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Dog Articles
Past and Present:
Pekingese
This
Oriental toy is of great antiquity, as is proved in the art and
sculpture of ancient dynasties in China. He is a tiny, soft, cuddly,
little creature, rather less exclusive in his friendships than the
English toys, easily distinguished from them and from the toy
Spaniels by his long, low body and short legs, as well as by his
deep, soft, straight, and woolly rather than silky coat.
The fancy
desires a type whose expression implies courage, boldness,
self-esteem, and combativeness, rather than prettiness, daintiness,
and delicacy. As a rule, they have plenty of self-esteem; most of
them are fully aware of their immunity from deserved punishment, due
to their tiny size and general defenselessness, and take full
advantage of it.
They are
of any color, to meet the whimsical tastes of the wealthy; it would
be foolish to lose a sale, at prevalent Pekingese prices, because a
purchaser liked a ‘wrong’ color, and the fancy is accordingly
lenient.
He has the
short muzzle, full (not to say poppy) eyes, prominent dome, and
pompon tail of all toy Spaniels, but he excels all in the elaborate
ruff on the chest, and long, rich feather from thighs, sides, and
fore legs. He must be under 18 pounds, and the smaller he is the
better.
The
Pekingese are the sacred temple dogs of Peking, and were once so
carefully guarded that their theft was punishable by death. The
first specimens to reach England were brought over in 1860 by
Admiral Lord John Hay, who found them in the garden of the Summer
Palace, where they had doubtless been left when the court fled to
the interior on the approach of the Allied forces. These, with a few
other specimens smuggled out of China, often with great difficulty,
were the ancestors of many of the Pekes we see today.
With his
comparatively large head, crush nose, and wide-apart eyes, the
Pekingese looks as quaint as a bit of ancient Chinese pottery.
Source:
National Geographic 1919
Recommended Reading
Dog Training
Mastery - An Owners' Manual
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