Pekingese: Equipment and travel

Choose Pekingese's travel equipment for fit, comfort, and the actual journey, then condition each part before combining them. Watch Pekingese's response closely and change one variable at a time. Condition the harness, crate, car, surfaces, and handling separately; check fit and comfort before adding distance or duration. Condition fit, movement, and duration separately before combining them in a real journey.

What the dog's body and routine require

Pekingese's height is recorded as 6-9 inches. Here, that matters because it is useful context, but the individual dog's response still decides the next step.

Condition equipment in stages

  1. Condition the harness, crate, car, surfaces, and handling separately; check fit and comfort before adding distance or duration.
  2. Keep the height in view (6-9 inches) and make the next step reversible, observable, and easy to stop.
  3. Condition fit, movement, and duration separately before combining them in a real journey.

Stop using it if

Stop if equipment causes rubbing, restricted breathing, panic, limping, or escape risk.

References

Height: 6-9 inches
AKC page PageMap DataObject > height

Weight: up to 14 pounds
AKC page PageMap DataObject > weight

Life expectancy: 12-14 years
AKC page PageMap DataObject > life_expectancy

Grooming: The thick double coat of the Pekingese requires a good bit of maintenance. Pekingese shed seasonally. Brushing him at least one hour per week will help to remove loose hairs and prevent matting, and an occasional bath will help to keep him looking his best. Mats or tangles can be gently worked out with a slicker brush or metal comb. As with all breeds, the…
AKC page Grooming > official section copy

Exercise: Pekingese are charming, confident companions who develop a close bond with their people. Their whole purpose in life is to amuse and comfort. Although they are fairly sedate most of the time and have only modest exercise requirements, they do enjoy participating in canine sports at their own pace.
AKC page Exercise > official section copy

Training: A hallmark of the breed is their friendly, outgoing, loving personality. Pekes are affectionate and intelligent and develop very strong connections to their people. As dogs who for centuries lived in palaces, Pekes can be as serenely independent as the emperors who owned them. (They're 'opinionated,' Peke people often say.) Ever alert, they make good little…
AKC page Training > official section copy

Official breed description: The Pekingese, a compact toy companion of regal bearing and a distinctive rolling gait, is one of several breeds created for the ruling classes of ancient China. These are sophisticated dogs of undying loyalty and many subtle delights.
AKC page About the Breed > official breed description

Recommended parent-club health tests: ['No recommended health tests']
AKC page Health > Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club

Official breed standard: http://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Pekingese.pdf
AKC page The Breed Standard > View Full Breed Standard

Use the tools

Turn a question into a closer look