The Prized Pekingese

Characterized by its regal demeanor and poofy pelt, the Pekingese boasts the title of one of the most ancient and pure dog breeds still in existence. The Pekingese’s past is ornamented with colorful folklore and truthful tales of the breed’s character and cultural importance. In this edition of The StickerTalk, we invite you to meet the fiery, yet noble, Pekingese.

Ancient Allies: Chinese legend claims that the Buddha created the Pekingese by transforming a lion into the size of a lapdog. A revered breed, only members of the imperial family were allowed to own a Pekingese, and anyone found guilty of thieving one of the prized pooches was sentenced to death. Ancient Chinese aristocrats were so smitten with the breed that the Pekingese is said to have traveled in their billowing robe sleeves.

Crossing Continents: The Pekingese resided exclusively in China until the Opium Wars of the nineteenth century. When British troops invaded the royal palace in Peking, they confiscated five Pekingese dogs and presented them to Queen Victoria. The monarch took an instant liking to the breed, naming one of her Pekingese puppies “Looty.” A natural trendsetter, Queen Victoria and her taste in pets soon took the remainder of the globe by storm.

Sturdy Survivor: Of the approximately twelve dogs aboard the ill-fated Titanic, only three canine passengers survived the now-famous maritime disaster, a Pekingese among them. Sun Yat-Sen, a prized Pekingese belonging to a prominent enterprising family of New York, boarded lifeboat 3 on Titanic’s starboard side, luckily surviving the tragic ordeal.