The Pekingese made its first appearance outside of 19th century China when five Sleeve Pekes between 3-6 pounds were brought to England from Beijing (then Peking) in 1860 following the storming of the Imperial Summer  Palace in Beijing by British and French soldiers. In those days the breed was known as Pekingese Spaniels, as well as, "Sun Dogs" "Lion Dogs" and "Pekingese Pugs".

Pekingese were first classified in England in 1898 together with Japanese Chin which were called "Japanese Spaniels" then and until 1977. In the late 1800's and early 1900's the two breeds were very similar in appearance with Chins tending to breed true as opposed to the Pekingese which did not. Since that time. Chins have remained virtually unchanged while Pekingese have, of course, changed quite radically in appearance -- but not character.

Forty-one years after the breed's appearance in England, a Peke was shown in Philadelphia by Mrs. George Thomas, and the breed immediately endeared itself to prominent exhibitors, as it has ever since.

In 1907, AKC officially recognized Pekingese. Two years before that, a Peke male who would become the first AKC Champion, Ch. Tsang of Downshire, was first shown at Cedarhurst, Long Island, owned by a British immigrant, Mrs. Mabel Mandy, a founding member and the first President of The Pekingese Club of America (PCA).

Ch. Tsang of Downshire

Through the years, Pekingese have been one of the Top Toys, with four Westminster Best In Show winners.  Ch. Chik T'Sun of Caversham  became #1 All Breeds in 1960 followed by Ch. Yakee If Only in 2005.

Along with Mrs. Mandy, was a group of socialites from New York City area who formed PCA on May 1st, 1909 in the Manhattan law offices of one of the club founders, Mr. M.E. Harby, Esq., who was also the Club's first Show Chairman and whose wife was also a PCA director and top breeder of Pekingese.

There were 16 founders, all from New York, except Margaret Barron of San Francisco.

In addition, though not club founders, two of PCA's early patrons were Lady Algemon Gordon Lennox. a breed pioneer and visionary in the UK. and famed financier John Pierpont Morgan, a noted sportsman in many breeds, who became the Honorary President of The Pekingese Club of America and Vice Chairman of the Peking Palace Dog Association in Britain.

The Club still offers Mr. Morgan's perpetual trophy at its specialty in Manhattan, originally offered for Best of Breed and now offered for Best of Opposite Sex. Morgan's sterling silver trophy is housed at AKC Headquarters in New York. It's on permanent display there. along with PCA's  prestigious English-made Lasca McClure Halley Trophy. One of the largest in the sport, donated in 1929 by prominent handler Mr. McClure Halley, in memory of his late wife, Lasca, who was a judge and a PCA Director in the 1920's. These distinguished sterling silver PCA trophies, appraised in 2008 and said to be "worth a fortune", remain a symbol of The Pekingese Club of America's respected heritage.

In 1909, PCA adopted its breed first standard verbatim from The Pekingese Club in Britain which had been founded 5 years earlier, and has amended it four times since then, in 1933, 1956 (adopted by Canada), 1995, and again in 2004.

Mr Richard Bauer, handling. Judge Ms. Clara Alford.

Although the first Chinese imports to England weighed between 3-9 pounds, the British and American parent clubs established an 18-pound weight limit to accommodate the breed's burgeoning popularity and encourage participation by more exhibitors. That brought opposition from the breed purist founders who successfully forced the weight limit back down, initially to 10 pounds (by forming a new club - the Pekin Palace dog Association). But the British parent club, The Pekingese Club, eventually compromised to 14 pounds which became the limit in the AKC standard (which added a disqualification over 14 pounds). The British later amended their standard to read "ideal weight not to exceed 11 pounds for dogs and 12 pounds for bitches", which is current.

Mrs Van Beuren's Kennel - a replica of her Newport home.

Mrs. Van Beuren was succeeded as President by Miss Clara Lowther, followed by Dr. E. R. Blamey, for 25 years and Mrs. Geraldine Hess in 1977. Other early notables in the club include Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Mapes of the successful Whitworth kennels, whose niece, Mrs. Fortune (Mary Lou) Roberts, became one of the respected doyens of PCA and a Vice President through the 1970's-80's.

One of the most notable driving forces behind PCA since 1950 was Miss Iris de la Torre Bueno, a breeder-exhibitor of Brussels Griffons, who served as PCA Secretary for 49 consecutive years until her death in Manhattan just prior t0 the 1989 PCA Spring Specialty. Iris' mother, Celia Bueno, was also one of PCA's Board of Governors, who together with Iris owned the All-Celia Kennels of Griffs and Pekes.