Shar Pei in Roman soldier’s arena uniform. The Shar Pei breed comes from China where it was well-known as a fighting and guard dog. More specifically, its primary use was to guard the Chinese royal family. When Mao took over, he destroyed everything that had to do with the royal family, including the Shar Pei. Close to extinction for many years, the Shar Pei has begun to thrive in many parts of the world as an excellent family dog.