The Peekapoo is a Doodle designer breed that is the result of the breeding between the Pekingese dog and either Toy or Miniature Poodle. As of the moment, multigenerational breedings between Peekapoo and Pekapoo are still relatively rare. Here, we will discuss the pros and cons of owning a Peekapo, and let us begin by discussing the two parent breeds.
Peekapoo Parent Breeds
Pekingese
Pekingese dogs, also often called the “Pekes,” is renowned for being the national dog of China. The Pekingese dogs are known for being excellent guard dogs, but they are very stubborn and are infamous for being quite challenging to train. The Pekingese dog is also very aware of strangers.
The Pekes are a brachycephalic breed with their short muzzle, just like Pitbulls or Bulldogs. Meaning, they are more prone to various breathing difficulties and are more susceptible to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Unfortunately, the Pekes are also famous for being not that good with children despite their small size. A full-sized Pekingese would weigh no more than 14 pounds.
Poodle
Since the Pekingese is, as mentioned, a small breed, then only Miniature or Toy Poodle can be a parent of the Peekapoo.
The Poodle is the favorite breed in crossbreeding due to two main reasons: first, they are highly intelligent and easy to train, and second, they have a very low-shedding coat, and so are hypoallergenic.
Poodles are extremely active and love all kinds of exercise and are very people-oriented. However, due to their intelligence and very active nature, they are prone to separation anxiety when left alone for too long.
Pros and Cons of Peekapoo: Temperament
The little Peekapoo is mostly very active and outgoing. They are well known for being a loyal and very lovable companion.
They are very intelligent (mainly due to their Poodle parent) but can be quite challenging to train (due to their Pekingese parent). However, they also inherit the Pekingese trait of being very protective of their family. Albeit small, they have a habit of performing guarding behaviors.
Pros and Cons of Peekapoo: Health
Unfortunately, this will mean that they tend to bark a lot. They take a while to warm up to strangers. Training and early socialization are essential with Peekapoo, so get a good training collar that can fit its smaller size.
As with most crossbreed dogs, the Peekapoo is generally healthier than its parent breeds due to the broader gene pool.
Yet, there are still a few conditions they can potentially inherit from their Poodle and Pekingese parents, such as:
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy: mainly inherited from their Pekingese parent, a condition where the rod cells of the retina can die and cause partial or total blindness.
- Legg-Calve-Perthes: a disease that is caused by decreased blood supply of the femur and causes pelvis breakdown.
- Hip dysplasia: commonly inherited from the Pekingese. This is a painful condition that affects hip and thigh joints. The condition can result in lameness
- Patellar Luxation: walking issues caused by the knee slipping out from its intended place.
- Overactive tear ducts: a condition causing eye irritation and stains on the fur surrounding the eye.
Also, since the Peekapoo is a brachycephalic breed, 67% of Pekingese have Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS). BOAS can make it hard for the Peekapoo to breathe, even when they are sleeping. So, Peekapoos are prone to overheating, especially if they are very active. Make sure to invest in good cooling pads for dogs, especially for the summer.
Pros and Cons of Peekapoo: Grooming
The Peekapoo possesses a soft and wavy coat, which is relatively easy to maintain. This is because they don’t possess an undercoat like many other breeds. This is because they don’t have an undercoat like other dog breeds. They also inherit the Poodle’s low-shedding quality.
The Peekapoo needs some care in keeping the Pekingese-based wrinkles and folds around their ears, eyes, muzzle, and nose free of debris and dirt. Check their ears once a week for redness or a bad odor that can be a sign of infection. Make sure to clean their ears regularly with a gentle ear cleaner solution to prevent these issues.
Brush your Peekapoo’s teeth twice or three times a week, although if you can, brush them daily. If the Peekapoo doesn’t wear their nails down naturally, then you’d need to trim their nails. Peekapoo often jumps up enthusiastically to greet you, so their long nails might scratch your legs.
Pros and Cons of Peekapoo: Lifespan
The Miniature Poodle is actually one of the purebred dogs with the longest life expectancy, with an average lifespan of 14 years.
