Pekingese

History of the Pekingese breed

The homeland of the Pekingese is China. It was in the Celestial Empire that these arrogant fuzzies were raised into a cult, adding them to the list of the emperor's favorite pets. According to some reports, the age of the breed has long exceeded 2000 years, but the world only found out about its existence in the XVIII century. For centuries, being under the care of Chinese rulers, Pekingese or Fu dogs, as they preferred to be called at home, evolved into real spoils of fate. Their figurines were sculpted from porcelain, legends were made about them, and the most miniature representatives of the breed rode around in the sleeves of the nobles, eating selected delicacies from their table.

Chinese Pekingese of the XVIII-XIX centuries. it was impossible to meet walking through the city streets, since the right to breed animals belonged to the imperial family and was inherited. This led to the fact that it became virtually impossible to buy, receive as a gift, and finally just steal a palace puppy. The animals were reliably guarded by the military, even the most desperate thieves did not dare to compete with them. European breeders, who have long looked towards the Pekingese as another Asian curiosity, such restrictions, of course, did not please, but then fate itself intervened.

In 1859-1860, another Opium War broke out between China, England and France, the result of which was the storming of the residence of the emperor of the Celestial Empire. The monarch himself, as well as his family members, were not found by the British in the Summer Palace, but they found five miraculously surviving Pekingese in it, who were subsequently sent to the UK. From this moment begins a new, European round of the history of the breed, which gave the world decorative dogs with lion manes and monkey faces. By the way, Pekingese animals were already christened in England, taking as a basis the name of the Chinese capital – Beijing.

Video: Pekingese

Pekingese Breed Standard

The first Pekingese, brought to the UK in 1860, bore little resemblance to modern individuals and looked more like Japanese hin , but over time, the exterior differences between the breeds began to manifest themselves more clearly. For example, over the years of breeding and careful selection, Pekingese have gained weight, and their paws have become significantly shorter. The main feature of the appearance of today's "lion dogs" is an emphatically compact physique. Even with a cursory inspection of the animal, it seems that it was rammed with a miniature press from above and in front. The face of a Pekingese is a separate topic, because there is very little dog in it. It is rather a funny face of an unknown fairy-tale creature with bulging beady eyes and a half-open miniature mouth, from which a neat rough tongue falls out.

To date, the breed exists in two types: classic and so-called sleeve. Sleeve Pekingese are inferior to their counterparts in size, although they are not fully "handbag" pets. The weight of such individuals largely depends on the country of breeding. For example, in the USA and Canada, all animals that have gained more than 3 kg are rejected. And this is despite the fact that the weight of representatives of this breed in their classic type reaches 5-5.5 kg. Bitches of sleeve Pekingese are not knitted because of the physique features that do not allow them to fully bear offspring, therefore, surprisingly, miniature puppies are obtained from full-size producers.

Head

The Pekingese has a massive, strongly flattened skull between the ears with a distinct stop. The muzzle of the dog is short, stretched wide, bordered by a v-shaped fold that wraps around the bridge of the nose and ends on the cheeks.

Teeth and bite

Small, even Pekingese teeth are hidden behind the lips and are practically invisible. As for the bite, a moderate snack is typical for the breed (this item is not specified in the standard).

Nose

The Pekingese has a flattened and rather wide nose. The lobe is black, brightly pigmented, with wide, well-opened nostrils.

Eyes

The Pekingese's large round and sometimes slightly bulging eyes give him a somewhat surprised look. The standard color of the iris is dark. Light-eyed individuals are regarded as a plembrak and are not allowed to compete.

Ears

The high-set, heart-shaped ears of the Pekingese are lowered along the head and reach the line of the lower jaw. The adorning wool on the ear cloth is long and soft.

Neck

Beijing dogs have massive, short necks, which is especially noticeable when examining a pet in profile.

Housing

The body of the Pekingese is short, with a noticeably weighted front part, a well-drawn waist and an almost straight back.

