"They are like potato chips," I was warned one day back in 1979. That was when I saw my first "wrinkly" dog. Fascinated by their very unique physical characteristics and affable nature and charm. I just couldn't resist..and from then on my life was interminably altered.

There were still very few Shar-Pei in the US at that time..My first dog, a black horsecoat female, came from Bertie Martn of Ti Seng Kennels..Her parents were imports and she ...Chin Pao Shih...was registration number CSPCA 955..

The next dog, a male, was Tunz's Termeric Pie, was an adorable fawn brushcoat..with a huge mug and tiny ears. He had .the sweetest personality of any male dog I had ever known until then..He came from one of the foundation Shar-Pei breeders Susan Tunzi, who eventually was interim Registrar of the CSPCA after Bill Morrison retired.. These two dogs began my original foundation line and continued for some years..producing many Champions..One of which was my Magic Ridges Rocky Road Jewel.

It was in 1986 that I attended my first CSPCA Nationals in Oakland, California..I brought with me one Pei..and that was RockyRoad..aka "Fudge" as he was known at home..With over 850 entries that year..I was absolutely stunned when he took Reserve Winners Dog that year. He was also the first chocolate to take a major win at a Nationals at that point..He was definately one of my VIP's ( very important pups!) As a result of this show, I was hooked on showing from then on.. However I did obedience train and compete with one is his grandsons..a flowered male named Jewel's Rascals Mak'n Mischif..who was a great ambassor of the breed.

Because Shar-Pei were still so rare..IN the early days I was able to get some attention in several local newspapers, like the Sacramento Bee, and even had the front cover of Dog Fancy Magazine March of '83 with a very wrinkled black pup A couple years later..TFH Publications produced their very first Shar-Pei book with two cream pups featured on the front cover..Those pups were from my first breeding of Chin and Pie..One of these pups was named Jewel's Golden Chelsea, she lived well past 10 years of age. I still see her in some of the older pedigrees even today...These photos ( and many more ) were taken by world famous animal photographer Robert Pearcy. who as luck would have it shared the same town as myself.

From then until now..good things and bad things have occurred as would to be expected in life itself..Pie died suddenly at four and a half years of age..He was buried in a pet cemetary in Sacramento, California..Little did we know that his short life was a forecast of things to come..Although it was not known then, along with this breed from China came an insidious health disaster which today is identified as Amyloidosis. or simply "A" as many breeders refer to it. Without too much detailed explanation here, this is an almost always fatal genetic condition which can and does kill and severely debilitate more Shar-Pei than I would like to believe. It is genetically passed from one generation to the next and is insipidious in nature..often not showing any signs until most dogs are old enough to have been bred and inadvertantly pass on this tragedy once again..So far, there is no known cure and very little therapy to offer, but hopefully, with present medical research..DNA markers might be able to identify carriers before they have a chance to pass this on to another generation..I have learned to be very suspecious of any adult Shar-Pei who do not live passed the young age of 4 or 5 years.

As far as the good things, being involved in this breed has reaped the benefits of developing friendships worldwide. I have seen people grow old, children grow up, partners marry, raise families and even sometimes divorce, .become rich or poor and, sadly, die unexpectedly..I cry with their tragedies and thrill with their trirumphs. For this breed to me is more than just that..it is a lifestyle, it binds many people of many levels and backgrounds with a common bond. And along with all of that comes experiences and travels never expected.

Recently, after being unmarried for nearly 10 years..I have finally found a partner in which to share my life, love and my dogs...we met when I approached him about doing a web page for me.

I have three wonderful "human" children who are adults now and on to their own lives and families.. I also have many fond memories of my Pei kids..each and every one of them hold a special place in my heart..

I hope you have enjoyed this brief insight to my life and loves..