Cuddly Pekingese Pup's

To learn of the Pekingese, you must first know of the legend of the lion and the marmoset. According to folklore, in order for the lion to wed his lady-love, he begged the patron saint of the animals, Ah Chu, to reduce him to the size of a pigmy, while still retaining his great lion heart and character. It is then said that the offspring of this union was the dog of Fu Lin, or the Lion Dog of China.

Traceable back to the Tang Dynasty of the 8th century, the Lion Dog, now referred to as the Pekingese, were bred by palace eunuchs and treated like royal members of the family – even having palace servants tend to their every need – until 1000 A.D. (The smaller Pekingese were known as sleeve dogs, as they could be taken around in the large sleeves of their Chinese owners.)

Pekingese breeding continued during the Tao Kuang period (1821-1851), after which British looters plundered the imperial summer palace in 1860, bringing with them five royal Lion Dogs to England.

One of these dogs was gifted to Queen Victoria, thereby increasing the demand for the breed and insuring its place in British society. For several decades, ownership of the breed was a sign of privilege and wealth. 

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About the Pekingese according to AKC Standards( ours are CKC)

Pekingese are compact, stocky toy dogs weighing up to 14 pounds. The coat is longest at the neck and shoulders, giving Pekes their famous “lion’s mane.” Coats come in various reds, from a golden-red to darker shades. The large, short-muzzled head is a wider-than-long “envelope shaped” rectangle, and the eyes are large, dark, and sparkly. A unique feature of Pekes is their effortless “rolling” gait.

Pekes are charming, confident companions who develop a tight bond with their favorite human. Bred to live in palaces, they can be as serenely independent as the emperors who owned them. (They’re “opinionated,” Peke people say.) Ever alert, they make good watchdogs. Pekes will tolerate kids but won’t stand for a lot of roughhousing.
Pekes' main problems are eye issues and breathing problems, resulting from its tiny skull and flattened face, and skin allergies (and hotspots). An especially common problem is eye ulcers, which may develop spontaneously. Pekes should never be kept outside as their flattened faces and noses can develop breathing problems, which makes it difficult for them to regulate their body temperature in overly hot or cold weather. Their long backs, relative to their legs, make them vulnerable to back injuries. Care should be taken, when picking them up, to give Pekes adequate back support: one hand under the chest, the other under the abdomen. Short legs give some Pekes difficulty with stairs; older dogs may not be able to go up or down stairs easily.

Official Standard of the Pekingese

General Appearance: The Pekingese is a well-balanced, compact dog of Chinese origin with a heavy front and lighter hindquarters. Its temperament is one of directness, independence and individuality. Its image is lionlike, implying courage, dignity, boldness and self-esteem rather than daintiness or delicacy. Size, Substance, Proportion: Size/Substance - The Pekingese, when lifted, is surprisingly heavy for its size. It has a stocky, muscular body. All weights are correct within the limit of 14 pounds. 
Disqualification - Weight over 14 pounds. Proportion - Overall balance is of utmost importance. The head is large in proportion to the body. The Pekingese is slightly longer than tall when measured from the fore chest to the buttocks. The overall outline is an approximate ratio of 3 high to 5 long.

Head: Face - The top skull is massive, broad and flat and, when combined with the wide set eyes, cheekbones and broad lower jaw, forms the correctly shaped face. When viewed from the front, the skull is wider than deep, which contributes to the desired rectangular, envelope-shaped appearance of the head. In profile, the face is flat. When viewed from the side, the chin, nose leather and brow all lie in one plane, which slants very slightly backward from chin to forehead. Ears - They are heart-shaped, set on the front corners of the top skull, and lie flat against the head. The leather does not extend below the jaw. Correctly placed ears, with their heavy feathering and long fringing, frame the sides of the face and add to the appearance of a wide, rectangular head. Eyes - They are large, very dark, round, lustrous and set wide apart. The look is bold, not bulging. The eye rims are black and the white of the eye does not show when the dog is looking straight ahead. Nose - It is broad, short and black. Nostrils are wide and open rather than pinched. A line drawn horizontally over the top of the nose intersects slightly above the center of the eyes.
Wrinkle - It effectively separates the upper and lower areas of the face. It is a hair-covered fold of skin extending from one cheek over the bridge of the nose in a wide inverted V to the other cheek. It is never so prominent or heavy as to crowd the facial features, obscure more than a small portion of the eyes, or fall forward over any portion of the nose leather. Stop - It is obscured from view by the over-nose wrinkle.  
Muzzle - It is very flat, broad, and well filled-in below the eyes. The skin is black on all colors. Whiskers add to the desired expression. Mouth - The lower jaw is undershot and broad. The black lips meet neatly and neither teeth nor tongue show when the mouth is closed.