Limbs

The front legs are short, thick and bony with shoulders looking back and elbows pressed to the sides. The hind limbs are placed close to each other and differ in a lighter backbone. The angles of the joints of the hind legs are normal, the hock joints are relatively stable. The paws of the Pekingese are large, flat, without the roundness characteristic of most breeds. The front paws are slightly turned outwards, while the rear ones look strictly forward. The Pekingese moves slowly-importantly, as if rolling.

Tail

The dog's tail is set high and has a slight bend towards the end, which allows it to hang down to the right or left hip.

Wool

Stylish "fur coats" of Pekingese are formed by a layer of delicate undercoat and a long, coarse covering hair. The dog's neck is wrapped in a voluminous wool collar. There is an adorning hair on the ears, tail, fingers and the back of the legs.

Color

According to the standard, the Pekingese can have any color of wool. Exceptions are albino dogs and liver–colored individuals.

Disqualifying vices

• Cryptorchidism.
• Overweight (more than 5.5 kg).
• Liver-colored wool/albinism.
• Depigmented lips, eyelids and nose.

Photos of Pekingese

Character of the Pekingese

Pekingese is a proud fluffy nobleman who hates noise and fuss and sincerely enjoys a positive, peaceful environment and order, so he is often recommended as a four–legged friend for older couples. In a good mood, the dog is condescending to caresses and delicious gifts falling at her feet, but it will not work just like that to "buy" this wayward Asian cunning. The Pekingese are firmly convinced that the planet revolves exclusively around themselves, so they expect an appropriate attitude from the owner.

Trying to appeal to the dog's conscience, to put pressure on it, to influence it by shouting is useless. Representatives of this breed hear only what they want to hear. Although, if you allow rudeness towards the Pekingese, a lion wakes up in them, defending his own interests to victory. And yet the Pekingese are quite sociable guys, willingly sharing leisure time with the owner under the mood. At the same time, they are very independent and, as befits royalty, do not depend on human attention. Need to leave a descendant of Fu dogs alone for a couple of hours? No problem! The fluffy aristocrat does not get bored alone with himself and in your absence will willingly "comprehend Zen" on your sofa.

Pekingese establish close emotional contact with the owner from the very first days, which they maintain throughout their lives (provided that you have the right Pekingese, and not a hysterical ward of a commercial divorcee). This helps the animals to acutely feel the changes in the mood of the owner and competently dose communication. If your fluffy suffers from excessive obsession and does not come off the knees of the household, you can congratulate yourself – you have become the owner of a perfectly disguised half-breed. Pekingese can demonstrate excessive detachment and aristocratic coldness, but outright clinginess is not peculiar to them.

The Pekingese is not jealous and agrees to tolerate your long-standing love for cats, birds and other pets. At the same time, he has a pronounced Napoleon complex that prevents the animal from building normal relationships with other dogs. The lack of growth is compensated for by the indomitable aggression of the Pekingese, which they experience in relation to larger brothers, so do not expect that a Chinese charmer will walk on a string while walking, wagging his tail: provoking a wolfhound calmly strolling in the distance to a fight for this snub–nosed "Asian" is a matter of honor.

Due to the fact that the Pekingese is sensitive to pain and does not have much patience, he is unlikely to become a friend for children. The dog is indifferent to games and noisy companies, and the need to obey someone just pisses her off. In addition, the fragile constitution leaves no chance for the animal to be saved if one of your heirs inadvertently steps on it or hugs it too tightly.

Education and training

The difficult-to-educate, untrained Pekingese is perhaps the most common cliche among fans of the breed. Yes, the "palace dogs" are self-willed and selfish, but it is quite possible to instill in them the norms of etiquette. The only thing is that we will have to change the tactics of behavior. In particular, severity and pressure will not work with Pekingese, so get out of the habit of shouting at a pet who refuses to follow the command. But the breed is responsive to outright flattery, so praise the four-legged student even for the slightest success: it's not difficult for you, but it's an incentive for a dog.

