Pekingese Dog Breed Information

The Pekingese is one of the most heavily brachycephalic dogs registered in New Zealand, and one of the breeds where the climate-and-living-conditions match matters most. The combination of a flattened face, a heavy double coat, an undershot jaw and a stubbornly independent palace-dog temperament makes for a breed that suits a specific household well (a cool flat, a retiree, a Christchurch villa with aircon) and is a poor match for many others. Honest matching saves real welfare problems.

Adults stand 15 to 23 cm at the shoulder and weigh 3 to 6 kg. The double coat is long, the outer coat is coarse and the undercoat is soft and thick. Lifespan runs 12 to 14 years.

Personality and behaviour

Pekingese were developed for over a thousand years as sacred companions to the Chinese imperial court, and the modern breed still carries that history. The personality is dignified, watchful and devoted to its chosen people. A Pekingese chooses one or two favourites in the household and treats the rest of the world with polite reserve. They will follow their person from room to room but settle quietly nearby rather than demanding attention.

The breed is wary of strangers and slow to warm. Most Pekingese will alert at the door, observe a visitor from a distance and decide on their own timeline whether to engage. With other dogs, the default is composed indifference. The bark is moderate (less constant than a Maltese, more selective than a Cavalier).

The trait that surprises new owners is the stubbornness. Pekingese are smart but they are not biddable in any standard sense. The breed considers most training requests to be optional input that may or may not be acted on. Owners coming from Labrador or Cavalier backgrounds find the contrast jarring; owners coming from cats find the dog familiar.

Around children, the breed is patient with calm older kids who handle small dogs respectfully. Toddlers are a poor match: the small frame is fragile, the eyes are vulnerable to a paw or a finger (proptosis is a real brachycephalic emergency), and the breed will protest sharply if grabbed. Most NZ breeders prefer households without children under eight.

Care and exercise

Plan on around 20 minutes of exercise a day, split into two short walks. The breed is not built for long walks, runs or hot-weather activity. The flat face limits panting efficiency, the heavy coat traps warmth, and the short legs cover less ground than they look like. A 10-minute morning walk and a 10-minute evening walk plus indoor wandering meets the daily need for most adult Pekingese. Mental enrichment (a snuffle mat, a slow feeder, a short training game) matters more than physical exercise.

Grooming is the biggest ongoing commitment. The double coat needs daily brushing with a pin brush and metal comb, paying special attention to the ears, behind the legs, the trousers (rear feathering) and the chest mane where mats form fastest. Bath every two to three weeks. Most NZ pet Pekingese end up in a “puppy clip” (short all-over) every six to eight weeks at NZ$80 to NZ$120 per session. The clip cuts home grooming roughly in half but does not remove the need.

The facial folds need daily attention. The deep wrinkles around the muzzle and below the eyes trap moisture, food particles and tear discharge, and untreated they develop fold dermatitis (red, smelly, infected skin) within days. A daily wipe with a damp cotton pad is the bare minimum.

Dental care is the third daily task. The undershot jaw crowds teeth severely, plaque builds fast, and most Pekingese need a scale-and-polish under anaesthetic every two to three years from age five at NZ$600 to NZ$1,200 per visit. Anaesthesia in a brachycephalic dog carries higher risk than in a non-brachy dog; choose a vet experienced in flat-faced breeds.

The dietary watch-out is portion control on a build that compounds brachycephaly with extra weight. An overweight Pekingese breathes worse, sleeps worse and tires faster than a lean one. A 5 kg adult eats 80 to 130 g of food a day. Treats need to come out of the daily allowance, not on top of it.

Climate fit across New Zealand

The Pekingese is one of the worst-suited Toys for upper-North-Island summers. Climate fit matters more for this breed than for most.

• Auckland and Northland. The hardest fit. Humid summers above 25 degrees regularly trigger heat stress in brachycephalic Toys, and the Pekingese is at the severe end of the brachy spectrum. Aircon at home is essentially a baseline requirement for the breed in this region. Walk before 8 am or after 7 pm December through February, never leave the dog in a parked car, and consider summer cooling mats indoors. Some NZ vets advise against the breed in unconditioned Auckland flats.
• Wellington. A much better fit. Cool summers and breezy days suit the breed. Wind is no concern; the coat handles it. The hill suburbs are fine because most exercise is short and flat. A small fitted coat for winter walks is sensible.
• Christchurch and Canterbury. A good year-round fit. Cold winters are easy work for the double coat. Hot dry nor’westers in summer still need early-walks discipline because of the flat face, but the climate is generally kinder than Auckland. Dust and grass-seed risks (foxtails in coat) need a check after walks in long grass.
• Central Otago and Southland. Suits the breed. The double coat handles frost and cold well, and Pekingese tolerate cold far better than heat. The build is not for snow trekking, but as a household companion in a heated home with structured short walks, the breed thrives.

Where to find a Pekingese in New Zealand

Three paths.

1. Registered NZKC breeders. The Dogs NZ breeders directory lists registered Pekingese breeders, mostly in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch. Expect a 6 to 12 month waitlist and NZ$2,200 to NZ$4,000 per puppy. A reputable breeder shows patella scores, BOAS-grading on parents (some NZ breeders are now using the University of Cambridge BOAS exercise tolerance test), eye certification and ideally cardiac auscultation. Look for breeders working toward more open nostrils and a slightly longer muzzle than the show extreme; this matters for the dog’s lifelong breathing.
2. Toy and small-breed rescue. Pekingese turn up periodically when older owners can no longer manage. Adoption fees usually run NZ$400 to NZ$700, and the dogs are typically already desexed, vaccinated and assessed. Older Pekingese (eight-plus) make excellent companion dogs for retirees who want a settled, low-energy dog without the puppy work.
3. SPCA NZ. Pure Pekingese in SPCA centres are uncommon; Pekingese-cross dogs (Pekingese-Maltese, Pekingese-Shih Tzu) are more frequent. Standard SPCA fees apply, NZ$300 to NZ$600.

Avoid online listings without parent photos, breeders who cannot show health screening or BOAS grading, and any source breeding for the most extreme flattened face. The most heavily brachy show-line dogs have the worst lifelong breathing.

Insurance and lifetime cost

Pekingese insurance claims in NZ are dominated by brachycephalic respiratory issues, eye injuries and dental work. Three things matter on a policy:

• Brachycephalic exclusions. Some NZ insurers exclude or limit cover for BOAS, soft palate surgery, nostril surgery and heat stroke. For a severely brachycephalic breed, this is the most important clause. Read the wording closely; the difference between full cover and exclusion can be NZ$3,000 to NZ$6,000 in soft palate surgery alone in early adulthood.
• Anaesthesia and dental cover. Pekingese need regular dental work, and brachycephalic anaesthesia carries higher risk and cost. Some NZ insurers cap anaesthesia-related claims; check the cap.
• Sub-limits per condition. Recurrent eye injuries (corneal ulcers, fold dermatitis) and chronic respiratory issues are the typical breed claims that exhaust low sub-limits fastest.

For a typical NZ Pekingese on a mid-range lifetime policy, lifetime cost (purchase plus 12 to 14 years of food, vet, insurance, council registration, grooming, gear and other) lands around NZ$28,000 to NZ$45,000. Brachycephalic surgery in early adulthood, professional grooming every six to eight weeks, and the dental line are the biggest variables.