Pekingese Grooming Styles

The Pekingese is an old breed of Chinese origin that was kept by the imperial court as a companion and guard dog. The Pekingese has a thick double coat that requires daily brushing to eliminate dirt that can cause matting. Pekingese grooming styles range from a full, long coat to a shaven coat.

  1. Show Groom

    • Show dog Pekingese are groomed to display the full potential of the coat. The show groom is a fluffed out and brushed mane of hair that completely covers the body. The hair on the face, ears and body touches the ground and completely covers the legs. The tail hair is brushed up and fanned over the back of the body. The only hair that is cut is the hair in between the toes so that the pads can touch the ground. With a show-groom style, the Pekingese looks like a ball of hair. The groom is not easy to maintain and requires constant brushing and frequent washing.

    Puppy Cut

    • The puppy cut is an all-over trim that is named so because it resembles the short, fluffy coat of a puppy. The body and face are trimmed to an even length and the ears are shaved. The length depends on the owner or groomer, but it is usually kept under 2 inches. The puppy cut can reduce daily grooming and coat maintenance and keep a dog cool in the hot summer months.

    Lion Cut

    • The Pekingese's long, double coat makes for a perfect lion cut. The face, ears and chest hair are kept long but trimmed or rounded out to resemble a mane. The body and legs are completely shaved and hair is left only on the very tip of the tail. The lion-cut grooming style keeps the Pekingese distinctive hairy, round face while still providing it relief in hot weather.

    Short Groom

    • The short groom is a length in between a puppy cut and a long-hair show groom. The body hair is kept long but trimmed so it doesn't touch the ground. The length varies depending on the owner's preference. The ears are trimmed straight across at chin level. The tail is trimmed on top and feathered on the bottom. The legs are trimmed very short. Even though most of the hair is trimmed, the style still requires daily brushing and frequent washing.