You can't do without perseverance and perseverance in training a Pekingese. Get the dog to perform exercises, but act by the method of affectionate persuasion, without resorting to direct orders. The pet must fulfill your requirement at all costs: immediately, in ten minutes or in half an hour, but it must. In general, the behavior of Pekingese clearly shows leniency towards a person. A dog can sincerely adore the one and only owner, but this will not prevent her from using him for her own purposes. If the animal is in no hurry to aport the toy you have thrown, do not try to bring it yourself, otherwise you will not notice how you will find yourself with the pet in the role of an errand boy.

A special danger is fraught with adolescence, which in Pekingese puppies begins already at the 5th month of life. During this period of "breaking" character, the Pekingese becomes frankly uncontrollable, does not want to learn anything and systematically tests the patience of the owner. This does not mean that the pet should be left alone and wait for it to grow up. On the contrary, a teenager should be forced to train with redoubled energy. If the puppy realizes that the owner is happy to let down his pranks on the brakes, growing up he is unlikely to treat him more respectfully. Of course, he will not risk encroaching on the "throne" of the head of the Pekingese family, but he will not care about the demands of the household from time to time.

As for training methods, there are no special programs aimed at Pekingese. In fact, they are not needed, since standard training methods for representatives of this breed also work well. The only "but": the big-eyed fuzzies don't really respect the teams. But on the other hand, most of the techniques from the same OKD will never be useful to Pekingese. So leave the drill and blind obedience to the shepherds, concentrating on educating the ward of endurance. In particular, from the first months of life, wean the dog to pick up sweets accidentally left by someone from the ground, help the animal get used to the idea that walking on a leash is not a punishment, but a pleasant pastime. In general, explain the new rules and phenomena for the Pekingese so that their importance and necessity become clear to him.

Maintenance and care

Despite the pretentious past, in ordinary life Pekingese are not such spoiled people, and they need no more comfort attributes than any other decorative breed. So, for example, a bed for a puppy should not be any special and super warm. An ordinary blanket, laid in a corner where drafts do not blow out, is enough. Where there is no place for Pekingese is near heating appliances, near which it is so easy for short-nosed, furry-clad "Chinese" to overheat. By the way, do not try to push the baby's mattress into the most "deaf" place in the apartment. For the normal development of the puppy, it is necessary to contact the owner, well, or at least from time to time to look at him from his bed. From the obligatory dog's belongings, the Pekingese will need two bowls (preferably made of stainless steel), a leash with a collar, absorbent diapers and a toilet tray with filler. Toys are necessary for animals, but you should not fill up the dog with them. A couple of squeakers are enough and it is desirable that these are not balls that Pekingese, due to the peculiarities of the structure of the jaws, cannot grasp.

It's not necessary to cut circles in parks and squares with representatives of this breed for hours: in terms of physical activity, the Pekingese is far from an energizer, and the features of the skull structure do not allow him to strain too much without compromising his health. Usually, in order to get enough exercise, a Pekingese needs two visits a day for 15-20 minutes, but it all depends on the well-being and health status of a particular dog. There are individuals, and there are a lot of them, who manage to warm up in 5-10 minutes. In addition, the breed does not tolerate heat well, so if the thermometer outside the window is +25 ° C or higher, it is better to postpone the tour to early morning or late evening. Chilly weather and severe frosts are also not a joy for Pekingese, so on especially cold days it is worth giving up walking altogether.

It is worth mentioning separately about the dog's toilet training. Often Pekingese neglect this science, preferring to do their "dirty deeds" on the parquet, carpets or the owner's favorite chair. Moreover, some of the animals "mine" the most unexpected places even after they have fully mastered the tray. There are two ways to deal with this behavior:

• remove objects that attract dogs, if it is a carpet or a bedspread;
• forbid the Pekingese to go to the part of the apartment that he made his own toilet, blocking the entrance with a low fence.

As an alternative to rolling down rugs and installing plastic fences, you can use special sprays that have a strong, unpleasant smell for dogs. They do not scare off all individuals, but they work on some furry hooligans.

