Dog Breeds > Pekingese
The Pekingese
The Pekingese is a cute little dog that likes human companionship. Not only that, this breed is an intelligent dog that can be taught tricks to delight you and your family’s day.
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Fascinating Facts
The Pekingese is another small type of dog that belongs to the toy breed. The Pekingese originated from China and was named after the city of Peking. During the ancient times, only the royal family is allowed to have the Pekingese as pet. This breed was even considered as semi-deity. The commoners are made to bow before the Pekingese whenever it appears.
Whenever an Emperor dies, the Pekingese are sacrificed in order to provide protection for the soul of the Emperor. However, when the British army conquered the Imperial Palace, the Chinese sacrificed all of the Pekingese because they believe that doing this would protect them from falling into “foreign devils”. Only five dogs were saved from being killed and subsequently brought to England as present to Queen Victoria. These dogs were the ancestors of the modern day Pekingese.
Physical Appearance
The fully-grown Pekingese stands 6 – 9 inches and weighs 8 – 10 pounds respectively. The round head is proportional the size of the body, with flat face and with short black skinned muzzle and broad jaw. The short nose is black and broad. The eyes are round and large and were set apart from each other. The heart-shaped ears lay flat on the head.
The legs are short, strong and heavy boned. The outer coat of the Pekingese is long, coarse and thick while the undercoat is thick and soft. The color of the coat ranges from black, white and gray and every possible coat color.
Grooming
It is important that you brush or comb the coat of the Pekingese daily. The females shed so much hair especially during mating season. Check the hair on hind legs to avoid tangling. Check the ears and the body for ticks and burrs.
Mood
The Pekingese is an independent, sensitive and brave pet. They are also affectionate, kind and loyal to their masters. They are wonderful companions and pets. This breed can be a little distant over strangers. This trait makes the Pekingese a good guard dog.
The Pekingese is also prone to Small Dog Syndrome wherein they think that they are the leader or owner of the house. This behavior problem could make them unpredictable, bark obsessively, overprotect furniture and even bite strangers or even their own masters.
With Children
The Pekingese is an active and affectionate dog. They love children and the Pekingese could play around them for long stretches of hours without getting tired.
Training & Exercise
Most owners/trainers/handlers believe that letting the Pekingese play for hours could use up its excess energy. However, walking is a very essential part of growth for the Pekingese. Under-exercised dog would exhibit negative behavior and attitude.
Training a Pekingese is easy as long as you employ gentle and calm commands. Food reward training is one of the best way to encourage them.
Health & Life Expectancy
Pekingese can live up to 15 years. However, it is important that you consult a veterinarian regularly because the leading death of this dog breed, which is congestive heart failure, can be prevented if detected early on. Like other dog breeds with flattened faces, this dog can have breathing problems. They may also have difficulty in maintaining their body temperature; hence they are prone to catching colds.
A Pekingese is a nice companion. Just make sure that you don’t have stairs at home because this breed may have difficulty climbing the stairs because of its small limbs. They would be perfectly fine even if you don’t have a yard.
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