Pekingese

As the cliché goes, dogs are mans best friend.  I totally agree.  Who can resist the soft fur, sweet eyes and contagious playfulness of dogs?  I know I can’t.  

One of the breeds that are irresistible to everyone is the Pekingese.  The Pekingese is classified as a toy dog.  Known as the Dogs of Foo (happy) in China, these dogs played a part of China’s history as they were once part of the Chinese Imperial Court.  The people believed that these dogs existed before as the legendary Foo Dog.  The legend was that it was the Foo Dog or the legendary guardian lions drove away the unwanted spirits.  Pekingese had a close and important relationship to the emperors that in the event of their deaths, the dogs had to be buried with them.  This is done so that the Pekingese can guide them in heaven.  They gained enormous respect and royal treatment from China that stealing them is punishable by death.

Pekingese attracts dog lovers with its long and luxurious coat that covers its tiny body.  This head-turning physical attribute of the Pekingese has become a status symbol for its owners.  A well-kept and well-groomed coat means a valued toy dog.  Its coat comes in a combination of colors such as black, white, brown and tan.  The colors depend on the particular Pekingese breed.  As for the body specifications, the Pekingese may appear to have a small and short body but is actually muscular in built.  It has long drooping ears, dumpy muzzles and short legs. 

The Pekingese approximately grows from six (6) to nine (9) inches and weights from seven (7) up to fourteen (14) pounds.  There are some varieties of Pekingese that weight below seven pounds such as the Mini Pekingese which weighs only six (6) to eight (8) pounds or the Sleeve Pekingese which weighs not more than six (6) pounds.

These dogs are ideal for apartments.  Their sizes do not require much space for exercise.  They can easily be trained and raised in houses with limited spaces.  They are also good as guard dogs for their protective, loyal and affectionate character. 

Maintenance for these dogs comes down to its coat.  It is very important that their coat be washed and groomed on a regular basis.  Combing the coat helps get rid of the tangles and dead hair and prevents occurrence of ticks and fleas.  There are also shedding seasons for this type of dog.  During this season, an extra degree of maintenance is required.  Exercise is also needed for the Pekingese.  A daily walk will suffice for this need.  If not possible, letting the Pekinese walk inside a fenced yard will do the trick.  Maintaining a healthy lifestyle for the Pekingese will reduce possibilities of sickness such as colds, heart problems and breathing troubles.  It has a lifespan for about ten (10) to fifteen (15) years.

Overall, Pekingese makes a great toy dog.  Its loving attitude towards its master combined with its pleasing appearance makes Pekingese a dog made for emperors.