You’ve hit on something that is a mystery to me. Today’s Pekenese does not look anything like the Pekenese of my youth — or, am I misremembering? I remember Pekes that had faces and shape to their bodies. (I’m talking 65 years ago.)
I think you’ll find many dogs aren’t that different, but show dogs grow out the hair more and deliberately puff it out. The announcers mentioned for Lhasas I think that most pets are shorn down so they don’t look as lavish and uncontrollable as the show type. That applies to all coated dogs but especially the little ones. It’s mostly the coat.
No, you are not misremembering.
All of the brachycephalic dogs used to have functioning snouts.
They’re victims of the “if smashed is good, more smashed must be better” syndrome.
[which is a subset of the “let’s get extreme!” syndrome]
No breed standard should call for the eyes to protude beyond the nose.