Important: you can not punish a Pekingese for going to the toilet past the tray, poking the dog's nose into the products of its vital activity. Otherwise, do not be surprised at the sophisticated revenge of the pet in the form of "fragrant gifts" in the most unexpected places.

Hygiene

Pekingese puppies have a special type of coat, softer and fluffier, which makes one-and-a-half-month-old babies look like downy lumps with beady eyes. The change of a child's "fur coat" to an adult "coat" occurs at about the age of 4 months, but in some individuals the process is delayed until 32 weeks of life. During this period, it is enough for a Pekingese to comb daily with a massage brush and treat the area of "pants" and ears with a rare comb. Wool must be moistened with conditioner before combing, since the hair of Pekingese is already brittle. At the same time, the movements of the comb should be as careful as possible: do not pull the tangled hairs and in no case pull them out. The Pekingese's coat is very delicate and grows slowly, so if each combing brings such losses, in a couple of months the puppy will turn into a funny bald man.

Ideally, Pekingese are not cut or trimmed, making do with combing and disassembling tangles, but in some situations the rules are still violated. In particular, if the dog will never be exhibited in the ring and suffers greatly from the heat, its "mantle" can be slightly shortened. At the same time, it is important to understand that a haircut is a direct damage to the exterior of the animal, and it cannot be justified by its own laziness and lack of free time.

The perfect outwardly Pekingese is a fluffy creature with spectacular feathery ears, often dragging on the floor after its owner. All this beauty is 90% the result of human efforts. Firstly, because the animal will have to be accustomed to grooming, since no dog, especially a pampered Pekingese, is delighted with the sensations that accompany the untangling of a matted hair. Secondly, because it is necessary to monitor the purity and airiness of wool all year round.

Bathing for Pekingese is not recommended in principle, so they arrange them once a year or on the eve of exhibitions. Even if such a nuisance as food poisoning happened to your ward, and the area under the tail began to look untidy, it is not necessary to put the dog in the bath. Simply rinse the soiled area under a stream of warm water and dry with a towel. In general, experts recommend using dry shampoos-powders in the care of Pekingese, since water and standard cosmetics for hair care spoil the structure of the dog's hair, provoking its molting. Owners who are used to walking their pet in any weather can be recommended to buy a waterproof jumpsuit in which the Pekingese wool will be reliably protected from dirt and splashes. At home, papillotes will help protect the hair from dirt, brittleness and tangles. This is especially true of the feathering on the ears, which the exhibition commissions always pay attention to.

Take care of the hygiene of the dog's ears, eyes and nasal folds. A couple of times a week, unwrap the wool and look into the Pekingese's ear funnel. If there is no contamination inside and there is no sharp "ambre" from the ear, no intervention is required. The maximum that you can afford is to remove excess sulfur with a wet cotton pad. If the Pekingese started shaking his head, and an unpleasant smell floats out of his ears, you will have to treat the animal at the veterinarian.

The most problematic place of the breed is the eyes. Often, as a result of injuries and heated discussions with other dogs, Pekingese eyeballs fall out. So if you got an unnecessarily bug-eyed pet, take precautions: give up the habit of patting the animal on the head and do not pull the leash on walks to sober up the dreaming dog. In addition, the anatomical features of the breed impose a number of obligations on its owner. For example, Pekingese will have to wipe the mucous membrane of the eyelids more often than other decorative dogs, since more garbage and dust gets on it. Phytolotions or a solution of boric acid are suitable for this purpose. It is undesirable to rinse the eyes with tea leaves, since too stagnant infusion made from low-quality raw materials will only increase the inflammatory process. And remember, any discharge from the eyes of a Pekingese is abnormal, even if they look completely harmless and resemble tears.

