Rare Shar Pei-Basset Hound Mix Has The Best Wrinkly Face You Can't Help But Love
Of all the mind-blowing crossbreed dogs out there, can you picture what a shar-pei and basset hound mix might look like? If you're drawing a blank, don't fret, because this fascinating mix exists in a viral TikTok video you can watch right now. His name's Mace, and nearly 3,000 people have already shared his wonderfully lovable face with their friends.
@wrinkle.dog.mace Just out here making humans happy 🐾❤️ #dogsoftiktok #bashar #cutest #wrinkledogmace
His dog mom calls him "wrinkle dog," and it's perfectly fitting. In the short clip, a caramel-colored Mace wags his thick tail as his mom, off camera, swoons, "How are you even real? Look at that face!" That wrinkly shar-pei-like mug of his is quite unique, and especially large for his tiny little body that seems to come from his basset hound side. It's hard not to smile after seeing this cutie, and it's no wonder the creator captioned the video, "Just out here making humans happy." We're definitely happy! As one viewer shared, Mace is "a new star in the making."
Why are mixed breeds like Mace so fascinating?
Mace the wrinkle dog is definitely one of a kind. Perhaps it's because he's a member of the ever-cute community of adorably rare mixes, like borgis (corgi-border collie), that keep us guessing. Unlike purebred dogs, crossbreeds and mixed-breed dog personalities and physical traits aren't as predictable. Purebred dogs, on the other hand, follow a breed standard, or a description of how the breed is expected to look and act.
Typically, potential owners can tell if a dog is purebred if their parents are registered with a directory like the American Kennel Club, which means you can even track their ancestry. So, are there benefits to having mixed-breed pups? Well, though it was once believed that mixed-breed dogs are generally healthier than purebreds, a 2023 study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science found that the overall amount of health condition diagnoses in purebred and mixed-breed dogs is actually more equal than not.
So, the benefit might actually be more in the surprise of how your pup will turn out. For example, another shar-pei and basset hound mix might not look or act just like Mace, and for many, that's the exciting part! If you're looking to add a rare pup like adorable Mace to your family, consider getting a mixed breed dog from a shelter, and you just might meet your match.