A Care Guide Brought to You by:

A Care Guide Brought to You by:

A Brief History Of The Breed Caring for a Pekingese Many people already know that the Pekingese originated in China, but most don t know that they are actually one of the oldest breeds around. With noted Pekingese as far back as 2000 years ago, it s hard to believe that these beautiful little dogs have managed to change very little over time. Although 2000 years ago they were only owned by the members of the royal family, it wasn t long before their popularity was spread throughout the world and they have become a vital part of many dog owner s lives. Once the Pekingese spread out side of China, they were still only owned by royalty and other wealthy lords and ladies of the time. But their wonderfully unique faces, they loyal loving temperament, and their proud nature made them a well sought after pet. When they started to branch out into other homes, it wasn t long before there was a boom in their breeding. The Pekingese quickly became an intricate part of millions of people s lives around the world. What makes these wonderful little dogs so dear to our hearts? Could it be their lion-like looks make us think of them as our loyal protectors? Maybe we consider them bigger than they really are? No matter what, their regal and loyal history provides a lot of insight into how they became the dogs that they are today and why we love them so much. If you are considering getting a Pekingese or if you already own one, there are certain things that you will have to know to care for them properly. Let s start with the basics of the breed, such as their look, size, and coat. 2

Breed Basics Caring for a Pekingese The Pekingese is a very unique breed with unique features like no other dog out there. The amazing thing is that in over 2,000 years, the breed hasn t changed much at all. They are a smaller breed of dog, with a toy off shoot of the breed called a Sleeve Pekingese, which is not supposed to get over 6-7 pounds. They have several different attributes that make them so special: their size, their face, coats and their temperament. Pekingese Size The weight of a normal Pekingese is between 7 to 14 lbs and they normally stand about 6-9 inches high at their shoulders. When you measure them from their chest to their rear, they should be longer than they are tall. While they can be a bit smaller, this is the normal size for the majority of the Pekingese breed. has all Pekingese Faces Pekingese have a very unique and lovable face that has wide set, dark eyes, a smaller, flattened muzzle, and heart-shaped ears. You will also find wrinkles that run in a V shape up one side and down the other side of their muzzle. While some other breeds have similarities in different areas of the face, only the Pekingese of these features. However, all 3

Pekingese will have black lips, noses, and eye rims. Pekingese Coats The coat on a Pekingese is normally longer hair that is groomed in a way that makes them look like a lion with a bushy tail. There are tons of different color combinations, from solid white to black, brown to tan, and everything in between. Some will be black with tan faces, brown with black faces, or sable. For a show quality Pekingese, they normally have a black mask or a self-colored face that matches the rest of the fur. Now that you know the basics of what a Pekingese should look like, let s move into their overall health and common problems with the breed that you should be aware of. Temperament Pekingese are very sociable and will require a lot of time, love, and energy from their owners. For this reason, they aren t recommended to be in a home where they will be left alone for long periods of time. As they bond with their family, they will start to demand more and more time and attention. Pekingese are known for being very proud, but they are also extremely sensitive dogs. They won t like being scolded or jerked around, and may let you know so. Of course, they are playful when they want to be, and every Peke has their own personality. Like a lot of smaller breeds, they will tend to bond more with their primary caregiver in the house. If they aren t socialized properly as a puppy, they can actually become overly attached to one person and can turn on others they consider a threat to their owner or for simple jealousy issues. Of course, every Peke is different and every one will have a different personality as well. We will talk about how to socialize your Peke as a puppy later on in this guide. 4

