The Peke-A-Boo is hybrid breed made up of a combination of a Pekingese and a Bolognese, both having connections to royalty. Despite their size, DNA studies reveal that Pekingese dogs are among the closest, genetically, to wolves. They are an ancient breed with the earliest records traced to the Tang Dynasty of the 8th Century. Other names for them are the Lion Dog, Peking Lion Dog, Pelchie Dog, or Peke. Only royalty could own them and anyone who stole one faced the death penalty. It was in 1860 during the Great China War that this breed first came to the attention of the Western world. Franco-British forces marched on Peking and looted the summer palace. Inside they found five Pekes guarding the body of the Emperor’s aunt, who had committed suicide during the invasion. They were taken to England and one was given to Queen Victoria who named her “Looty”. She lived at Windsor Palace until her death 10 years later. The dogs were first registered by the American Kennel Club in 1906 while the Pekingese CLub of America became a member of the AKC in 1909. Sharing their name with an Italian sauce, the Bolognese is a small white fluffy dog of the Bichon type, originating in Italy. Sometimes referred to as the Bichon Bolognese, they are among several similar white dogs including the Bichon Frise, the Coton de Tulear and the Maltese that go back around 2000 years. The Bolognese gets its name from Bologna where they were popular with Italian aristocrats. In later centuries they found favor in a number of royal courts across Europe. Queen Maria Theresa of Austria had her little dog preserved by a taxidermist after its death and it can still be seen at the National Museum of History in Vienna. Americans Bert and Dorothy Goodale discovered the Bolognese while doing research into the Havanese breed. They imported the first Bolognese to the United States in 1985.
