北京狗為常玉喜愛的題材之一，經常出現在他的作品之中。北京狗原為中國古代皇室貴族犬，一般平民無法飼養；後來於英法聯軍時，被帶回歐洲獻給維多利亞女王，自此才逐漸演變為常見寵物犬。常玉筆下獨自趴在高椅上的北京狗，彷彿有著他離開故鄉，長年旅居異域巴黎的身影。
One of Sanyu's favorite subjects, the Pekinese constantly appears in his work. Originally a beloved companion dog for the royalty of the Chinese Imperial Court, the Pekinese was not a pet for the ordinary people, until the Second Opium War in 1860 when some Pekinese were taken from the Old Summer Palace in Beijing by the British and French troops back to Europe, and one of the Pekinese was presented to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. The dog has since gained popularity and become a household pet. In Sanyu's portrayal, the Pekinese lounging alone on the chair seems enveloped in the same melancholia that shadows Sanyu as he spent his days in Paris, away from home.