Health Caring for a Pekingese Pekes normally live around 12 years, sometimes much longer, depending on their overall health. They are to be an inside dog and not to be kept outside constantly. This is because their flattened muzzle can cause breathing problems, the large eyes can easily develop eye issues, and the breed also can develop allergies that can cause other problems. Aside from that, their flattened muzzles can also make it difficult for them to regulate their body temperatures when it is hot or cold outside. A dog with allergies might sound funny, but it can cause them serious issues over time, especially if they are not treated for them. It is often said that the Pekingese is a master of the four S s: snoring, sneezing, snorting, and sniffling. If you are worried about your Peke developing allergies, talk with your vet about treatment options. Injuries Since Pekingeses are a smaller breed, owners need to be very careful for injuries. In fact, the leading cause of death in smaller breeds is trauma. Owners must be very aware when their Pekingese is up on a high piece of furniture or around young children who might cause injuries, especially when they are puppies because of their longer backs. The length of their back makes them very susceptible to back injuries from many different thing: such as picking them up wrong, falls, and so on. When picking up a Pekingese dog, make sure that you are supporting them correctly, as you would a small baby. You want to have one hand under their chest area and the other under their abdomen to provide the right support for their long backs. Heart Problems Like other small breeds, Pekingese also can develop problems with their organs, such as their hearts. One of the main problems that they can develop is cardiovascular problems such as congestive heart failure. This is something that is very hard to screen for until the dog is older, but if you know this in advance, you can make sure that your vet is watching for a heart murmur or other problems that can be signs of heart trouble for your furry baby. 5

Choosing a Vet You will want to make sure that you find a good local vet that has experience with smaller breeds to become your regular doctor. Always keep in mind how your Peke reacts to the doctor and if you find that they are overly aggressive to one vet, you may consider finding another. First Aid For Pekingese Just like children, your Pekingese will get hurt or sick. If you know what to do before something happens, it can help save your dog a lot of pain or serious injuries. Plus, it can help you remain calm and ensure that nothing is made worse with panic. First, remember that all dogs, even your laid back Peke, will be curious and there will always be those that are overly curious and get into to trouble. It s this curiosity that can end up causing injuries or sick dogs that get into things they aren t supposed to. Making sure that your dog knows clear boundaries in your home and that things are closed and put up that can hurt them can really make a big difference in how your dog interacts with you and with things around your house. A quick daily check of the areas that your dog has access to can help to eliminate any problems that can arise quickly. Also, keep in mind that problems can also happen when you are away from home with your Peke and you want to be prepared for those as well. Traffic accidents are a bad thing for people, much less for your dog. So while you are out, you do want to have them restrained while they are in the car for everyone s safety. There are plenty of great dog booster seats that will allow your Peke to see outside yet keep them restrained and safe on the ride. Small dogs love to swim just like larger ones do, the difference is that it doesn t take as long for the smaller ones to tire out. It also takes less water before they are over their heads. Even though it may be funny, you need to consider a doggie life jacket whenever your Peke is near the water. For those that like to take their dogs to the lake when camping or the beach when on vacation, a small life jacket can help save your dog s life if something happens. 6

Other Quick Tips For Pekingese First Aid: Always have a doggie first aid kit on hand, a larger one at home and a small one for on the go. You can buy these prepackaged at any large pet store or online, or you can create your own. You want to make sure that you know what s in there and how to use everything. Common items include: tweezers, small blunt scissors, eye dropper, oral syringe, rubber gloves, instant ice compresses, instant warm compresses, splints, washcloths, nail trimmers, bandaids, cotton balls or swabs, antiseptic wipes, first aid tape, small bottle of hydrogen peroxide (both for cleaning injuries and to induce vomiting if needed), and neosporin. Become familiar with the symptoms of poisoning and other illnesses that can affect your Peke. Do a daily health check of your dog to ensure that you notice anything wrong right away. If you are always on the look out for any problems, it will be easier to spot something when it s small instead of seeing it after it s too late to do anything about it. Get a dog first aid book and learn the information in it. This can help save your dog s life if they are in a serious accident, do get poisoned, or have any other serious health issues arise. Having a good dog first aid book is a great benefit to you and your dog, as well as other family members in the house. If you live in an area that can be prone to tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, or other natural disasters, make sure that you have a travel first aid kit ready in your emergency supplies. Keep in mind that your dog may be injured in a disaster as well as you, and being prepared can save your baby s life. 7

