Ben and John
I very much like the character of the breed, their individuality, the stubborn edge, the way they think their way round something so they achieve what they want, their unswerving loyalty (but only after you have earned it) and that they take their guarding duties seriously. They are simply a wonderful breed of dog.
About a month passed when an e-mail arrived giving me details of a dog that had been put up for adoption. Two weeks later I was on the motorway to see if the dog and I liked each other. I was prepared to walk away if there was not a match for any reason as that would have been disastrous for the dog as well as for me. I think he adopted me rather than the other way round, tail wagging, excitement, licks etc. He was in good physical condition but could not wait to get in the car to start his / our new life together.
In the early days of our relationship, Ben tested the boundaries a few times which was expected. Today Ben forms part of the office team and attends most days with me, he says hello to every one as they arrive and visits them on occasions during the day just to check on progress. He also goes on business trips around the Country, in the cars or on the train and is happy to be with me / us with what we do.
Ben is very different to Bon Bon in many ways but both have the unique Shar Pei characteristics that set them apart from all other dogs and contribute so much to the quality of our lives.