Pekingese

The Royal Kennel Club's breed standard describes the Pekingese as fearless, loyal and aloof, and stresses that it should be neither timid nor aggressive. According to the standard, it is a well-balanced dog of great dignity and quality, with an alert, intelligent expression. The Royal Kennel Club writes that the breed has great character and determination and is capable of living life to the full.

Its aloofness means you shouldn't expect a dog that throws itself at strangers. Earning its trust can take time; a calm, respectful approach that doesn't force things may work well. In English it's often called simply a "Peke."

According to the Royal Kennel Club's breed profile, the Pekingese is a small dog that suits apartment living and needs no more than half an hour of exercise a day, but it does need daily grooming.

In homes with children, it's important not to touch the dog's face and eyes or pick it up against its will; a Pekingese's eyes can be injured by even a minor knock. Our article on kids and dogs at home has more.

According to the Royal Kennel Club, short-legged, short-faced dogs of "Peke" type can be traced in China as far back as the Tang dynasty in the 8th century. The breed was a favorite in the imperial palace in Peking; it was a dog of the upper castes, and commoners weren't allowed to own one.

When the British sacked Peking in 1860, four dogs were brought back to Britain, and they soon became sought after in elite society. The breed was very popular in Victorian times; The Kennel Club accepted it for registration in 1910, and it drew large entries at dog shows. The Royal Kennel Club notes that the breed's popularity has declined in recent years, perhaps because of the work its coat requires. According to the FCI, the breed's country of origin is China and its standard is held by Great Britain.

The Royal Kennel Club standard describes a small, well-balanced, moderately thick-set dog: a Pekingese should look small but be surprisingly heavy when picked up, and heavy bone and a sturdy body are essential. The front legs are short, thick and slightly bowed, and the gait is slow, dignified and rolling.

• Weight: According to the Royal Kennel Club standard, ideally no more than 11 lb (5 kg) for males and 12 lb (5.4 kg) for females. The AKC gives up to 14 lb (about 6.4 kg).
• Height: According to the AKC, 6–9 inches (15–23 cm) at the shoulder.
• Head and nose: The head is large and wider than it is deep. The standard asks for a nose that is "not too short" with large, open nostrils, and calls pinched nostrils and a heavy wrinkle over the nose unacceptable.
• Coat: Moderately long and straight, with a mane forming a cape around the neck; a coarse topcoat over a thick, softer undercoat. The standard calls excessive coat highly undesirable.
• Colors: All colors and markings are of equal merit; albino, liver and merle are unacceptable.

On the Royal Kennel Club's Breed Watch list for show judges, the Pekingese is in category 3; the points needing special attention are signs of breathing distress, an excessively profuse coat, protruding eyes, a heavy wrinkle over the nose, pinched nostrils, poor muscle tone, eye irritation and poor rear movement.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends grooming a Pekingese every day and notes that the breed sheds.

• Brushing: With its thick, soft undercoat, make a short daily brush a habit, and don't forget the feathering on the ears, the backs of the legs and the tail.
• Face fold: According to UFAW, the extra skin folds on a Pekingese's face and around its tail are prone to inflammation. Gently clean and dry the fold over the nose every day; show your vet any bad smell, redness or discharge.
• Eyes: Check daily for redness, watering, cloudiness or squinting. According to a veterinary article published by the Royal Kennel Club, the eye surface is less sensitive in flat-faced dogs, so an ulcer may not show obvious signs.
• Teeth: Teeth can be crowded in a short jaw; start tooth brushing early.
• Home: A cool room, shade and fresh water at all times are a must in summer.

Our dog grooming guide walks you through brushing and bathing step by step.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to half an hour of exercise a day for the Pekingese. Short, gentle walks, indoor games and sniffing games are enough. Because it's independent and aloof, choose short, rewarding, patient sessions rather than pushing it.

• Harness: A veterinary article published by the Royal Kennel Club recommends a harness instead of a collar for dogs with BOAS, to avoid pressure on the airway.
• Brain games: Hidden treats and sniffing games keep it busy without straining its breathing.
• Socialization: Give your puppy calm, positive experiences with different people, sounds and places.