Feeding Your Pekingese What are you going to feed your Pekingese when you bring them home? Well, dog food of course would more than likely be your answer, right? Believe it or not, but not all dog foods are created equal and not all of them are good for your Peke. You want to make sure that you are picky in choosing a dog food for your Pekingese and that you are giving them the right nutrition for their breed. We recommend that you choose a high quality dog food and add in fresh foods that you can easily prepare at home while you are making your own dinner. Let s go through a bit about both items when it comes to feeding your dog. Choosing A Dog Food Here are some things to consider when you are picking out a dog food for your dog: Overall nutrition in the food you are considering look at the label and make sure that the food offers plenty of Vitamin C, K, and fiber. Beware of corn a lot of dog foods have corn as the main ingredient which is hard on a Pekingese (or any small breed s) stomach. You want to make sure that the main ingredient is meat of some type. Pick a food specially formulated for small breeds there are tons of different dog foods out there and some are specially formulated for different types of dogs. There are some for older dogs, puppies, large dogs and small dogs. You want to pick a food that is for a small breed as well as for your specific age range. Every different type of food offers something that your age and size of dog needs to be healthy. Talk with your vet your vet will also have some helpful tips on which dog foods will be the best for your Pekingese. 8

Making Dog Food At Home We have all had our wits scared out of us with recent dog food recalls and hundreds of pets that were very ill or even died from eating tainted dog food. Of course, if you are on a budget, you may not be able to afford making your dog fresh food every day. Here are some things that you can do at home to provide fresh food for your Pekingese: Real meat is great keep in mind that real meat is the best possible thing that you can feed your dog, but they need everything from muscle to organ meat and other areas. If you are cooking meat as your main dish, set aside some for your dog. Make sure it s not deep fried or has breading on it, plain cooked meat with no seasonings is an excellent food for your dog. Fresh veggies are good for them too For over 15,000 years, dogs were fed what we ate, including vegetables. Vegetables, especially green ones, are excellent for your dog for the same reasons that they are good for you too. Fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients are deep in green veggies and can help your dog be healthier and live longer. Carbs are good in small amounts putting in small amounts of carbohydrates with your dog s food is a good idea too for the same reason that it s good for us. Just make sure that you don t over do it. Fat should be included too but only a small amount. Your dog will need that small bit of fat to help give them a balanced meal overall. Cooked versus raw some people will insist that raw meat is the best for your dog because that s what they have ate for centuries, while others will insist that cooking it will take out the bad things in the meat. Both sides have a point, but we recommend that you talk with your vet about which you should feed your dog. Keep in mind that when feeding fresh food to your Pekingese, you want to make sure that their meals are 50% protein, 35% vegetables, 10% carbohydrates, and 5% fats for a balanced diet. 9

Socializing Your Pekingese Caring for a Pekingese As we mentioned before, Pekingese can be very temperamental if they are not socialized properly as a puppy. Now, don t worry if you have an older dog already, we ll talk about that too. A properly socialized Peke can be an excellent companion, no matter where you are. One that isn t socialized well can be a pain to take to the vet, and can strike out at company that comes to visit. We have all seen those dogs that are shivering balls of teeth when someone comes to visit, don t let this happen to your furry baby. Plus, a dog that is not socialized well is harder to train and can develop a bad attitude toward anyone at all even their beloved owner. Socializing A Peke Puppy Puppy time is the best time of all to socialize a Pekingese. They are still learning at this point and it is actually a vital part of how they develop. Most experts agree that the best possible time to socialize a puppy is from 7 to 12 weeks old as this is a vital time in their development. After this point, you should continue to refine their socialization skills as it becomes easier at this point if they have already been worked with and socialized a bit before this point. Up to about 3 months of age is simply the best time to work with your new baby and socialize them. 10

Dos and s For Puppies So how do you socialize a new Pekingese puppy? Here are some helpful do s and don t s: Do take your puppy with you when you go on short outings, such as to the gas station, to pick up the kids from school, and to family s houses to visit. Do take your puppy to parks, playgrounds, shopping centers, and other places where there will be lots of people for them to watch and plenty of activity to engage them. Do take your puppy to areas that can be harmful to them, frightening, or painful. help your new puppy get accustomed to seeing new things, such as changing up the way that your furniture is in the house, putting a chair upside down, or just switching up their normal environment in general a little bit during the day. try to do too much at one time, taking a puppy out to the mall is fun for a bit, but you shouldn t tackle too many busy places at once while socializing. scare them with too much new changes around them daily, a simple item turned around here or there is fine. 11

