Distinctive Appearance: Characteristics of the Pekinges

The Pekingese, also known as the Beijing Dog, is a breed that embodies balance, a compact structure, and a harmonious balance between the front and hind limbs. Hailing from China, this lively and outgoing breed loves to showcase its personality. With a lionlike appearance, the Beijing Dog exudes bravery, confidence, and a touch of elegance, grace, or delicacy. When lifted, the dog's substantial weight becomes apparent, reflecting its sturdy, muscular build, which is closely related to the size of its skeletal structure in the forequarters.

Physical Characteristics of the Pekingese:

Head: The head boasts a robust, wide, and level skeleton. The facial structure is characterized by a high crown, broad cheeks, a wide jaw, a large skeletal structure, and a broad underjaw. The width of the head across the front is greater than the width across the sides, creating a rectangular shape. The Beijing Dog's face must maintain a flat profile on the sides. The underjaw, nose, and forehead are all on the same plane. When the head is in a normal position, this plane should be vertical, though it slightly inclines towards the forehead and chin.

Nostrils: Black, wide, and relatively short when viewed from the side. The face features a flat nose with nostrils wide open. A nose sits between the eyes, with its upper end aligning with the midpoint of the line connecting the eyes.

Eyes: Large, dark, round, and lustrous, with a very open expression. The eye rings are black, ensuring that no white of the eye is visible when the dog looks forward.

Creases: Both the upper and lower parts of the face have welldefined creases. The skin folds from the skin to the cheeks, covered in fur, and extend in an inverted Vshape across the face. The creases are neither overly prominent nor do they obscure the nose and eyes, which could impede vision.

Stop: Deep, with the bridge of the nose and the wrinkles on the nose appearing almost completely concealed by hair.

Muzzle: Short and wide, with high and broad cheekbones that complement each other. The color is black, with whiskers adding an Eastern flair. The underjaw is slightly projecting. The lips are flat, and when closed, the teeth and tongue are not visible. Both an overdeveloped and an underdeveloped underjaw are undesirable.

Ears: Heartshaped ears located on either side of the head. The correct positioning of the ears, combined with dense fur, gives the impression of a broad head. The nose, lips, and eye rings of the dog should all be black in color.

Coat: The coat is long, standing upright, and covered with a thick, soft undercoat. The neck and shoulders have prominent mane, slightly shorter than the fur on the rest of the body. Ideally, the coat should be long and full, but it must not affect the dog's body shape or ignore the correct coat structure.

Tip: For more information about the Pekingese, click on "How is the Beijing Pekingese?" to read an indepth article.