The Peka-A-West
parent breeds, the West Highland White Terrier (“Westie”) and the Pekingese, migrated
to the United States at the turn of the 19th century and were
recognized within a year of each other by the American Kennel Club. It is presumed that the Peka-A-West,
a currently established American designer breed, originated shortly after that
in the beginning half of the 1900s. Westies and the Pekingese, however, come
from very different backgrounds. Westies originated in Scotland during the 16th
century under the reign of King James I. They were bred to hunt small to medium
sized vermin including foxes, rats and badgers. These pups may have come in
several colors at the time of their formation, but today they only come in a
pure white variety. The Scottish Terrier history is complex and intertwined; so
much so, that the Westie was known by several other names throughout its
history including the White Scottish, Little Skye, Cairn, and Roseneath – many
of which are now considered separate strands of the Terrier classes. In fact, the
Westie was registered by the AKC as the Roseneath in 1908. The next year, however,
the name was changed to the West Highland White Terrier. The Peka-A-West’s
other parent, the Pekingese (sometimes referred to as “The Lion Dog”)
originated in ancient China where popular legend had it that a lion fell in love with a
marmoset and requested that the gods make him smaller so that he could marry
his tiny bride. The gods consented, resulting in the small dog with the heart
of a lion. Comprehensive breeding records of the Pekingese prior to the 20th
century remain scare; however, we do know that these dogs were treasured pets
in China for centuries, particularly among royals. In fact, the renowned female
leader, Dowager Empress Cixi, began gifting the petite pups to foreign
diplomats as gifts, which led to the breed’s rise in global popularity starting
in the late 1800s. They were particularly beloved in the United States, and was
recognized by the AKC in 1909.
