Pekingese dog

Pekingese dog

　　      Peking specialty — The Pekingese dog, also called the Imperial Lion Dog or Peking Palast Dog, is an ancient Chinese breed with a history of four thousand years. It is a well-balanced, compactly built dog with a heavier front and lighter hindquarters. It has a distinctive personality and a strong desire to perform, resembling a lion. It represents courage, boldness, and self-esteem more than beauty, elegance, or refinement.

　　       Specialty culture: There are countless myths and legends about the Pekingese. Its appearance bears a striking resemblance to the legendary Tibetan Lion Dog, believed to be a composite of an eagle and a lion, serving as a herald in Chinese mythology. According to legend, the origin of the Tibetan Lion Dog is magical — if a newly hatched eagle is placed in a human’s hand, it will gradually grow into a Tibetan Lion Dog.

　　       When Buddhism spread from India to China, myths about the Pekingese began to intertwine with Buddhist legends. The tamed lions at the Buddha’s feet were transformed into smaller dogs. Mythology further endowed these smaller dogs with magical abilities — they could transform from dogs into lions, and vice versa. This transformation depended entirely on whether their master needed protection or companionship.

　　      According to archaeological findings in ancient tombs, the Pekingese existed over two thousand years ago. It is believed that the guardian deity “Qilin” (a Chinese unicorn) was a manifestation of this dog. Upon close inspection, the design of the Qilin does bear a remarkable resemblance to the modern Pekingese.

　　       Specialty distinctions: Over decades of selective breeding, the Pekingese has undergone tremendous changes. It is mainly divided into several historical eras: (1) the Old-style Pekingese era, (2) the New-style Pekingese era, (3) the Eagle-faced Pekingese era, and (4) the Eagle Pekingese era. How can you tell them apart? It’s quite simple: (1) The Old-style Pekingese is mainly characterized by a flat face and an exposed nose, but its coat was generally of better quality. (2) The New-style Pekingese changed significantly, with a puffed-up face and a covered nose. This type was very popular at the time, with top-quality stud dogs priced at over a million yuan, reflecting their high status. (3) The Eagle-faced Pekingese had not only a protruding face but also loose skin on the body and top of the head. It was fundamentally different from the New-style Pekingese. (4) The Eagle Pekingese represented a major improvement over the Eagle-faced version, featuring even looser body and head skin, with the top skin draping down like a waterfall. The head takes on a drum-like shape (the skull becomes round both vertically and horizontally, resembling a drum, hence the name "drum face"), the lower jaw is wide with jowls, the bite is either overbite or level, the upper lip covers the lower lip, the eyes are widely spaced. These distinctions can be easily identified through photos, videos, or live observation. Currently, the Pekingese and Eagle Pekingese are divided into four stages and eight generations. The four stages are: Big Bus, Big Du, Dudu, and Da Di. The eight generations are: Big Bus gave rise to Tiger, Tiger to Big Du, Big Du to Big Fat, Dudu had evolved into the Eagle-style Pekingese,霸王 (Ba Wang) to Da Di, Da Di to Handsome Guy. As time progresses, the pace of Pekingese refinement has accelerated. Breeders have gained knowledge of genetics, using repeated inbreeding, selection of elite traits, backcrossing, and optimal combinations. Genetic mutations occurred, giving rise to variant breeds. The Eagle Pekingese is a product of these very breeding principles.