Neck, Body, Tail: Neck - It is very short and thick. Body - It is pear-shaped, compact and low to the ground. It is heavy in front with well-sprung ribs slung between the forelegs. The fore chest is broad and full without a protruding breastbone. The underline rises from the deep chest to the lighter loin, thus forming a narrow waist. The topline is straight and the loin is short. Tail - The high set tail is slightly arched and carried well over the back, free of kinks or curls. Long, profuse, straight fringing may fall to either side.

Forequarters: They are short, thick and heavy-boned. The bones of the forelegs are moderately bowed between the pastern and elbow. The broad chest, wide set forelegs and the closer rear legs all contribute to the correct rolling gait. The distance from the point of the shoulder to the tip of the withers is approximately equal to the distance from the point of the shoulder to the elbow. Shoulders are well laid back and fit smoothly onto the body. The elbows are always close to the body. Front feet are turned out slightly when standing or moving. The pasterns slope gently.

Hindquarters: They are lighter in bone than the forequarters. There is moderate angulation of stifle and hock. When viewed from behind, the rear legs are reasonably close and parallel, and the feet point straight ahead when standing or moving.

Coat & Presentation: Coat - It is a long, coarse-textured, straight, stand-off outer coat, with thick, soft undercoat. The coat forms a noticeable mane on the neck and shoulder area with the coat on the remainder of the body somewhat shorter in length. A long and profuse coat is desirable providing it does not obscure the shape of the body. Long feathering is found on toes, backs of the thighs and forelegs, with longer fringing on the ears and tail. Presentation - Presentation should accentuate the natural outline of the Pekingese. Any obvious trimming or sculpting of the coat, detracting from its natural appearance, should be severely penalized.

Color: All coat colors and markings are allowable and of equal merit. A black mask or a self-colored face is equally acceptable. Regardless of coat color the exposed skin of the muzzle, nose, lips and eye rims is black.

Gait: It is unhurried, dignified, free and strong, with a slight roll over the shoulders. This motion is smooth and effortless and is as free as possible from bouncing, prancing or jarring. The rolling gait results from a combination of the bowed forelegs, well laid back shoulders, full broad chest and narrow light rear, all of which produce adequate reach and moderate drive.

Temperament: A combination of regal dignity, intelligence and self-importance make for a good natured, opinionated and affectionate companion to those who have earned its respect. 

Disqualification: Weight over 14 pounds.

The foregoing is a description of the ideal Pekingese. Any deviation should be penalized in direct proportion to the extent of that deviation.
Approved: January 13, 2004 Effective: March 2, 2004 by AKC Pekingese  Official Standards

                                                               Nutrition

The Pekingese should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight , so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times. 
                                                           Care & Grooming

The thick double coat of the Pekingese requires a good bit of maintenance. Pekingese shedseasonally. Brushing him at least one hour per week will help to remove loose hairs and prevent matting, and an occasional bath will help to keep him looking his best. Mats or tangles can be gently worked out with a slicker brush or metal comb. As with all breeds, the nails should be trimmed regularly, as overly long nails can cause the dog discomfort.

                                                     HEALTH by HealthPet Med

The Pekingese, which has an average lifespan of 13 to 15 years, is prone to minor health problems like elongated soft palate, patellar luxation, stenotic nares, Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS), trichiasis, corneal abrasions, disticiasis, and skin fold dermatitis. It also known to suffer from urolithiasis occasionally. This breed does not tolerate heat or anesthesia well.

                                                                         HERNIAS
If a  Pekingese puppy has an umbilical hernia, it will be apparent by 6 weeks of age as a bubble like protrusion at the navel. This occurs when the umbilical rings fail to close fully after birth. Umbilical hernias can be caused by heredity, cutting the umbilical cord too short, or excessive stress on the umbilical cord during delivery. The frequency of occurrence of this type of hernia in Pekes should indicate that heredity is a factor. The mode of inheritance is unknown. The concern that this condition poses for the future of the breed is small in comparison with far more weighty matters such as structural soundness, excellence in breed type and longevity.

 

In more than 30 years of experience with Pekingese, only once did our veterinarian feel surgical correction of an umbilical hernia was necessary The size of the protrusions we have seen range from minuscule to the size of a nickel at 6 weeks, and if makes note of the presence of a hernia, the pup is monitored. Not once have any of the puppies had a problem. In the highly unlikely event that an umbilical hernia becomes painful to the touch, swollen or red, the dog should be examined by a veterinarian within 24 hours. Experienced  Peke breeders have found that bitches with umbilical hernias - some quite large - are unaffected by repeated pregnancies, even with large litters.

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