Sporting a thick double-layered coat, your Pekingese is a small dog with big grooming needs. His coat offers a variety of possible hairstyles, ranging from short to long to any length or combination in between. Each style offers its own pros and cons, and picking one depends on personal preference.
Leave It Long
With his tiny body and thick poofy hair, a Peke in full coat often looks like a Tribble with a face. The most obvious way to deal with his coat is to leave it long, which is the only hairstyle approved for show pooches. With this hairstyle, your Peke's coat is brushed and fluffed to make it look full and thick, with only very minimal trimming around his paws to prevent matting.
Short and Sweet
If your pooch is more pet than prize, the long show cut may not benefit your little guy. Many owners prefer to get their Peke trimmed down into a shorter puppy cut, which greatly reduces the amount of grooming necessary to keep him looking nice. The length of this cut can vary depending on your preference, so speak with your groomer to determine what length would work for your lifestyle and location.
King of the Jungle
The Peke's nickname is “Lion Dog” because of his powerful personality and uncanny resemblance to Chinese guardian lion statues. Accentuate this resemblance by having your pup trimmed into a lion cut, which looks exactly like it sounds. His body is clipped short while a longer mane and tail-tip tuft are left to give the appearance of the King of the Jungle.
Things to Keep In Mind
Before picking a hairstyle for your Peke, keep your lifestyle and dedication to grooming in mind. The longer the hair, the quicker it gets dirty, meaning you'll need to give your Peke a bath more often. His thick double-layered coat will mat like mad if not brushed regularly, a fact that becomes more apparent the longer his hair is. Daily brushing with a pin or slicker brush is mandatory for longer-haired styles, while you can taper off to every other day or only once or twice a week for shorter cuts. Shaving your Peke short may alter the way his hair regrows, so be aware that his coat may look odd should you want to grow him out after having him clipped into a puppy or lion cut. Without his long hair as protection, your Peke could suffer sun damage to his skin in shorter cuts, so keep this in mind during outings on sunny days.
