Modern breeders and dog show judges seem to prefer the long-haired type over the more traditional spaniel-type coat.

Cream, black, white, tan, black-and-tan and occasionally 'blue' or slate grey have appeared in the breed.

Albino Pekingese (white with pink eyes) should not be bred due to health problems associated with albinism.

Due to heavy shedding and to prevent mats, this double-coated breed requires frequent extensive grooming.Pekingese weigh from 7 to 14 lb (3.2 to 6.4 kg) and stand about 6–9 inches (15–23 cm) at the withers; however, they can be smaller.

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.3 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

Therefore other potential concerns in the breed are eye issues and breathing problems, resulting from its tiny skull and flattened face.

[4][verification needed] In an effort to address potential breathing difficulties caused by the breed's flat face, the Kennel Club (UK) significantly changed the breed standard in October 2008, removing the clause that the "profile [should be] flat with nose well up between eyes" and adding instead that the "muzzle must be evident".

Keeping the Pekingese coat healthy and presentable requires daily brushing and a trip to the groomer every 8–12 weeks.

It is important to remove foreign materials from the eyes daily, and clean the creases on the face to prevent sores (hot spots).

It is also necessary to keep and maintain the long fur in the rear end (aka the "trousers" or "skirt") clean and well-groomed, as the area is prone to soiling.

Due to their extremely short snouts, they are at a higher risk for breathing difficulties (most notably brachycephalic obstructed airway syndrome).

[7] During the Second Opium War, in 1860, the Old Summer Palace in Beijing was sacked and set ablaze by a combined Anglo-French expeditionary force, after the Xianfeng Emperor had fled with all of his court members to Chengde.

A British soldier, Captain John Hart Dunne came across a lone pekingese, which he brought back to England.

However the tale has no support from contemporary documents, while both Hay and Fitzroy may well have acquired pekes from some source, they were serving Naval officers expected to stay with their ships guarding the entrance to Beijing.

They were owned by such arbiters of fashion as Alexandra of Denmark, wife of Edward VII, and Elsie de Wolfe, popular American interior decorator.

[13] A 2018 Country Life article asserted that the breed's "perceived desirability has plummeted, eclipsed entirely by that of the shih tzu".

Hubbard indicated that this tradition appeared to be early Italian rather than Chinese, but its adoption by the Chinese Imperial Household led to dogs being bred as small as possible and to practices aimed at stunting their growth: giving puppies rice wine, holding newborns tightly for hours at a time or putting the puppies into tight-fitting wire mesh waistcoats.