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THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING ADDING A PEKINGESE TO YOUR FAMILY DO THEY SHED? Of course they shed!! Hair, Hair everywhere! Females usually shed twice a year, males once a year. If you are a “neat freak”, don’t purchase a Pekingese. THEY WILL BE PART OF YOUR FAMILY! When you are home, your Pekingese will want to be with you, will sleep with you if you want them to, but will also be happy with their own bed on the floor. They can be left alone without destroying your house. Give them a bed and their toys and they will wait for you to return. ARE SMALL CHILDREN OK? It is impossible to watch a small child 24/7! We do not recommend Pekingese for families with small children—it is too easy for them to grab hair, tail or ears—and eventually the dog is going to retaliate. There may be exceptions to this rule, but you need to give it considerable thought. DO YOU HAVE A FENCED YARD? If you don’t, then don’t even think about getting a Pekingese! They love to explore and can’t be trusted to stay by your side when you are outdoors. Swimming pools and small ponds must be fenced the same as you would for a toddler—Pekingese DO NOT swim well. You must be able to keep them safe at all times. HOW ABOUT BARKING? Yes, Pekingese do bark, but only when they have something to bark about! They are not a noisy, yappy breed but will definitely alert their owner if a stranger appears. Once they have made their point they see no reason for further barking. HOW MUCH CARE DO THEY REQUIRE? In spite of the long coat, a complete weekly grooming—brushing, checking ears and toenails—will keep your Pekingese quite free of tangles. They may be bathed as often as you want, depending on your own preference. Baby powder or cornstarch used during grooming will keep them quite clean between baths. THIS IS A BRACHYCEPHALIC BREED! Because of the short nose and flat face the Pekingese does not do well in the heat. You must be careful to not let it become overheated. They tolerate cold quite well and love to play outside. CAN YOU HANDLE ALL OF THE ABOVE? Congratulations, a Pekingese could be in your future! But, PLEASE, don’t purchase from a pet store. There are many reputable breeders striving to produce healthy puppies. Animals purchased from a pet store often have a lot of health problems and a shorter life span because of them.