中国沙皮狗分为两种型态：传统中国沙皮犬（骨嘴）、混血型沙皮狗（肉嘴）。传统中国沙皮犬在1920年代的广东被人用作斗狗，1949年后，传至澳门，其后再引入香港。1960年代因斗狗活动需求，混入拳师犬、斗牛犬、斗牛獒、斗牛㹴，变成为肉嘴型态，1970年代，以中国斗狗名称传至美国。肉嘴型态的沙皮狗多年来被人们误解为正宗中国沙皮狗。两种沙皮狗的型态区别为：传统中国沙皮犬——身型轻巧，灵活，嘴部坚实，没有多余皮肉；肉嘴型——皱皮布满头部，嘴部皮肉厚重，形似河马，体型肥厚。

肉嘴沙皮狗是一种宠物狗，最大特点是皮有深深的褶皱。其名字“沙皮”不是因为其颜色，而是主要特点。当它们还小的时候，褶皱确实很多，可是长大后就消失了，似乎是身体“长到皮里去了”。这种狗直到1991年才列入美国犬业俱乐部。

The Shar Pei, or Chinese Shar-Pei, is a breed of dog known for its distinctive features of deep wrinkles and a blue-black tongue. The breed comes from China. The name (沙皮, pinyin: shā pí; English name probably derived from British spelling of the Cantonese equivalent, sā pèih) translates to "sand skin" and refers to the texture of its short, rough coat. As puppies, Shar Pei have numerous wrinkles, but as they mature, these wrinkles loosen and spread out as they "grow into their skin". Shar Pei were named in 1978 as one of the world's rarest dog breeds by TIME magazine and the Guinness World Records. It is one of the ancient dog breeds, but the American Kennel Club did not recognize the breed until 1992.