Tonkey, the bear-like-puppy, is a four-month-old female Shar Pei from Edmonton, Canada. The pooch's owners, Christine Park, 26, and David Ngu, 30, have nicknamed her Tonkey Bear, as she looks remarkably like a teddy bear.
They said: "We chose a name that would match her silly personality! Her name gets most people thinking she's a boy, but she's just a spunky girl with a spunky name to match."
Tonkey has been melting hearts on the internet and is known for her cuddly nature. Christine said: "She's a funny character. Her tail wags at lightning speed- even when she's in trouble; those eyes could melt the coldest of hearts! I don't know how we were able to get her through her basic training, but she's turned out to be a good listener, and a smart girl. She can be stubborn and feisty, although I can't tell if it's just because she's a puppy."
Shar Peis aren't known as particularly easy dogs to train
Christine said: "It was a challenge for us, figuring out how to train one. Although easy to housebreak, Tonkey, like most Shar Peis, have a tendency to be hard-headed and independent. We're fortunate to have a house without carpet too; we keep a towel close by due to the mass water drippage after each visit to the water bowl."
Tonkey can be found on instagram (@bear_tonkey)
The breed comes from China. The name 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".
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