The peekapoo is one of the oldest designer dog breeds around. For 50 years they have been loved for their intelligent, affectionate nature and hypoallergenic coat.
These dogs are classic lapdogs and love nothing more than spending time with their family.
Don’t be fooled by their size though! These dogs can easily keep up with you on hikes and jogs.
Being a designer dog, the peekapoo’s character and appearance are hard to predict. You hope they will have the best characteristics from their poodle and Pekingese parents, but that isn’t always the case.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is a Peekapoo?
A Peekapoo is a cross between a purebred Pekingese and a purebred Miniature or Toy Poodle. They are not bred with standard Poodles due to the size difference.
They were bred in the US first to combine the intelligence and hypoallergenic coat of the Poodle with the friendly and affectionate nature of the Pekingese.
It is a low maintenance breed and is well suited to many different types of household. They are companion animals and will always want to be close to their owners.
You will usually find they are a first generation cross with a purebred Poodle and Pekingese parent. This is because breeding Peekapoo with Peekapoo may increase the risk of genetic health conditions.
Peekapoo Appearance
As this is a designer dog, there is no official breed standard. This means there is a large variation in puppy appearances.
The Peekapoo is small and well proportioned. They have a fluffy tail that most often curls over the body. They tend to inherit the brachycephalic muzzle of the Pekingese causing their face to be flat. Their ears hang down and grow long hair which may be kept or clipped off to avoid getting dirty.
Their coat is long to medium length and is wavy. The texture is extremely soft and they don’t have an undercoat. They inherit the hypoallergenic coat from their Poodle parents and are low shedding dogs.
Height and Weight
The Peekapoo is only a small dog. Fully grown they will weigh between 8 to 20 pounds and they only stand 9 to 11 inches tall.
Their size greatly depends on their parents’ sizes. A Pekingese that’s bred with a Miniature Poodle is going to produce larger puppies than a Pekingese bred with a Toy Poodle.
Coat and Colors
Their coat is their crowning glory. Much like its royal Pekingese parent, its coat grows long and is extremely soft.
These pups have curls from their Poodle parent which allows dander to be trapped. This makes them low shedding and well suited for people with allergies. Most owners tend to keep their coat cut short to reduce grooming requirements.
The Peekapoo comes in a huge variety of coat colors and markings. A few of the most common ones you’re likely to see are: black, chocolate, grey, white, silver, cream, apricot, red, buff and sable.
This colorful mix makes every litter of puppies exciting. You never really know what variety of coat colors you are going to find!
Peekapoo Temperament
The Peekapoo has some fantastic character traits that make them a joy to own and spend time with. They are well known for being a loyal, loving companion dog.
They are intelligent but sometimes a pain to train. The best way to really understand the variety of character traits your pooch may inherit is to look at their parents.
- The Pekingese is Chinese royalty. These dogs have been loved for years by emperors and their courts. They haven’t forgotten this either – they love to be pampered. They are difficult to train as they have independent minds. They don’t like to live with other dogs. They’re incredibly loyal to their family but are often aloof towards strangers.
- The Miniature and Toy Poodle have slightly different character traits to the Standard Poodle. They are still highly intelligent and adore their families but they are more lively than the Standard Poodle. The smaller Poodle varieties are more likely to bond strongly with one member of the family. They also have a tendency to be aloof with strangers.
One of the behaviors the Peekapoo inherited from the Pekingese is its desire to protect its family. These little dogs have a habit of performing guarding behaviors. Although their small size really prevents them from doing any damage, these guys will certainly use their bark to alert you to anything going on.
Unfortunately, they will also use their bark to tell you if anything normal is going on too! This can be a loud little dog.
The character trait of being slightly distrusting and aloof towards strangers is present in both the Poodle and the Pekingese. They take a while to warm up to new people and likely won’t approach them when they come into the house.
Early socialization is very important with this breed to reduce these behaviors. Introduce them to everyone the moment you bring them home and they will start to relax.
The Peekapoo’s size and distrustful nature don’t make them a good friend to other dogs. Big dogs could easily injure them and they don’t really play well with other small dogs. They should be kept on a lead when out and about.
Is A Peekapoo A Good Family Dog?
The Peekapoo is not a good dog for people with young children.
They are small and may be inadvertently hurt by young children – this can make them impatient and snappy with inexperienced hands. These dogs really thrive in adult only homes.
How To Train
The Pekingese is somewhat notorious when it comes to training.
As you can imagine, the Pekingese’s resistance to training occasionally overtakes the Poodles intelligence and eagerness to please.
If this is the case with your pup, dog training will be challenging – it’s certainly not impossible though. You will have to be consistent and use positive training methods such as praise and treats when your pup does the right behavior.
One of the main issues with Peekapoos is house training. They can find it hard to learn where it is and isn’t acceptable to go to the toilet. A few things that will help you are establishing a routine, not punishing them and keeping any soiled areas clean.
This pup is great with its family but may be aloof with strangers. Allowing them to socialize with all different types of people from a young age is going to help reduce this.
They are also not the best with other dogs. Puppy parties and playdates are a great way of socializing with other dogs in a safe, monitored environment. The more your pup is socialized in a positive way, the more comfortable with other dogs it will become.
