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SmallToy Group

Pekingese

The Pekingese was a sacred palace dog of the Chinese imperial court for over 2,000 years; non-imperial ownership was punishable by death in certain dynasties.

Calculate Pekingese age
Lifespan13.3 yrrange 13–14
SizeSmallToy Group
Weight7–14 lb3.2–6.4 kg
Senior at8 yrgeriatric at 12

Gallery (3)

About

About the Pekingese

The Pekingese was a sacred palace dog of the Chinese imperial court for over 2,000 years; non-imperial ownership was punishable by death in certain dynasties. British troops looted five from the Summer Palace in 1860; these became the Western founding stock.

Aging

How Pekingeses age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 13.3 years (n=1,034). Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome is the defining welfare concern; intervertebral disc disease from the dwarfed frame and corneal ulcers from shallow orbits are secondary.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 13.3 yr · range 13–14Senior careSenior at 8 · geriatric at 12Common health issues3 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
7–14 lb(3.2–6.4 kg)
Height
6–9 in(15.2–22.9 cm)
Coat type
Long
Colors
BiscuitBlackBlack & TanCreamFawnFawn SableGrayGray SableRedRed SableWhiteRed Brindle
Temperament

Temperament

How Pekingeses tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

affectionateloyalregalstubborn
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~1 yr

    Congenital Cardiac Defect

    Description and veterinary guidance for Congenital Cardiac Defect land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
45min
per day

Pekingeses are satisfied by around 45 minutes of daily activity (energy level 3/5). Short, regular outings beat one long session.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.