Pekingese - Facts, Pictures, Characteristics, Temperament

June 3, 2016

The Pekingese is the most ancient and royal breed which has its origin in China. This breed has enjoyed royalty in Chinese Imperial Court. Since years the Pekingese has been a good lap dog and companion dog.

The Pekingese - Facts, Information and Characteristics

This is also known as Lion dog because they resemble the Chinese guardian lions and they are also known as Chinese Spaniel, Peking Palasthund and Peke. The name of Pekingese is derived from the name of the city Peking (Beijing) in China. This breed has many pleasing characteristics that make it a master breed for cross breeding.

The Pekingese is the best companion dogs for Buddhist monks in China.
They are stubborn and dominative; they may not eat food for his place in the family.
They bark a lot and warn the owners at any strange things.
They tend to get skin infections due to their wrinkles on the face. So they need to clean and tidy.
Due to the short nose and thicker coat they are sensitive to heat.
They are not easy to train; the trainer needs to be kind and innovative to train this breed of dogs.
Proper socialization from very early age is necessary to develop good temperament towards kids, cats and other dogs.
They are not meant for the houses with small children or other pets.
The Pekingese are not hypoallergenic dogs. As they shed a lot allergy sufferers should take care.
The price of the Peke puppy is about $400 to $600 USD on an average.

Appearance

The Pekingese is a compact dog with sturdy and well-built body structure. They have strong, round and short legs with unusual gait. The head of the Pekingese is flat and broad with large eyes and broad muzzle.

This is double coated with soft and thick under coat and outer coat with long, harsh and straight hair. They come in various colours namely black, cream, white, red, gold, sable, tan and grey colours. They also come in combination of the above mentioned colours.

As Pekingese is a small sized dog it measures around 6 to 9 inches (15-23 cm) in height and about 7 to 14 lbs (3.2 to 6.4 kg) in weight. Sometimes the Pekingese is even smaller and the smaller Pekingese are known as “Sleeves” which weighs about 6 lbs (2.7 kg).

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Behaviour

The Pekingese is a little with bold, dignified, independent and loyal behaviour. They respect the owners a lot and they are very affectionate with the family. They are good watch dogs and stay alert all the time and warn the owners at the sight of strangers. They are confident, independent, lively, obedient and sometimes stubborn as well.

They are excellent lap dogs and companion dogs to live with. They do not cope up with other dogs and pets if they are not properly trained. They need attention towards them or else they become jealous which leads to many problems.

Health Issues

There are quite a good number of health problems recognised in the Peke Breed. They are vulnerable to many health problems most of them are neurological and cardiac diseases, eye problems like cataracts, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Dry eye and retinal diseases, breathing problems and the main issue the Peke are prone with is trauma.

They are also prone to certain problems like loose knee, disk problems, back pains and some skin allergies. The Peke needs a good observation by vet and this needs a proper attention towards the health problems.

Pekingese Diet

The Pekes gain weight very easily so a proper diet plan and strict diet should be followed. About a cup of feed divided into two meals would be sufficient for the Peke. The feed should be of good quality, low fat and healthy type. The feed may vary based on the age, size and activity of the pet.

Habitat

The Pekes are more apartment dogs as sometimes they show couch potato behaviour. Though they are active Pekes can adapt well to the apartment living. They can fit for city life and country life as well because of their adapting nature.

The run and play in the yards if present or in the place they are provided with. They cannot tolerate hot weather and like to be always cool in cold weather.

Life Style

The Pekes need to have sufficient exercise as they gain weight easily. Daily walks are mandatory but they may not walk long distances. The pets that play a lot do not require extra physical exercise but that lay back need physical exercise.

Though they are noble the Pekes are aggressive sometimes that may lead them to fights. So the pets have to be kept or left only in secured and fenced areas.

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Predators

This is a small sized or tiny dog which is very vulnerable to attacks by bigger animals. They are not supposed to be unleashed on daily walks or in unfenced areas. Large dogs, bigger animals and dog thieves may attack them if they are left alone.

Life Cycle

The Pekingese typically has a litter size of 2 to 4 puppies. It is a difficult process for Pekes to give birth to the puppies. Therefore, a vet's observation is essential during the whelping process.

Life Span

Due to health issues, the Pekingese has a shorter lifespan, but on average, they live about 11 to 15 years. The Pekes need proper attention and care towards its health and environment.

Images, Pics, Photos and Pictures of Pekingese :

Breeding

The Pekes can be taken for breeding only after attaining maturity and proper age; that can be from 1 to 2 years. Make sure the pet’s health condition is in good state before breeding; professional breeding would be advisable. The Pekingese is one of the breed that is used for cross breeding.

Grooming

They require regular grooming and professional grooming will be advisable. Brush the long straight hair daily so as to remove the loose and dead hair from the coat. Occasional bathe is sufficient or bathe the dog when they become dirty or untidy. Clip the hair or trim the hair if necessary particularly on the back.

Trim the nails; brush the teeth regularly and clean the eyes and ears without fail as they may lead to infections. They need to be kept cool all the time as they are prone to heat stroke.

Shedding

The Pekingese are heavy shedders and sheds a lot of hair. Regular grooming may help to some extent for controlling the shedding process but it is sure that they shed heavily.