Alert, calm, and intelligent dogs. Need regular activity, however require less exercise than other breeds. Stubborn tendencies may be lessened by using reward-based training involving small treats and favorite toys. They tend to bark. They can be wary around strangers and may require careful socialization to prevent or reduce defensive aggressive tendencies. May be intimidated by other dogs, causing defensive barking leading to confrontations.
The history of the Pekingese dates back as far as 2,000 years to ancient China. They were bred and established by the T'ang Dynasty in the 8th century and are one of the oldest breeds of dogs in existence today. The Pekingese were dogs of nobility and, for centuries, only members of the Chinese Imperial Palace could own them. In fact, Chinese custom demanded that commoners bow in the presence of the Pekingese. Custom also specified that the dog be sacrificed at the time of his master's death to protect him in the afterlife. In 1860, during the Second Opium War, British troops invaded the Forbidden City and wound up with five Pekingese dogs. The five dogs were bequeathed to various British nobility, including Queen Victoria. An official standard for the Pekingese was composed in 1898 and the Pekingese Club of England was founded in 1904. The American Kennel Club first recognized the breed in 1898, eight years after its first recorded entry into the United States.