General Appearance
The Miniature Shar-Pei shall be short, broad, almost square in proportion of body length to height. The most notable characteristic is the abundant, tight wrinkling about the head and body.

Size
Height will not exceed 17 inches at the withers excluding the wrinkles. Over 17 inches in height is a disqualification.

Head
The head should be slightly large in proportion to the body. Eyes should be dark, clear, and almond shaped being neither sunken nor protruding. In dilute dogs, the eye color may be slightly lighter. Eye tacks will not be allowed in the ring. Ears should be small, triangular, thick, lying close to the head and preferably curled back at the edge. They should set wide apart and forward on the skull and angle toward the eye. They may show a slight degree of mobility. Prick ears are a disqualification. The skull should be flat and broad with a moderate stop, with the plane of the forehead and top of the muzzle parallel. The muzzle should have adequate bone with enough padding to give a square appearance to the head with no hint of snipiness. The flews should be slightly flared. The nose is large and wide and may be darkly pigmented or conform to the general coat color of the dog. On lighter colored dogs, a brick nose is acceptable. Tongue and inside of the mouth is preferably bluish-black. The tongue may lighten somewhat due to heat stress. Teeth - a scissor bite is preferred. Deviation is a fault.

Neck, Topline and Body
The neck is of medium length, muscular, set well into the shoulders with abundant dewlap. Topline dips slightly behind the withers and rises somewhat over the loin. The chest is broad, deep, with the brisket extending to the elbow, rising somewhat under the loin. The Croup curves slightly downward to the high set tail.

Tail
The tail is thick at the base tapering to a point and should curl. Tail carriage should be up and over the back. The absence of a complete tail is a disqualifying fault.

Forequarters
The shoulders are muscular, sloping and well laid back. Forelegs when viewed from the front should be straight, moderately spaced with elbows close to the body. Viewed
from the side, the forelegs are straight with adequate bone, the pasterns strong and flexible. The feet are proportionate to size. Removal of front dewclaws is preferred.

Hindquarters
Thighs are muscular, full and well defined with moderate angulation. The well let down hocks are short and perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. Rear dewclaws must be removed.

Coat
The acceptable coat length may be short horse coat up to a brush length not to exceed 1 inch at the back of the neck. Texture may range from moderately harsh to soft without being wavy or excessively thick.

Color
Only solid colors are acceptable. A solid color dog may have darker shading down the back and on the ears or darker hairs throughout the coat as in the sable. Not a solid color is a disqualifying fault.

Gait
The gait is balanced and free flowing. Both front and rear legs should tend to converge on a center line with strong forward reach and rear drive.

Temperament
The Miniature Shar-Pei should be alert, confident, playful, adaptable, affectionate, easily trained and inherently clean and quiet.

Major Faults
Deviation from a scissor bite.

Disqualifying Faults
1. Pricked ears.
2. Over 17 “ in height at the withers excluding the wrinkles.
3. Solid pink tongue.
4. Absence of a complete tail.
5. Not a solid color, i.e., Albino, Brindle, Parti-Colored (patches), Spotted (including spots, ticking or roaning), or Tan-Pointed or Black & Tan or Saddle Pattern.
6. A wavy or trimmed coat or one in excess of 1 inch at the withers.