Similarly, a Pekingese also has a very high life expectancy between 13 and 15 years.
Crossbred dogs, on average, tend to live a little longer than their purebred cousins, and on average, a Peekapoo can live up to 15 years.
It’s also worth noting that smaller dogs tend to live longer than larger breeds, and so one of the biggest pros of owning a Peekapoo. However, keep in mind that if your Peekapoo has BOAS, then this long life might be filled with agony and (potentially) expensive medical bills.
A longer and healthier lifespan is not impossible for your Peekapoo. Maintain a healthy diet, give them enough supplements, and regularly take your Peekapoo to the nearest veterinarian.
Pros and Cons of Peekapoo: Training
As mentioned, the Peekapoo can be very reserved, especially if they are not trained well. Peekapoos tend to be independent and stubborn.
One of the critical issues with the Peekapoo is its habit of pooping in your home. So it’s essential to housetrain the Peekapoo as soon as possible. Here are some tips to help you housetrain your Peekapoo:
- The most basic principle here is about positive reinforcements: praise them when they do the toilet outside, and you can give them appropriate treats.
- Establish a routine. You can, for example, take them out after each meal and at regular intervals.
- Make sure the Peekapoo poops first thing in the morning and the last thing before you go to bed.
- If the Peekapoo does toilet in the house, try to catch it in the act and move him outside.
- Dogs are more likely to repeat soil where their scent is, so make sure to keep it as clean as possible.
Also, Peekapoo puppies need chewing toys when they start to teeth, and you might also need other toys to keep them entertained. It is essential to socialize the Peekapoo as early as possible, especially if you also have children in the house. Early socialization can significantly prevent barking and nipping issues.
The Peekapoo, however, is very intelligent and can learn new things very quickly. Use positive reinforcement techniques like giving them small treats to help them learn faster. Wait until the Peekapoo puppy is at least 8 weeks old before considering residential training.
Pros and Cons of Peekapoo: Food and Diet
Since the Peekapoo is a small dog, usually between only 8 and 20 pounds in weight. In general, the Peekapoo can use only up to 40 calories per pound (of body weight) per day. So, if the Peekapoo weighs at 15 pounds, except to feed around 600 calories per day.
Puppy feeds can be split into 4 meals every day until the Peekapoo puppy is at least 6 months old. We can then reduce this to only two meals a day. The recommended daily amount of ¼ to ½ cup of dry dog food every day.
Obviously, how much the adult Peekapoo should eat would depend on their size, age, metabolism, and how active the Peekapoo is. The quality of the food will also matter: the better the dog food, the better it can nourish the dog and the less quantity you” need.
With Peekapoos, it’s better to measure their food and feed them twice a day rather than leaving the food out all the time.
Pros and Cons of Peekapoo: Summary
Here is a summary of the Peekapoo’s traits and qualities:
- Intelligence: smart, although not as smart as the Poodle parent
- Shedding: low-shedding, mainly hypoallergenic
- Drooling tendency: a very low drooling tendency
- Stinkiness: little chance of bad smell due to their coats
- Adaptability: can adapt well to different living environments
- With children: great at interacting with kids
- With other pets: very friendly with other dogs
- Grooming: medium to high-maintenance, require relatively a lot of grooming
Pros of Peekapoo:
- Peekapoo is a very playful and very friendly pet, making it a great companion and guard dog
- Small size, for lovers of smaller pets
- Low-shedders due to the Poodle parent
- Great family pets for families with children
- Generally much easier to train than purebred Pekingese dogs
Cons of Peekapoo:
- Being a brachycephalic dog, the Peekapoo can inherit Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS), which can translate into expensive ver treatments
- If not socialized early, Pekingese Poodle mix can be prone to barking issues and excessive protective behaviors
- Above-average grooming needs
- More prone to overheating in hot and humid weather
- Some airline ban brachycephalic dogs, which is a huge issue for people who like to travel with pets
In Conclusion:
I hope you now have a clearer view of whether the Peekapoo is right for you. There are many good qualities as well as a few not-so-good ones to consider. May you feel confident when making your decision to purchase a Peekapoo.