Pekingese is a very popular pet dog breed. They are known as royal dogs because of their origin as dogs extensively bred by palace workers in China, Tibet, Rome, and Egypt around 700BC.
The price of a Pekingese varies, being anywhere between $400 and $6000. They are a brilliant family dog who doesn’t immediately get friendly with strangers.
The Pekingese has a high prey drive. They are gentle but condescending. Pekingese live anywhere from 12 to 15 years.
Buying Your Pekingese: The Average cost of ownership.
As with every other pet, buying your pet is not just about the price you pay to purchase the pet, but everything you spend to own one successfully.
There are so many expenses that go with owning a Pekingese:
Let’s look at some of them.
| Item | Average Cost |
| Pekingese | $500 – $5000 |
| Bedding | $50 – $75 |
| Food | $35 – $45 per month |
| Veterinary fees | $80 – $100 |
| Food and Water Bowls | |
| Grooming Supplies | $50 – $85 |
| Treats (Snacks and Chewy) | |
| Short and Long leashes | |
| Poop disposal items | $10 – $20 |
| Cage | |
| Dog Toys | $15 – $30 |
| Exercise Pen (X-Pen) | |
| Training | |
| Spaying / Neutering |
The first and most important purchase is Pekingese herself.
The cost can vary between $400 and $6000, depending on where you are buying the dog, age, and the type of Pekingese you choose.
The Pekingese comes in different colors and types. Your Pekingese is going to fall into one of these categories:
Tiny Sleeve Pekingese
Show Quality Pekingese
Pet Quality Pekingese
Sourcing for Your Pekingese
Be careful where you are buying your Pekingese from. Today you can find the Pekes in mills, Pet shops, and backyard breeders’ pens.
They don’t belong in these places, and you should never buy your Pekingese from such places.
Getting a good Pekingese with good health and temperament is the best attribute of a great dog. You must buy your dog from a pure breeder.
You should see the parent and siblings of the dog you intend to buy.
One significant advantage of buying your Pekingese from the right source is the breed quality, the assurance that your Peke will mature into a particular look and behavior.
While the source of your Pekingese Pet plays a vital role in determining the price you would pay for your Pekingese also matters.
You can expect to pay about $500 for a good pet quality Pekingese. A show quality Pekingese would cost around $1000.
According to Puppy Boutique, the tiny sleeve Pekingese, of Korean origin, cost $4,000 – $6000. This excludes the cost of shipping the pet to your destination in the United States or wherever you are located in the world.
In Summary, be prepared to pay approximately:
Tiny Sleeve Pekingese: $5000
Show Quality Pekingese: $1000
Pet Quality Pekingese: $500
Choosing Habitats For Your Pekingese
Choosing a suitable habitat for your Pekingese is another thing you have to consider.
The habitat includes everything your dog needs for day-to-day living. This includes the bedding, cage, and other cage accessories for your Peke.
The Cage:
The cage is the quiet haven for your Pekingese. Although, some dog owners see the idea of a cage as a punishment and frown at putting the Pekingese in a cage as if they are some wild animal.
The same way you enter your bed at night for a good night’s rest, your dog also needs a place to sleep and rest.
The average cage will cost around $75, depending on your chosen size and brand.
There is a perfect cage that I have found on Amazon; I will link it here in case you want to buy one for your Pekingese. This particular one comes with a bed and bowls for water and feed.
Moreover, if you are going to take your Pekingese in your car, you should get a travel carrier. I will link one I found on Amazon here.
Exercise Pen (X-Pen)
Your Pekingese needs an exercise pen. The x-pen is a transportable and foldable playpen. The typical size is about 4ft by 4ft.
Other brands are as good with varied sizes, which can be assembled, dissembled, and stored away when not used.
The x-pen is ideal for giving your puppy a section of the house where he can run around having to poop around your living room.
X-Pens are suitable for your dog to play outside, in the yards.
They generally cost around $80 on Amazon. Check this link for a well-built and sturdy one I found.
Bed:
Your Pekingese is a member of your household with rights to the same level of comfort as every family member.
Providing a good bed for the pet is essential to its health and well-being.
The price of beds varies; it depends on your dog’s size, the bedding materials’ brand, and how much you are willing to spend.
Amazon has a stock of different sizes and shapes. I have checked through their massive list and read through many reviews.
The average cost of a good doggy bed for a small-sized dog is $30. Remember, you will change the bed as your Pekingese grows and develops.
This link is to the one with lots of positive feedback based on previous buyers’ experiences.
Veterinary fees:
Another unavoidable expense your Pekingese pet would attract is that of the veterinary doctor.
The first visit to the vet will include regular consultation for the general checks and vaccination.
Let us look at the breakdown:
First visit and Vaccination:
Your Peke’s first visit to the vet will cost between $80 – $100.
With this visit, your dog gets adequately checked for vitals, which include: temperature, weight, mouth, teeth, etc.
The vet also checks the heartbeat and examines all vital organs. He also administers the first vaccination shot for your dog.
