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The "Pekingnese"
A Great Companion Dog
Pekingese make one of the best companions in the dog world because of their human-like intelligence and their well-mannered, affectionate natures.
While they do require special care, once you learn and understand their needs it’s easy to care for a Pekingese. They are dignified, playful, independent thinkers who are nonetheless easily trained. They’re a vigorous breed that requires a minimum of daily exercise to stay fit. Originating in the coldest climate of China and being an arctic breed by nature, they tolerate cold extremely well, but not the heat. Care must therefore always be taken to guard against overheating.
Training
An untrained dog, regardless of its size or its breed, can be a problem to its owner and to society in general. However if you get a puppy from a responsible breeder, you have a greater assurance that training and socialization began from the puppy’s early stages of awareness. Training should begin as early as possible and continue as the puppy grows into adulthood. Always reward your Pekingese with praise and encouragement when it has responded to a command, remembering that good habits are built upon positive reinforcement. It is advisable to take your puppy to training class as well as to public places, desensitizing it to noises, different people, and situations. Always be patient and convey to your puppy confidence, nonchalance and good manners, and it will adapt to your attitudes and become a well-mannered pet for life.
Health and General Care
For 140 years Pekingese have been one of healthiest of all breeds, and still are today. However as with all short-faced breeds, natural ease of breathing can be a major concern. It is important to choose a Pekingese with wide open nostrils on a moderate-sized nose. Because Pekingese don’t have a long muzzle to act as a natural barrier of protection for the eyes, it is important to ensure that your environment is safe for your Peke and that nothing can jab or irritate its eyes. Pekingese appreciate cold temperatures and therefore some owners travel with their Pekes on frozen ice packs, or an ice pillow, even for shorter rides in the car, providing a level of comfort that Pekingese thoroughly enjoy.
Grooming
The Pekingese coat is its crowning glory and is generally easy to maintain with a few minutes of brushing a couple of times a week to avoid matting. Keeping nails trimmed, teeth cleaned, and the fold of skin over the nose clean and dry is part of routine maintenance. You may also want to train your Peke to hold still as you trim back the hair on the top edge of the over nose wrinkle so that no hair goes in the eyes. You might also decide to trim the excess fur between their paws and around the anus for sanitary purposes. Many Peke owners keep their dogs in a “Lion clip” or “Summer clip” during the warmer months, or just year-round, to make maintenance that much easier and more comfortable for their Pekingese.