The Pekingese is a breed of Royal history in China; if you owned one of these outside the kingdom, the punishment was death. It is no wonder this breed is dignified and full of importance.
Pekingese are brave, independent and loving dogs. You may have found your perfect breed if you are looking for a devoted companion dog for your family or your household.
They require little exercise and would make a great flat/apartment dog. They will still enjoy a short daily walk, especially if they have no garden to run around. They are pretty playful dogs, so they should adapt well to apartment/flat living as long as they get plenty of playtimes.
A bored dog will usually become a naughty dog, whether it be nuisance barking, chewing or digging. Try to ensure they are occupied with jobs, playtime or plenty of exercise to keep them out of trouble.
They love being with you and older kids. This is not a breed for young children; they will take no nonsense and will bite anybody messing about with them. They are relatively playful, so children who are experienced with dogs might enjoy them. This is more of an adult dog and a companion for you. There are much better breeds to choose from if you want a child-friendly one.
They are excellent watchdogs and take the role very seriously, you will always know about incoming dangers and just about anything going on outside. They will want to protect their families and don’t care how small they are. This means they are very un-trusting of strangers and will be wary, and you need to make sure you socialize with them when they are young to combat this behaviour. This can mean they are barky dogs. Good training for them to be quiet on command is an excellent idea.
They prefer the company of other Pekingese cats you will need to test out. They may be accepting of them. It just might take a while. Strange dogs may not be accepted and typically try to rule over much bigger breeds.
They are intelligent dogs but stubborn and independent. They should be fairly easy to train and work with, and consistency is the key. Try to keep training both exciting and fun and avoid being harsh with them; they won’t stand for it. Identifying their motivation reward early will get you the best results, and it’s normally food.
Their coats are high maintenance, requiring at least weekly brushing. They are quite heavy shedders, especially in Spring and Autumn. You may want to take them to a professional groomer to have them clipped. You could, of course, learn to do it yourself.
They are known for snuffling and lots of snoring!
Pekingese Stats
When the British entered Peking for the first time, they found Empress Tzu’Hai, dead on the floor of her palace, in the Forbidden City, and with five Pekingese dogs guarding her body. The Empress had committed suicide because troops were invading China from the West. Some of her servants and eunuchs had also killed themselves, while others had fled to the hills, taking with them the sacred little Pekingese dogs that had never been seen before outside the walls of the Forbidden City. During the centuries when the eunuchs had bred the Pekingese for the Emperors, the breed remained cloistered in the Forbidden City at the Summer Palace. The penalty for anyone found with a dog outside these places was death.
- Weight -4kg –8kg
- Size – 20cm – 28cm
- They live for 13-16years