The Rott Pei is a cross between the Rottweiler and the Chinese Shar Pei. Both originally working dogs bred for farm work, the Rottweiler and the Shar Pei have common points in personality, such as a general aloofness and a strong instinct to protect the family.
The Shar Pei is believed to be one of the most ancient dog breeds and is considered a relatively rare pure breed today. Three coat types known: horse, brush and the more uncommon bear. In the upheaval of the Chinese Cultural revolution, the bourgeois classes which favored the longer-coated bear type as companions and pets were forced to flee and escape persecution. Most of their dogs, left behind, were considered of no relevance to the socialist principle and were destroyed. Fortunately, the shorter-coated types were used by peasants and farmers in their daily work, and so were spared.
The Rottweiler was an all-around dog on German farms, relied on to herd livestock and pull meat-laden carts to market. The current breed is a mix of Roman mastiff, molosser-type dogs and native German breeds. The Rottweiler has an instinctive and distinct herding style. In larger livestock, it seeks out the dominant animal and challenges it, then bulls the herd, sometimes using its powerful body against stubborn animals. On smaller livestock, such as sheep, it uses its bark to intimidate and direct. The Rottweiler has been known to form bonds with the stocks it herds, showing affection at times as long as its directives are followed.
