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The Pekingese is an ancient dog of the Chinese royalty. The Emperors of China made the Pekingese into a lapdog, making them smaller and more flat-faced. However, the origins of the Pekingese dog are ancient! According to the old stories, the very Buddha shrunk a lion down to a dog and made a Pekingese. The bottom line is that these dogs are very old and that they come from China. The Western world first encountered the Pekingese in the 1860s, after British forces entered Peking (Beijing) during the Opium Wars. The Pekingese arrived in the United States from Britain, and the American Kennel Club acknowledged them as a breed in 1906.
Origins: One of the oldest dog breeds in the world; China
AKC: Toy Group
RKC: Toy Group
FCI: Group 9 (Companion and Toy Dogs)
UKC: Companion Dog group
Physical Traits
The Pekingese is a small but well-balanced looking dog. They have a well-recognizable mane, a flat face, and long, straight fur. The Pekingese is an alert-looking dog with an intelligent expression.
Height: 6 to 9 inches (15 to 22 inches)
Weight: up to 14 pounds (up to 6 kg)
Coat: long, straight, mane-like fur around the neck
Color: all colors and markings acceptable except albino and liver coat color
Eyes: dark, round shape
Ears: close to the head, not going below the line of the muzzle;
Tail: set high, slightly curved over the back; a lot of feathering
Nose: not too short; black; v-shaped wrinkle acceptable (as long as it’s not obscuring the eyes)
Skull: brachycephalic; underjaw
Social Traits
The Pekingese dog is aloof with strangers but affectionate with family members, especially the one they bond with the most. These little dogs, similar to many other toy dogs, have big personalities. They will bark at intruders, strangers, or anything they find suspicious.
These dogs get along well with older children who already know how to play with dogs and when to leave a dog alone. That being said, Pekingese dogs don’t have a lot of patience for very small children.
Reserved toward strangers
Affectionate with family members, but not too clingy
Gets along well with older children
Needs socialization to remain friendly toward other dogs
Can be barky
Suitable for families with older children
Suitable for either the city or the country
Activity Needs and Trainability
The Pekingese dog is a low-energy breed. They are small, brachycephalic, and laid-back by nature, so they don’t need a lot of daily activity. Generally speaking, an adult Pekingese dog needs around 40 minutes of daily exercise divided into shorter sessions. This is very important because they can easily overheat.
Pekingese can quickly overheat, which means they need short activity sessions, not longer than 20 minutes.
They might be low energy, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need any mental stimulation. Like any other dog, they too need to explore the world while on a walk, play with their owners, and have fun playtime. Having a dog is not just about taking it out to pee. They need the walk for much more than that.
When it comes to their training, the best thing to do is start early with obedience training. Start as soon as you bring your dog home. It doesn’t matter that they are small and cute; all dogs need proper training.
Starting right away and being consistent is especially important to independent thinkers, and the Pekingese dog is exactly that! However, if you find what motivates your dog (food, toys, walks, playtime, etc.) use it as a reward for training sessions. Also, keep the sessions short.
Trainable, but stubborn (start early with obedience)
Low–energy breed
They need up to 40 minutes of daily activity (divided into shorter parts, not over 20 minutes)
The brachycephalic head-shape can lead to breathing issues and overheating during long physical activities.
Health and Nutrition
An adult Pekingese needs ½ to 1 ¼ of kibble every day. As always, I recommend you divide the amount into two meals – one in the morning and one in the evening. The mentioned amount is a guide, and some dogs need more or less depending on the food type, energy levels, health, age, and so on.
A lot of owners claim their Pekingese dogs are picky-eaters. Try out different brands or flavors, or consult the vet on homemade food such as boiled chicken. Just be careful; once they get used to one type of food, it will be very hard to switch to another .
Responsible breeders will do everything in their power to prevent hereditary diseases in their dogs. Despite that, the more popular the breed is, the more backyard breeders there are who don’t care about the dogs but just about the profits. This means there are a lot of health issues in the breed.
The most common is the breathing issue because of their brachycephalic skull, or their flat-faces. This makes it hard for them to breathe, especially during prolonged exercise, which can lead to overheating and stroke. The risk of overheating is increased on summer days.
Other common issues:
- Eye problems
- Patellar luxation
- Heart issues
- Dental problems
- Skin issues
- Obesity
People can often prevent the last two. Proper and regular grooming often minimizes the risk of skin issues, and a proper diet and regular exercise (suitable for the Pekingese) minimize obesity.
Some issues present in the breed (ask for the health tests if you’re getting a dog from a breeder)
They need from ½ to 1 ¼ cups of kibble a day
They can be picky-eaters
Life expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Grooming
The Pekingese dog has a long double coat. They shed a lot throughout the year, and they need regular brushing to keep their coats healthy and beautiful. Of course, you can give them a short cut or a “puppy cut” and make the coat maintenance easier.
The AKC recommends brushing them at least once a week, but you often need to brush them at least two or three times a week if you want to keep the fur long and healthy. If it’s a short cut, once a week is enough.
You will need a combination of a pin and slicker brush. Also, it is very important to check the fur for any foreign objects, as well as their ears, and to clean the ears and eyes regularly. You can use lukewarm water for the eyes. As for the ears, it is very important to make sure they are dry, especially after giving your dog a bath.
Sheds throughout the year
Use a pin and a slicker brush
Check for foreign objects stuck in fur and/or ears regularly
Long fur needs more maintenance
Final Thoughts
The Pekingese are still popular, but they are not as they used to be a decade or two before. Still, they are popular, which means there are a lot of bad breeders out there, who can’t even be called breeders, because they only think about the profit. This caused the breed to have a lot of hereditary diseases, such as heart issues and very flat faces, which makes them very hard to breathe, especially during exercise. Every brachycephalic dog has some breathing issues, and we should be extra careful during hot summer days. If you want to have a Pekingese dog, you also need to remember that they can be barky, aloof with strangers, and that they don’t get along well with very young children.
Cover photo by Kissu
