The Pekingese Association, Inc.
AKC Pekingese Breed Standard
General Appearance
The Pekingese is a well-balanced, compact dog of Chinese origin with
a heavy front and lighter hindquarters. Its temperament is one of
directness, independence and individuality. Its image is lionlike,
implying courage, dignity, boldness and self-esteem rather than
daintiness or delicacy.
Size, Substance, Proportion
Size/Substance - The Pekingese, when lifted, is surprisingly heavy
for its size. It has a stocky, muscular body. All weights are
correct within the limit of 14 pounds. Disqualification: Weight over
14 pounds. Proportion - Overall balance is of utmost importance. The
head is large in proportion to the body. The Pekingese is slightly
longer than tall when measured from the forechest to the buttocks.
The overall outline is an approximate ratio of 3 high to 5 long.
Head
Face - The topskull is massive, broad and flat and, when combined
with the wide set eyes, cheekbones and broad lower jaw, forms the
correctly shaped face. When viewed from the front, the skull is
wider than deep, which contributes to the desired rectangular,
envelope-shaped appearance of the head. In profile, the face is
flat. When viewed from the side, the chin, nose leather and brow all
lie in one plane, which slants very slightly backward from chin to
forehead. Ears - They are heart-shaped, set on the front corners of
the topskull, and lie flat against the head. The leather does not
extend below the jaw. Correctly placed ears, with their heavy
feathering and long fringing, frame the sides of the face and add to
the appearance of a wide, rectangular head. Eyes - They are large,
very dark, round, lustrous and set wide apart. The look is bold, not
bulging. The eye rims are black and the white of the eye does not
show when the dog is looking straight ahead. Nose - It is broad,
short and black. Nostrils are wide and open rather than pinched. A
line drawn horizontally over the top of the nose intersects slightly
above the center of the eyes. Wrinkle - It effectively separates the
upper and lower areas of the face. It is a hair-covered fold of skin
extending from one cheek over the bridge of the nose in a wide
inverted V to the other cheek. It is never so prominent or heavy as
to crowd the facial features, obscure more than a small portion of
the eyes, or fall forward over any portion of the nose leather. Stop
- It is obscured from view by the over-nose wrinkle. Muzzle - It is
very flat, broad, and well filled-in below the eyes. The skin is
black on all colors. Whiskers add to the desired expression. Mouth -
The lower jaw is undershot and broad. The black lips meet neatly and
neither teeth nor tongue show when the mouth is closed.
Neck, Body, Tail
Neck - It is very short and thick. Body - It is pear-shaped, compact
and low to the ground. It is heavy in front with well-sprung ribs
slung between the forelegs. The forechest is broad and full without
a protruding breastbone. The underline rises from the deep chest to
the lighter loin, thus forming a narrow waist. The topline is
straight and the loin is short. Tail - The high set tail is slightly
arched and carried well over the back, free of kinks or curls. Long,
profuse, straight fringing may fall to either side.
Forequarters
They are short, thick and heavy-boned. The bones of the forelegs are
moderately bowed between the pastern and elbow. The broad chest,
wide set forelegs and the closer rear legs all contribute to the
correct rolling gait. The distance from the point of the shoulder to
the tip of the withers is approximately equal to the distance from
the point of the shoulder to the elbow. Shoulders are well laid back
and fit smoothly onto the body. The elbows are always close to the
body. Front feet are turned out slightly when standing or moving.
The pasterns slope gently.
Hindquarters
They are lighter in bone than the forequarters. There is moderate
angulation of stifle and hock. When viewed from behind, the rear
legs are reasonably close and parallel, and the feet point straight
ahead when standing or moving.
Coat & Presentation
Coat - It is a long, coarse-textured, straight, stand-off outer
coat, with thick, soft undercoat. The coat forms a noticeable mane
on the neck and shoulder area with the coat on the remainder of the
body somewhat shorter in length. A long and profuse coat is
desirable providing it does not obscure the shape of the body. Long
feathering is found on toes, backs of the thighs and forelegs, with
longer fringing on the ears and tail. Presentation - Presentation
should accentuate the natural outline of the Pekingese. Any obvious
trimming or sculpting of the coat, detracting from its natural
appearance, should be severely penalized.
Color
All coat colors and markings are allowable and of equal merit. A
black mask or a self-colored face is equally acceptable. Regardless
of coat color the exposed skin of the muzzle, nose, lips and eye
rims is black.
Gait
It is unhurried, dignified, free and strong, with a slight roll over
the shoulders. This motion is smooth and effortless and is as free
as possible from bouncing, prancing or jarring. The rolling gait
results from a combination of the bowed forelegs, well laid back
shoulders, full broad chest and narrow light rear, all of which
produce adequate reach and moderate drive.
Temperament
A combination of regal dignity, intelligence and self-importance
make for a good natured, opinionated and affectionate companion to
those who have earned its respect.
Disqualification
Weight over 14 pounds.
The foregoing is a description of the ideal Pekingese. Any deviation
should be penalized in direct proportion to the extent of that
deviation.
Approved: January 13, 2004
Effective: March 2, 2004
© 2007 The Pekingese Association, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Developed & Maintained by Elizabeth Tilley-Poole