Pomeranian: Dog Breed Information and Care

Thinking about adopting or buying a Pomeranian? Learn everything you need to know about the breed to see if it’s a good fit.

Breed information

The Pomeranian is a small but outspoken dog. It’s also known as a Pom for short, or Dwarf Spitz because it descended from the German Spitz. The following is an overview of the breed:

• Group: Toy due to its small size.
• Life expectancy: 12 to 16 years.
• Height: 7 to 12 inches.
• Weight: 3 to 7 pounds.
• Colors: Beaver, black, blue, chocolate, cream, merle, orange, red, and white. They can also be a mix of black, brown, chocolate, and tan.
• Temperament: Playful, intelligent, friendly, and energetic.
• Good with: Families, people who spend a lot of time at home, and other animals.

Characteristics and traits

Pomeranians have a puffy appearance due to their thick undercoat and long top fur. It has a wedge-shaped head, dark almond-shaped eyes, triangular ears, and always looks like it’s smiling.

Pomeranians are toy-sized dogs known for being intelligent, playful, curious, lively, and bold. Their personality goes way beyond their small size.

If you have or are planning to get one, you’ll notice how affectionate and loyal they are to their family. That said, they don’t require all-day cuddles, as they also like to explore the world around them.

While Pomeranians are happy to meet new people you introduce them to, they’ll start barking to alert you of strangers. They’re more on the protective side and will respond to what they perceive as threats.

Overall, Pomeranians are adaptable. They’re able to live happily in different environments and can get along with other people and animals. Being adaptable and easygoing makes it an excellent choice for first-time pet owners.

Being small, they’re also an excellent dog to have for apartments. They don’t take up a lot of space and they enjoy going out for walks and cuddling.

If you have kids, they must be gentle with the dog. Otherwise, the Pom may be aggressive back. With other pets, a good introduction will ensure they peacefully and joyfully live together.

Care and grooming

When it comes to ease of care, Pomeranians are average. They have thick double coats that shed moderately throughout the year and heavily twice a year because they’re seasonally shedders.

After 10 to 12 months, a Pomeranian will have its adult coat. When it’s shedding heavily, you must brush it once per day to prevent the loose hair from matting. For the rest of the year, expect to groom your Pom 2 to 3 times per week.

Use a slicker brush and pin brush to keep your Pomeranians fur healthy, clean, and good-looking.

Aside from brushing its coat and fur, brush its teeth once per week. Use a toothbrush and toothpaste for dogs to keep your Pomeranians teeth healthy.

Every four to six weeks, a deep clean is necessary. It includes bathing, brushing, trimming nails, and cleaning everything. You can do it at home or take your pup to a groomer.

Pomeranians also have medium to high levels of energy. Daily walks and play throughout the day are necessary. They’ll also run around your home, and being small, they don’t need much space to do so.

For nutrition, feed it high-quality dog food and make sure it’s age-appropriate. The food must have a lot of protein and few to no fillers.

Health

Overall, they’re healthy and sturdy dogs. To ensure your Pomeranian lives a long and happy life, learn about its health and how you can help.

As with all dog breeds, they’re susceptible to several health conditions. A luxating patella is possible. It’s where the kneecap gets dislocated, and small dogs are genetically predisposed to it.

According to the VCA Animal Hospital, they can snap it back into place. If it’s too bad, it may need surgery.

Other possible health issues include tracheal collapse, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, coat loss, cataracts, seizures, heart disease, and Alopecia X.

At least once per year, take your Pomeranian to the vet for a check-up. Be sure to share any concerns you have.

Training

Pomeranians are intelligent, which means they’ll quickly catch onto proper training. Obedience training and learning to walk on a leash are essential. The earlier you start training your Pom, the better.

When you’re training your dog, use treats that it doesn’t get every day. Give the special treats right when your Pom obeys your command.

It’s also important to train your Pom to stay off of high places, such as tables or couches. If they try to get off by themselves and jump, they may break some bones or hurt their joints.

Socialization is also important. Take your Pomeranian out with you to meet people and other dogs. It helps prevent your Pom from becoming overly shy or aggressive.

Be patient, as training and learning new skills can take up to a month. With training, your relationship with your dog will deepen, and you’ll have a more confident Pom.

Where to buy or adopt a Pomeranian

Ready to buy or adopt a Pomeranian? Start by visiting the American Pomeranian Club’s website to find a reputable breeder or rescue.

Avoid getting a Pomeranian from a pet shop, dealer, or backyard breeder because they typically raise healthy pups.

Instead, go with a hobby breeder who is reputable and knowledgeable. Hobby breeders don’t expect a profit. They have responsibility for every puppy produced and stand behind it.

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) provides tests and a database for health screening information. Make sure you request copies of OFA results from the breeder for the puppy’s parents.

The OFA also created the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC). They partnered with parent clubs to research and maintain information on the health issues about specific breeds.

If a Pomeranian has received all of the screenings that the parent breed club recommends, they’ll have a CHIC number and have a CHIC Certification (if they’re a part of the program).

It means that all of the required tests were completed, and the results are publicly available. It doesn’t mean the test results are normal.

History

The Pomeranian comes from a line of sledding dogs and is the smallest of the Spitz family, an ancient dog group from the Arctic.

It gets the name from Pomerania, which is a region that’s now Germany and Poland. While it doesn’t originate from that area, it’s likely where they were bred down to a smaller size.

In 1870, the English Kennel Club recognized the Pomeranian. However, Queen Victoria later brought a Pomeranian from Italy, and that’s where popularity grew for the breed.

In the United States, the American Kennel Club gave it a classification in 1900. Before then, Pomeranians were in a miscellaneous class.

Now, Pomeranians are popular for shows and as pets. While they’ve gotten smaller, their attitude and personality remain large.

Fun facts

The following are fun facts about Pomeranians:

1. They’re also called Poms or Pom Poms.
2. The name comes from Pomerania, where it’s believed that it was bred down.
3. They used to be larger sled dogs.
4. There are 24 different Pomeranian colors recognized by the American Kennel Club.
5. Elvis Presley, Mozart, Paris Hilton, Kelly Osbourne, Gwen Stefani, Sharon Osbourne, Sylvester Stallone, and David Hasselhof have all had Pomeranians.

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• The best dog DNA tests
• The best dog teeth cleaning toys

Featured image courtesy of Canva.