Dog vaccination cost varies from $0 – $100 depending on where you take your Pekingese for vaccination; generally, a dog clinic where the shots are usually free and a specialized veterinary clinic where you pay up to $100.
Neutering and Pet Insurance:
Neutering or Spaying (if your Peke is female) costs between $50 – $250.
Another thing to consider is pet insurance. Although this is an optional, but very advisable expense considering that your pet’s health is critical.
The monthly dog insurance costs about $10 – $100, depending on your chosen cover.
However, Pet insurance for your Pekingese should cover regular medical checks, joint injuries, accidents, cancer, breed-specific illness, or genetic condition peculiar to your dog breed.
The Food:
Since your Peke is not going to be a stuffed animal, he is going to eat. This brings us to the feeding aspect of owning a Pekingese.
The cost of feeding your dog will depend on your choice of feed.
Dog food comes in different types, flavors, and gourmets.
Pekingese can be fed with either dry or wet food.
The average cost of wet food is $10, while dry food cost around $20.
Food Bowls:
You Peke needs dishes for her food. Getting the proper water and food bowls are essential.
The flat bottom stainless steel is the most advisable bowl for food and water. The plastic bowls may cause allergic reactions and have the potential to hold germs and bacteria.
You can get a good water and bowl combo from Amazon for $30. Check this link to see the one I have found.
Toys and Chewbones
Balls and latex squeaky and fleece-type toys are necessary for your Pekingese.
Dog toys vary in price and what you spend, eventually, depends on your spending budget and how much you are willing to spoil your peke.
However, a budget of $30 for toys and chew bones (your puppy needs this – it’s like a teething ring for babies) is not out of place.
Leash and Harness:
You need at least a pair of leashes for your dog. A short and a long one is suitable for when you take her out for a walk.
A good quality collar and leash will cost around $30
Poop Bag:
You can neither stop your dog from pooping when on a walk together nor stop the poop from smelling. Going out with your Pekingese and having poop bags in your pocket is mandatory.
The odor-blocking lavender-scent poop bags that lock in the poop stank is available here on Amazon for $12.
Microchip:
The microchip is implanted under your dog’s skin to provide unique identification.
The implants contain unique numbers linked with the owner’s information in a pet recovery database.
The cost of a microchip implant for your Pekingese is between $25 – $75.
Grooming Supplies.
Your Pekingese will require regular grooming to keep her coat healthy. Items like brushes, Combs, and Shampoo are essential.
Generally, a budget of $50 – $85 will be enough to get the necessary grooming supplies.
Pekingese Temperament
One fantastic thing about the Pekingese breed is their intelligence and family friendliness.
The Pekes adapt very well with their family and are aloof to strangers. This is what makes them an excellent watchdog. They bark at the presence of strangers.
Pekingese are not the ideal dog for a family with small children – who may play rough with the dog in ways that would feel threatened or frightened and consequently defend themselves by attacking or nipping the kid.
It is always advisable for parents to supervise their dog and children’s relationship.
Are the Pekingese dogs Aggressive?
Typically, the Pekingese is not aggressive. However, there are times when your dog shows signs of aggression – particularly towards strangers.
How to deal with Pekingese Aggression:
One way to deal with the aggressiveness in your Pekingese is to prevent it from happening.
In short, the prevention of aggressive behavior in your Pekingese starts with getting your dog from a reputable breeder; that is, making sure your dog comes from a family with good genealogy.
Also, you should teach your Peke to be friendly with visitors by rewarding them when they respond to commands like “Sit & Stay” while the guest is present.
Pekingese and Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is no stranger to your Pekingese. One thing you don’t want happening is when you come back from work and find your dog has chewed the sole of your favorite shoe or left scratch marks on your walls, doors, and leather sofa.
These nervous and destructive behaviors are characteristics of when your dog suffers from loneliness; they are emotional responses.
Remember that your dog is a social animal and becomes restless and agitated when they are alone and looking for a way to get out.
The agitation (as a result of loneliness) is a fear response in your dog. Punishing your dog for being anxious will not stop the behavior.
However, you can condition your dog to adapt by separating from them for not too long and gradually increasing the time you spend away from her.
Boredom may cause your Pekingese to become destructive. Therefore, Providing physical activities for your dog will help change the behavior.
Finally, teaching her daily obedience commands goes a long way to condition them to be the ‘royal’ dog your expected.
The Life Expectancy of Pekingese Dogs
The average lifespan of a Pekingese dog is 12-15 years.
However, the life expectancy of your dog also depends on other factors, such as the level of care available to your dog and, in particular, some hereditary factors.
As with every other dog, you should get your dog from a reputable breeder, who must have made sure your Peke is free of any genetic conditions passed from the mother to the puppy.
Furthermore, the purebred breeders must have ensured that the mother is well and not carrying any genetic or hereditary conditions. If it did, they wouldn’t have allowed the mother to procreate.
As a rule, you must get your Pekingese from a reliable breeder and not some backyard mill or a pet store; by so doing, you can guarantee that your pet will be free of any disease that could cut her life short.
