Pekingese breed guide

A hallmark of the breed is a friendly, outgoing, loving personality. Pekingese are affectionate and intelligent and bond very strongly with their people. AKC says their whole purpose in life is to amuse and comfort.

As dogs that lived for centuries in palaces, Pekingese may be as serenely independent as the emperors who owned them.

Pekingese live 12 to 14 years. As with all short-faced breeds it is important to choose one with wide-open nostrils on a moderate-sized nose and because there is no long muzzle to guard the eyes, the environment must be safe, with nothing that can jab or irritate them.

Pekingese appreciate cold temperatures and some owners travel with them on frozen ice packs or an ice pillow, even on car rides.

The thick double coat needs a good bit of maintenance. Pekingese shed seasonally and brushing at least one hour a week removes loose hair and prevents matting, with mats or tangles gently worked out with a slicker brush or metal comb.

Modest exercise requirements suit the Pekingese: it is fairly sedate most of the time but enjoys canine sports at its own pace.

A Chinese legend says the Buddha created the Pekingese by shrinking a lion to dog size. AKC says the origin myth holds a grain of probable truth, since the Pekingese was likely bred down to toy size from a larger dog by the Chinese emperors and their courtiers.

For many centuries Chinese nobles were preoccupied with breeding flat-faced lapdogs and the Pekingese, Pug and Shih Tzu are surviving samples of their handiwork.