Another place that requires constant care and close attention is the crease on the dog's muzzle. The air does not get into this improvised wrinkle, but the tear fluid accumulates in it in decent volumes, creating a greenhouse effect. Several times a week, pull the skin on the nose, wiping the fold with a dry, well-absorbent cloth. It is better for Pekingese claws to be cut off little by little, as they grow back, since with too radical a haircut there is a risk of hitting a blood vessel. It is worth taking care of the pet's paws, especially if the dog often walks, so for going outside, buy or sew waterproof slippers for the Pekingese. And of course, do not neglect protective creams and vegetable oils. If you systematically rub care cosmetics into the paws of a dog, the appearance of cracks can really be avoided.

Feeding

The main product in the Pekingese diet is lean meat, including turkey and chicken. Since any bones due to weak teeth are contraindicated to the breed, occasionally the dog can be pampered with cartilage. An excellent and healthy dish for Pekingese is raw / boiled tripe with pre–removed fat films, which can and should be combined with offal. Fish days are arranged for dogs twice a week (only cod fish fillets), and once every 7 days the pet is allowed to be treated with hard–boiled egg yolk - whole or half, depending on the age of the dog.

As for porridge, it is useful to feed them both puppies and adults. In the first case, oatmeal (flakes), millet in half with a cut and crushed rice cereals are suitable. In the second – rice, less often – buckwheat. Any vegetables in stewed or raw form are also useful, as are fruits (exceptions are strawberries, kiwi, pineapple). It is very important to instill in the Pekingese a love for low-fat sour milk, which puppies often lack. It is better to start acquaintance with lactic acid fermentation products with homemade calcined cottage cheese. Vitamins and mineral supplements in the diet of a Pekingese, "sitting" on a natural menu, should certainly be. However, it is better if they are picked up by a specialist, since when buying dietary supplements at random there is a risk of driving the animal into severe hypervitaminosis.

Note: the lifestyle and health of the average Pekingese do not allow him to waste large reserves of energy, although the breed does not suffer from a lack of appetite. Don't indulge too much in the food cravings of a four-legged friend, if you don't want to watch how a charming fluffy transforms into a fat, short of breath and always ill with something.

Health and diseases of Pekingese

Of the inherited ailments in Pekingese, urethritis, diseases of the heart valves, displacement of the intervertebral discs, a tumor of the perianal gland and eye diseases (ectropion, corneal ulcer, cataract) most often make themselves felt.

How to choose a puppy

• Male and female Pekingese almost do not differ in the type of temperament, but the appearance of "boys" is more spectacular, since they shed less intensively ("girls" additionally shed their fur after childbirth and estrus).
• Don't grab a puppy from the first breeder you come across. It is better to evaluate several litters from different nurseries.
• When buying a puppy for exhibitions, remember: the exterior potential of Pekingese is visible by 6-8 months. If you brought a two-month-old baby into the house, the chances that a future champion will grow out of it are about 50/50.
• Examine the puppy's parents, paying special attention to the eyes. In overly bug-eyed producers, the offspring inherits this feature, which is fraught with further loss of eyeballs in babies.
• If the mother's coat of puppies does not have a special gloss, it may be the result of postpartum molting. In this case, ask the kennel employee for a photo of the bitch before mating.
• Before buying, check whether the Pekingese are proglistogonen and what vaccinations they managed to get. The appearance of babies is also important. Crumbs with wet eyes, hernias and dirty "piglets" under the tail are not the most profitable purchase.
• Check if the puppies have a brand. Usually the label is located on the stomach or ear.
• When buying in absentia "by photo", discuss with the seller the possibility of returning the puppy. Photoshop works wonders, so it is sometimes almost impossible to consider a glamorous model in a real Pekingese, whose image was displayed on the nursery's website.

Photos of Pekingese puppies

Pekingese price

Average cost of a Pekingese puppy in Russian kennels – $200 - $300, but sometimes ads for the urgent sale of litter slip through on the Internet, then the price tag can fall to $150 or lower. However, if you need a purebred Pekingese breed or show class, it is better to avoid all kinds of "promotions", since plembrak is usually sold in this way.