MyDogBreeds
This is an ancient dog breed that originated in China. Known also as Lion Dogs, they are toy dogs that have always been a popular choice for Chinese royals.
DNA analysis tells us that these dogs are one of the oldest dog breeds there are and over the years, the dog has barely changed in looks.
The dogs found their way out of China, and as they started spreading to the USA and the UK, Pekingese clubs started emerging. A pekingese dog was registered by the American Kennel Club in 1906, and the Pekingese Club of America was formed in 1909.
The Pekingese is a dog which stands at between 30 – 45 cm and weighs anything from 3 to 7kg.
His double coat can be fawn, cream, apricot, grey, or black or even a mix of some of these colors.
The Pekingese is known for its flat- or squashed face and his large, bulging type of eyes. His body is low to the ground and is somewhat longer than what it is tall. He has long, silky, feathery ears and his tail is plumed and essentially held over his back. The face usually has a black mask.
The Pekingese is a stubborn, independent, intelligent dog, but with his human family he is loving and loyal. People often look at the Pekingese and think that it is a delicate dog that just wants to sit on your lap and be cuddled. But this isn’t the case and the Pekingese is a dignified, robust, bold, confident dog. He is essentially an indoors dog though and will be content for a while to lie close to his human companion. He is calm and quiet indoors but is also game for some activity, being quite a playful dog.
The Pekingese is the kind of dog that will slot easily into city or country living. He gets on well with children but if he could choose, he would prefer to live with calm, consistent adults, as he doesn’t gel too well with raucous, undisciplined children.
He is a wilful dog and will require being trained and socialized to make him obedient and more amicable.
Sometimes when his hair has grown long and he has a ribbon in it he may be looked upon as shallow, pathetic and nothing but lapdog. In reality his heart is brave, tough, dignified and confident.
All the Pekingese wants is to be a normal and loving pet for the right kind of person who appreciates all his strong characteristics.
He is capable of being quite lively and protective of his human family. Give him love and treat him kindly and firmly and you’ll find out why he is such a popular dog breed.
The Pekingese can live to be between 10 – 15 years of age. One of the main medical problems with this dog is his squashed face which can be a source of breathing problems for him.
The large, bulging eyes can also cause quite a few problems such as glaucoma, cataracts and eye ulcers. With Entropion the eyelid of the eye rolls inward and irritates the eyeball.
Your Pekingese shouldn’t be left outside as with his breathing problems, he isn’t good with regulating body temperature and can overheat in hot weather.
Nothing is set in stone when it comes to the diet of your Pekingese or any other dog for that matter. How much a dog eats will depend on his breed, his age, his size and his activity levels.
Every dog is an individual and your Pekingese is too. Good food however dictates a lot on how healthy your pet will be so it will be to his benefit to give him the best quality commercially manufactured food there is.
He loves a bit of variety too so if you chop up some boiled chicken, brown rice and some wholesome vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potato and add this to his kibble occasionally he will be delighted. He doesn’t want anything unusual or spicy because he can’t bear to have an upset stomach.
He must never be without a continuous supply of fresh, cool water.
The Pekingese doesn’t have serious exercise needs, and a little bit of running and exerting himself can have him snorting and grunting. A slowish walk outside will satisfy his exercise needs.
The coat of the Pekingese is long and thick and if you choose to keep it that way it will require brushing at least twice a week. Some people prefer to have the dog’s hair cut professionally as then it is easier to manage.