We study the periodic and solitary wave solutions to several short wave model equations arising from a so-called β-family equation for β=1,2,4. These are integrable cases which possess Lax pair and multi-soliton solutions. By phase plane analysis, either the loop or cuspon type solutions are predicted. Then, by introducing a hodograph, or reciprocal, transformation, a coupled system is derived for each β. Applying a travelling wave setting, we are able to find the periodic solutions exactly expressed in terms of Jacobi Elliptic functions. In the limiting cases of modulus k=1, they all converge to the known solitary waves