Do introduce them to things like bags, umbrellas, vacuums, and other things that might scare them. Be gentle if the sounds scare them at first, but make sure that you get them used to the sounds. Do show them the stairs, their collar, their leash and other things that they will need to be around throughout your house constantly. This will help them not to be scared of them and to be more comfortable when moving through your house. Caring for a Pekingese force your puppy to do new things. Let them decide the pace that they learn, simply provide the learning experiences for them. reward any type of fearful behavior. This can be hard with a tiny Pekingese puppy, as it s too easy to scoop them up and hug them when they are scared. But this can reinforce that scared equals being held or attention. While you want to comfort your dog, don t reinforce that they can act this way and get attention. Socializing An Older Pekingese If your Peke is already older and over that puppy phase, it s not too late to socialize them. It may take a bit more patience and time, but it can be done. Plus, you want to continue to socialize your Peke into adulthood as well as just when they are a puppy. For those that adopt or rescue Pekes, you will also want to know how to socialize new dogs to get them used to your other dogs or to be able to take them places with you 12

Dos and s For Older Pekes When your Pekingese is already older, what you can do to socialize them? Here are some helpful do s and don t s: Do Do go to a dog park. give your dog a treat when a new dog comes near the fence to reinforce positive associations with other dogs. Do Do dogs. go in, simply watch and gauge how your dog reacts to new dogs from afar. fighting. let your dog sit as long as they want to watch the other dogs. with. take your dog out for walks and socialize them with new places, smells, people and reward bad behavior, such as lunging, growling, and force your dog to stay longer than they are comfortable 13

Do dogs. Do attend obedience classes with your older Pekingese before going into play dates with other tug on their leash or yell at them when another dog comes into view. Instead, start to use a positiv reinforcement by distracting them with a toy or treat or using a command such as watch me and then give a treat when they pay attention to you and not the other dog. socialize your older dog with new people, starting with family and friends before you move on to strangers. thrust your older dog into interactions with new dogs before they are ready. start off by taking them to the mall or other crowded place if they aren t ready. When you are socializing an older Pekingese, make sure that you are patient and calm. If you react strongly to anything, your dog will learn this as well and they will think this is acceptable for a new interaction. Training and socializing an older Peke can take more time than a puppy, but it can be just as rewarding when you start to see results. 14

Grooming And Care When it comes to your Pekingese and their overall health, you want to make sure that you know the right way to groom a Pekingese as well as basic care. If you are constantly grooming your Peke, you will know right away if something is wrong or if it s time to call the vet. You ll also form a strong bond between you and your dog that will last a lifetime. Grooming Basics The Pekingese is a dog that can be a challenge to groom if you aren t sure what to do. Keep in mind that the Pekingese breed itself does shed a lot, especially in the undercoat. If you don t keep them groomed well, this can easily become matted and cause problems with their coat and health. When grooming a Peke, there are some tools that you will want to have on hand as well as some basic understandings of common problems and things to watch for. Let s start with the tools that you ll need. Tools You will want to have the right tools at your disposal before you begin. Here are the recommended tools for grooming: Moist cloth (preferably warm or at least room temperature, but not hot) Powder (baby powder works best) Nail clippers Brush Dry shampoo Scissors 15

Caring for a Pekingese With any breed, there are common problems that you should watch for. Here are some common problems to watch for when it comes to grooming your Pekingese: Pekingese do shed a large amount of hair under their bellies and around their rears. This can cause mats and other health problems if they aren t groomed on a regular basis. If you don t have the time to devote to grooming a Pekingese a couple of times a week and an all over, thorough grooming once or twice a month, this is not the breed for you. Always check your Peke s feet while you re grooming them for any items that might have become lodged in their pads, cuts or other injuries. If you are always checking their feet when grooming, you can spot problems right away that can end up becoming serious injuries. Brushing your Peke is a requirement at least twice a week to ensure that their coats are not matted or any health problems are popping up. If you find areas that are matted constantly, you might consider grooming that area a bit shorter the next time. Pekingese are also known to get eye stains from their tear ducts. These should be cleaned a couple of times a week or more with a warm washcloth to help remove any build up and to stop dark stains from forming. Facial hair can also be trimmed away to help reduce stains around the eyes. Starting a good grooming regimen is also a great way to socialize your puppy. Remember that puppies will be a bit harder to groom simple because they are more hyper than fullsize Pekes. If you do not have the time to groom your dog properly, make sure that you have a good local groomer that is familiar with grooming Pekingese dogs to help you. 16

