The current FCI standard is unusually explicit: any sign of breathing difficulty is unacceptable in a Pekingese, as are narrow nostrils and heavy wrinkles over the nose. It should appear lionlike, dignified and fearless. British measurements show how far many dogs fall short of that aim.
| FCI | Group 9 (Companion and Toy Dogs), Section 8 Japanese Chin and Pekingese, Standard No. 207, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | China (patronage Great Britain) |
| Height at the withers | Not specified in the FCI standard |
| Weight | Ideal weight males no more than 5 kg, females no more than 5,4 kg |
| Life expectancy | Median 13,3 years in a British analysis of 584.734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | Moderately long, straight, with a mane; coarse outer coat, dense softer undercoat, feathering on ears, legs, tail and toes |
| Colours according to the standard | All colours and markings equally acceptable, particolours evenly marked; albino, liver and merle not permitted |
A small dog with a lion’s mane
The standard gives China as the country of origin, with Great Britain holding patronage. It describes a small, balanced, moderately thickset dog of great dignity, fearless, loyal and aloof in temperament, neither timid nor aggressive. It should feel surprisingly heavy when lifted. It shares its section with the Japanese Chin (Chin).
What the standard expressly rules out
The nose must not be too short, nostrils should be large and open, and a muzzle must remain evident. Eyes should be free of obvious problems, and the coat must not impede movement. Clear words that breeding still needs to catch up with.
Only one in ten breathes without signs of trouble
In a British cross-sectional study, 45 Pekingese were assessed for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) after an exercise test (Tomlinson et al. 2026). Only 10,9 per cent showed no signs, little different from Pugs, French Bulldogs and English Bulldogs. Only 17,8 per cent had open nostrils. After the Finnish breeding test, conducted without a time limit because of the extremely short legs, four of seven Pekingese had an elevated body temperature (Lilja-Maula et al. 2024).
A wide eye opening and a vulnerable cornea
A British clinical study of 700 dogs measured relative eyelid aperture width (Packer et al. 2015). The Pekingese ranked highest at 34,2, compared with 19,0 in a Labrador; this difference was associated with just over five times the odds of a corneal ulcer. Short-headed dogs had twenty times the risk in that study.
Spinal discs, births and lifespan
At an Israeli veterinary hospital, 81 of 426 Pekingese presented had confirmed disc herniation, 70 per cent in the thoracic and lumbar spine (Chai et al. 2018). Calcified discs on X-rays greatly increased the odds. In a British breeder survey, the Pekingese was among the ten breeds with the highest caesarean rates (Evans and Adams 2010). Median lifespan was 13,3 years, but a long life is no proof of unobstructed airways.
When it could suit you
If you want a quiet dog with a mind of its own, keep it lean, avoid jumps and insist on breathing tests for both parents.
When to choose another breed
If you have long hikes in mind or consider snuffling and snoring cute.
The breed quiz can show whether an independent companion fits your everyday life; our book offers more detail: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). If the small size appeals but the flat face does not, compare the Tibetan Spaniel or the Papillon, both with medium-length muzzles. Find all breeds in the Dog Breed Encyclopedia. Shelters also rehome Pekingese. For the first weeks with a puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack.
Further reading
- Pug: what a nose bred away means in everyday life
- Dachshund: its back shapes its entire life
- Is my dog overweight? How to assess body condition and ideal weight
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 207 Pekingese (fci.be, English version dated 06.10.2026; no German version has been published); Tomlinson F et al., A cross-sectional study into the prevalence and conformational risk factors of BOAS across fourteen brachycephalic dog breeds, PLOS ONE 2026; Lilja-Maula LIO et al., Evaluation of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome breeding test results in Finland from 2017 to 2022, Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2024; Packer RMA et al., Impact of facial conformation on canine health: corneal ulceration, PLOS ONE 2015; Chai O et al., Characteristics of and risk factors for intervertebral disk extrusions in Pekingese, JAVMA 2018; Evans KM, Adams VJ, Proportion of litters of purebred dogs born by caesarean section, Journal of Small Animal Practice 2010; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024.
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