Pre-eminent among the small varieties dog species is a fashionable Pekingese. He is in the strict classification a toy. The reader may sneer at the word ''toy'' and fancy that Peke. He is hard, strong, easy-to-raise animal and one of his gamest for his inches of any breed in existence. His shaggy mane, resembling that of a lion, his dark marking muzzle and eye, and his tawny coat, together with his sturdy frame, suggest a big little dog, and he is all of that. He made an excellent watch dog, because he is always keen and alert and slightest noice day or night will cause him to give a signal by his loud and rather and raucous bark. There is something formidable looking about Peke as he approaches a stranger, who dare invade the sacred precincts of his mistress or master, and as an alarm, there are few small dog that are superior.
The Pekingese sprang into popularity within the last twenty years, though he is said to be one of the oldest Chinese breed, from which country he was introduced to England and then to America where he soon became the vague, and some of the wealthy people of the East paid almost fabulous figure for good specimens. Why prices are now reasons for good specimen, the Peke cannot be classified as "poor man's dog" although it is possible to go to some of the kennels making this breed a specialty and buy at a reasonable figure. A person buying a Peke for companion on, will gain a full satisfaction in owning a well-breed-non-winner as he probably would if he has a great champion. At the present time, the fancy is breeding them as much as possible and the larger ones are not in as great demand, though they often come as weighing as eighteen pounds when matured. The novice dog-owner will not find a fifteen to eighteen pound Pekingese objectionable. However, as a house dog, though as a show performer, he will be unnoticed. As a matter of fact, the fancy is now breeding them so small that their usefulness as house dogs is practically bred away. In buying specimen of this breed for house companion, I would suggest one should go over the ten-pound weight first, because the breeder will always gladly dispose of those that come "come large" at a more reasonable figure, and secondly, because they are more hardy and useful. It is the under ten-pound weight specimen that are the show dogs, and the smaller the better it seems.
