The Pekingese Community

The Pekingese is one of the oldest and most historically remarkable of all dog breeds in the world, an imperial Chinese companion with a documented history spanning at least two thousand years, bred and maintained exclusively within the imperial court of China for many centuries with an exclusivity so extreme that theft or unauthorised ownership of a Pekingese was punishable by death. The breed came to the Western world abruptly and dramatically in 1860, when British forces looted the Summer Palace in Beijing during the Second Opium War and soldiers discovered several small lion dogs in the apartments of the Emperor's aunt, who had killed herself rather than allow them to fall into foreign hands. The dogs were brought to Britain and one was presented to Queen Victoria, who named it Looty. Formal importation and breeding from further specimens followed, and the Pekingese was registered by the Kennel Club in the Toy Group. The Pekingese is a small, low-set and heavily built dog of unmistakable appearance. The face is extremely flat - more so in some individuals than others, and this is a welfare distinction of enormous importance. The coat is profuse, long, double-layered and flowing, creating a lion-like mane around the head and shoulders. The rolling, slightly side-to-side gait is characteristic and deliberate. Adults typically stand 15 to 23 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh up to 5 kilograms. The character is dignified, proud, independent and deeply devoted to its own people on its own terms - a character forged by a history of imperial pampering and the very human tendency to project human dignity onto an object of reverence. The Pekingese is not a dog that seeks approval or performs for validation. It is affectionate and loyal with those it has chosen but reserves judgment with strangers and will not be hurried or compelled. This is emphatically not a breed for owners who equate a dog's value with its compliance. The brachycephalic health concern is the defining welfare issue for the breed. The extremely flat face of some Pekingese produces Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome, impeding normal breathing and causing chronic discomfort and exercise intolerance. Responsible breeders work toward more moderate facial structure and BOAS grading of both parents is essential before purchase. Eye proptosis - where the eye is forced out of the socket by minor pressure - is a risk in flat-faced breeds. The profuse coat requires serious grooming commitment and the wrinkles require daily cleaning. Purchase prices from KC-registered, health-assessed breeders range from £1,000 to £2,500. Monthly running costs average £70 to £120. The Pekingese Club is the primary resource for breed information, health testing requirements, responsible breeders and rescue contact.