safe for dogs. For example, plain dried chicken breast that both humans and dogs can eat is often a good option. Owners also need to remember not to over reward. Rewards are meant to reinforce good performance during training. If the dog gets them too freely, they quickly lose value.
Some Shar-Pei dogs enjoy physical contact
Even if a dog has little interest in food, food is not the only possible reward. The first task for the owner is to identify what the dog truly values. Some dogs enjoy being touched. Some enjoy visual stimulation. Some respond strongly to praise and attention. Most dogs have at least two or three things they especially like, and with careful observation an owner can usually discover those preferences.
If a dog enjoys play, then favorite toys can be used to support training. Of course, the owner should limit how long the play session lasts. If play goes on too long, the dog may lose interest in the toy. A better strategy is to stop the game while the dog is still enthusiastic, leaving a sense of wanting more. That makes the dog more willing to cooperate in future training.
Rewarding the Shar-Pei is extremely important
If the dog mainly cooperates in order to gain the owners attention, the situation is a bit more complex. In that case, the owner needs to give a clear signal that training has begun and that extra attention will be earned only if the dog meets the specific requirement. You can call the dog in an upbeat voice, lightly tap a toy or the ground to attract attention, and then guide the dog into the desired action. When the dog succeeds, reward it in the same consistent way. Once the dog receives this clear and predictable signal pattern, the whole training process begins to feel like a special period of extra connection with the owner, which makes cooperation more likely.
If even this approach does not help, the owner should consider consulting an experienced behavior specialist or professional trainer to see whether a psychological issue is affecting the dogs behavior. In some cases a veterinary examination may also be needed to rule out health problems.
What owners must understand is that reward is extremely important in Shar-Pei training. If you choose a reward the dog does not care about, training results will naturally be weak. But if a Shar-Pei is not interested in treats, that does not mean it cannot be trained. It only means you need to understand the dogs true interests and choose a more suitable form of reinforcement.