How To Properly Groom A Pekingese Caring for a Pekingese You want to be brushing and lightly grooming your Peke at least twice a week. Plus, you will need to do a full groom on them at least once a month, possibly twice. Weekly Grooming Tips Here are the steps that you will want to take for light grooming during each week: Start by brushing your Pekingese all over. You will start with the undercoat by laying your dog on it s back. This will help remove hair that has been shed as well as help remove any problematic mats that could have formed. Move from the undercoat to the legs and then the head. Clean your dog s face. After you brush your dog completely, take the time to clean their eyes and face with a warm washcloth. You will want to get in between their wrinkles as well as work on any eye stains that might have formed. use a harsh feeling cloth as it can damage their delicate skin around this area of their face, instead use something very soft such as a baby washcloth. Check your dog s ears. While you are wiping their face, you ll want to check for foul odors, excess wax, and other obvious problems. Check your dog s feet. Look for any foreign objects that could have lodged in between their pads or injuries to their pads. Treat any injuries that you find with neosporin and bandaids, or if you feel that the injury is too large, call your vet. Trim their nails while you are checking their feet. 17

Monthly Grooming Tips Now that you ve gotten the basics of the weekly grooming down, here are the steps that you want to take to properly groom a Pekingese all over: Brush your dog. Again, the first step is to brush the dog all over. Start with the undercoat and move to the legs, then the chest, then the head and tail. Pay special attention to the back of the hind legs as this is where the majority of the tangles and mattes will be. Clean your Peke s face. Next, clean their eyes and face with a warm washcloth to help remove any build up and stains. If you still cannot get the stains off, pick up some of the specially formulated wipes that are made just for smaller dogs eye stains. If the hair that is stained is some of the longer hair, you can trim it down to help remove some of the stain. Just be careful around their eyes, especially if your dog is prone to jerking away from you. Next, clean the ears. Brush under their ears and then fold the ears back to be able to brush the tops of them. Make sure that you do a thorough check for mites, wax buildup, and odors. While you re checking the ears, use a cotton ball or swab to very gently clean their ears but don t use anything at all that is not meant to go in their ears or that your vet has not recommended. There is ear oil that you can get to help their ears stay healthy, but we recommend that you speak with your vet first. Check your dog s feet. Check for any problems with their pads, injuries, or foreign objects that might be lodged in between the toes. Tend to any injuries or problems that you see right away and if there is something that you are worried about, a call to your vet might be in order. Clip nails. As you re checking your dog s feet, clip their nails. We recommend that you use clippers that are specially made for smaller dogs. You want to be careful that you don t clip too far down and get the quick in their toes as this can draw blood. We also recommend that you have something to stop the bleeding if this does happen, there are several different kinds, such as Kwik Stop, and you can puchase it at any pet store or online. After you have finished trimming the nails and checking their feet, brush the hair on the top of their feet. 18

Bath Time! This is going to sound out of place, but this is the point where you will give your dog a bath if they need one. We recommend a dry shampoo if possible, as bathing a Pekingese too often can cause damage to their coats. Dry shampoos and conditioners are available at any large pet store or online, and they work just as well. Blowdrying. Once you are finished with your dog s bath, blow dry them on a low setting. You don t want to dry them on a hot setting as this can burn their skin. A low setting allows you to completely dry them while rebrushing their coat to fluff it up and give it the volume that Pekingese are known for. When they are totally dry and brushed, you are done. It will take some practice to get everything down when it comes to grooming a Peke, but with time, it becomes easier and easier. Many Pekingese enjoy being groomed and you will find that most will take a nap afterward as it relaxes them just like a trip to the spa relaxes us. 19

Proper Care Can Last A Life Time Now that you know the basics and more about caring for your Pekingese, you can easily provide a lifetime of loving care that will benefit you both. Pekingese dogs are wonderful family members and they can be a very fulfilling part of anyone s life. Make sure that you visit us at Pekinews.com for the most up-to-date information on caring for your Pekingese. Information in this guile is no subsitute for your veternarian s advice - please see a qualified professional if you have concerns about any health issues with your Pekingese. 20