Separation anxiety is an issue in the Peekapoo. One of the reasons for this is that they like their time to be occupied purely by you. Once you leave, they become anxious and bored.
Providing them with something to stimulate their mind while you are out will help relax them. Snuffle mats and kongs are a great choice as you can fill them with tasty treats!
Care Guide
The Peekapoo is best suited to an adult only home where they are going to be the center of attention. They like to have company almost all the time.
Taking them out for an hour a day is perfect for them and for you!
Dogs are a great way of motivating yourself to go outside and exercise every day. They will need regular trips to the groomers which is definitely an expense you should consider. Other than that, they’re not too much work.
These little dogs will give you everything if you love and care for them to the high standard they deserve.
Exercise Requirements
These little dogs only need around an hour of exercise a day, preferably split into two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. This keep them fairly calm throughout the rest of the day.
If you want to take your Peekapoo out on jogs and hikes, they will be happy to accompany you. Make sure it’s not too hot though as their shortened muzzle makes them much more likely to overheat.
There are several reasons why you should keep your Peekapoo on a leash when you walk.
First, they’re small and can easily get lost if they wander off. Second, they don’t play well with other dogs and may find themselves picking a fight. Finally, they have a mind of their own and often struggle with recall.
Grooming and Shedding
One of the wonderful things about these little dogs is that their grooming requirements are actually fairly minimal. They should be taken to a groomer every 8 to 12 weeks to be trimmed.
It’s your decision as to how long you want your pup’s coat to be, but most people keep them fairly short to avoid having to brush them too often.
If your dog’s fur is long, you should be brushing them every day. If you keep your dog’s hair shorter, brushing every couple of days will be fine. Groomers will trim your dog’s nails and brush their teeth as well as care for their coat.
That said, you should be brushing their teeth at home yourself most days to avoid dental issues.
Feeding and Diet
Small dogs like the Peekapoo should be eating around 40 calories per lb of their body weight. So a 10lb Peekapoo will need around 400 calories. These calories should be correctly balanced between proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The best and easiest way to do this is by using a complete dog food.
A high-quality, small dog breed kibble is ideal for the Peekapoo as it has all the right nutrients and it’s good for their teeth. They should be fed 3 to 4 meals a day up until 6 months when they should be moved onto 2 meals a day.
Obesity is an issue with the Peekapoo as they’re easy to overfeed. So make sure to monitor everything they eat.
Known Health Problems
The Peekapoo is prone to a range of conditions that come from the Pekingese parent, the Poodle parent and some just because of their size. Their Poodle genetics make them susceptible to Von Willebrand’s disease and the Pekingese genetics may cause brachycephalic airway syndrome.
Exam fees are included, which saves you around $50-$250 per sick visit.
PetPlan covers injury and disease in every adult tooth — not just the canines.
Not all providers cover hereditary conditions linked to breed. PetPlan does.
Other conditions they can get include patella luxation, collapsing trachea, tooth overcrowding, dry eye and progressive retinal atrophy.
How Long Does A Peekapoo Live?
A Peekapoo should be expected to live a fairly long life of 13 to 15 years if they are healthy and well cared for.
Buying A Peekapoo
How Much Does A Peekapoo Cost?
There is a huge range in price ($275-$1,450) for a Peekapoo.
Due to this wide range, it is hard to tell if a breeder is good or not just from the price. You really have to do your research before committing to a puppy.
Breed Summary Table
| Breed Characteristics | |
| Size: | 9-11 inches |
| Weight: | 8-20lb |
| Lifespan: | 13-15 years |
| Coat: | Medium to long, wavy and soft |
| Color: | Black, chocolate, grey, white, cream, silver, apricot, red, buff, and sable |
| Do They Shed: | These are low shedding dogs |
| Temperament: | Loyal, affectionate and alert |
| Intelligence: | Intelligent but may be difficult to train |
| Socialization: | Need plenty of socialization with other dogs |
| Destructive Behavior: | Prone to barking and chewing |
| People Skills: | Need early socialization with plenty of people |
| Good with Children: | Not good with young children |
| Activity Levels: | Moderate activity levels |
Summary
The Peekapoo is a gorgeous little dog that can work its way into the heart of even the most stoic individual.
With their soft coat and love for cuddles, they make the perfect lap warmer for cold nights in.
They also have an energy that will surprise you and make a great companion on those long walks. They are suited to an adult household where they are the only dog and are able to be with you for the majority of the time.
Their affectionate nature will have you shunning your friends in favor of spending all your time with your them. Be sure you do go out and meet people though as this dog can have some socialization issues.
Overall, the Peekapoo is a wonderful little dog and it comes as no surprise that their popularity has spanned five decades.
More Pekingese and Toy Poodle
Want a Pekingese mix or Toy Poodle mix but aren’t keen on the Peekapoo? Check out these other hybrid dog breeds:
My first pet is a Peekapoo. He is currently 8 years old. He has an underbite and the coat of a Pekingese and the body and facial structure of a poodle. But he needs ALL the attention and is very childlike. He’s definitely a barker, always trying to communicate and let’s his presence be known. Overall he’s very loving and affectionate. I couldn’t have had a better dog, I would definitely recommend this breed!