Pekingese

The Pekingese gets his name from the ancient city of Peking, now called Beijing. Chinese legend has it that the breed is the offspring of a lion and a monkey. Because of their thick undercoats, Pekes need at least an hourly brushing session per week.

Pekingese breed facts

The Pekingese was held sacred in China in ancient times, the land of its origin.

Information you should know before owning a Pekingese

The Pekingese is a dignified little dog who can sometimes be stubborn.

The Pekingese has long, straight, thick profuse coats which requires regular brushing to prevent knots and mats from forming.

The Pekingese is a good dog for a small city apartment, but will be just as happy in a rural setting.

The legend of the lion that fell in love with a marmoset is at the foundation of Pekingese lore. In order for him to be wedded to his lady-love, the lion begged the patron saint of the animals, Ah Chu, to reduce him to the size of a pigmy, but to let him retain his great lion heart and character. The offspring of this union are said to be the dog of Fu Lin, or the Lion Dog of China.

The earliest known record of the Lion Dog is traceable to the Tang Dynasty of the 8th century. Breeding of these little dogs, now called Pekingese, reached a zenith during the Tao Kuang period (1821-1851). However, the oldest strains were kept amazingly pure. Imperial Dog Books, illustrated with pictures of the most admired dogs, were used as the standards. Though records of pedigrees were not kept, breeding was the subject of much thought and many elaborate theories. Prenatal impression was the method most in vogue: mothers were taken several times daily to see pictures and sculpture of the most beautiful dogs. The desired colors for their coats were hung in their sleeping quarters, where they slept on sheepskins to suggest a profuse coat. The characteristics we seek to retain and perfect today were in evidence in these earliest dogs.

The Dowager Empress is in large part responsible for the appearance of the Pekingese in the United States by giving many of the little dogs as gifts to influential Americans. At one time Americans could probably claim the largest population of authentic palace dogs. The AKC first registered the Pekingese in 1906. This dog has but one purpose in life, to give understanding companionship and loyalty to his owners.

Is this a vulnerable breed? Yes, No	No
What size is this dog? Small, Medium, Large	Small
How much excercise is required? 30 mins a day, 1 hour a day, Over 2 hours a day	30 mins a day
How long is this dog's coat? Short, Medium, Long	Long
How much grooming is required? Once a week, More than once a week, Every day	Every day
Does this dog shed? Does shed, Does not shed	Does shed
What area is this dog best suited to? Town, Country, Either	Either
What size house is required for this breed? Flat/Apartment, Small House, Large House	Flat
What size of garden is required? Small Garden, Large Garden, No Garden	No garden

	General Appearance Small, well balanced, thick-set dog of dignity and quality.
	Characteristics Leonine in appearance with alert and intelligent expression.
	Temperament Fearless, loyal, aloof but not timid or aggressive.
	Eyes Large, clear, round, dark and lustrous.
	Mouth Level lips, must not show teeth or tongue. Firm under-jaw essential.
	Neck Very short and thick.
	Forequarters Short, thick, heavily boned forelegs; bones of forelegs slightly bowed, firm at shoulder. Soundness essential.
	Body Short, broad chest and good spring of ribs, well slung between forelegs with distinct waist, level back.
	Hindquarters Hindlegs lighter than forelegs but firm and well shaped. Close behind but not cow-hocked. Soundness essential.
	Feet Large and flat, not round. Standing well up on feet, not on pasterns. Front feet slightly turned out.
	Tail Set high, carried tightly, slightly curved over back to either side. Long feathering.
	Gait / Movement Small, well balanced, thick-set dog of dignity and quality.
	Coat Long, straight with profuse mane extending beyond shoulders forming a cape round neck; top coat coarse with thick undercoat. Profuse feathering on ears, back of legs, tail and toes.
	Colour All colours and markings are permissible and of equal merit, except albino or liver. Parti-colours evenly broken.
	Size Ideal weight not exceeding 5 kgs (11 lbs) for dogs and 5.4 kgs (12 lbs) for bitches. Dogs should look small but be surprisingly heavy when picked up; heavy bone and a sturdy well-built body are essentials of the breed.