Pekingese don't need a special food; a complete, balanced dog food that suits their age is enough. The long coat can hide weight gain, so trust your hands and the scale rather than your eyes. A veterinary article published by the Royal Kennel Club notes that extra weight makes BOAS signs worse and that flat-faced dogs should be kept lean.

• Measure food; decide the daily amount with your vet based on your dog's ideal weight.
• Count treats as part of the daily food, and don't feed from the table.
• Being able to feel the ribs under the coat and a thin layer of fat is a good sign.
• Weigh your dog once a month.

Some human foods are toxic to dogs; see our list of foods dogs should never eat.

The Pekingese is one of the longer-lived breeds in this group, but living longer doesn't mean breathing and eye problems don't affect its quality of life. The information below is for awareness only; ask your vet about diagnosis and treatment.

Airway obstruction (BOAS)

According to UFAW, many if not all Pekingese are affected to some degree: narrow nostrils, a long soft palate and sometimes a narrow windpipe. In the Cambridge group's 2026 study of 14 flat-faced breeds, the Pekingese was one of two "high-risk" breeds whose BOAS rates didn't differ from those of Pugs, French Bulldogs and Bulldogs, and only about 18% of the Pekingese examined had open nostrils. In August 2026, the Royal Kennel Club recognized RFGS breathing grading for the Pekingese and will add it to its recommended screening from January 2027. Snoring and snorting at rest, labored breathing, stopping on walks, brief pauses in breathing during sleep and foamy saliva are among the signs. Snoring while awake isn't normal.

Eye problems

UFAW notes that the Pekingese has an extremely flat head with large, prominent eyes, and that probably all Pekingese are affected by "brachycephalic ocular syndrome" to some degree: the eyelids may not close fully, hairs on the nose fold can rub the eye and tear production may be poor. Because the eye sockets are shallow, a minor knock can dislodge an eye; this is an emergency. The Royal Kennel Club recommends eye exams for breeders.

Skin-fold infections

According to UFAW, the extra skin folds on the face and around the tail can become inflamed from friction and moisture; regular cleaning is the best protection.

Back and disc problems

A 2017 genetic study lists the Pekingese among the short-legged breeds, like the Dachshund and the French Bulldog, that are prone to disc disease, and links this predisposition across breeds to an extra copy of a gene called FGF4. In a 2020 review, the extra copy was found at a frequency of 61% in the Pekingese tested, and disc calcification has been linked to the risk of disc disease in Dachshunds and Pekingese. Sudden back pain or weakness in the hind legs needs urgent veterinary attention.

Birth and other issues

In a 2010 UK survey, the Pekingese was among the ten breeds with the highest cesarean rates. The inflammatory brain disease known from Pugs (NME) has also been reported in some other small breeds, including the Pekingese.

A 2024 study using data on about 585,000 dogs from 18 UK sources found a median lifespan of 13.3 years for the Pekingese; for mixed-breed dogs it was 12.0 years. So despite its flat face, the Pekingese is one of the breeds that lives longer than mixed breeds. The Royal Kennel Club gives the breed's lifespan as "over 12 years," and the AKC as 12–14 years. A long life means years of breathing and eye care, which is why regular checkups matter.

• Consider a shelter: Purebred dogs end up in shelters too. Our article on adopting a dog from a shelter covers the first steps.
• Genetic diversity: The Royal Kennel Club asks Pekingese breeders, at a minimum, to prioritize genetic diversity, in other words to avoid close inbreeding, and also recommends eye exams.
• Breathing: The parents' nostrils should be open; avoid parents that snore or wheeze while awake. Ask for RFGS results if available.
• A moderate build: The standard itself asks for a nose that isn't too short and a coat that isn't excessive; favor parents with less flat faces and less prominent eyes.
• Time: Make sure you can set aside time every day for grooming and eye checks.
• Registration: Rules vary by country. In Türkiye, owned dogs must be microchipped and registered in the PETVET system.