Pomeranian

Dwarf Spitz, Toy German Spitz, Pom, Zwergspitz

Family: CanidaeCanis lupus familiarisPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Justin Brough

   The Pomeranian is a classy looking toy breed, being small and fluffy with a fox-like face.

Pomeranians are lively and smart. They are also independent and strong-willed. Many people fall in love with this little fluffy dog because of its beautiful presentation. It smiling wedge-shaped face, dark almond shaped eyes, and button nose are simply enchanting.

The Pomeranian or Dwarf Spitz is one of the small dog breeds, and is affectionately called the the Pom. They are great companion dogs for adults and older children. If this toy dog is properly socialized, it can also usually get along well with other pets. They catch on quickly when training, and can learn lots of tricks. When selecting a Pomeranian, pay special attention to the condition of its eyes and teeth. It is also advisable to check bloodlines for hereditary problems.

Common Name(s) Pomeranian, Zwergspitz, Dwarf Spitz, Toy German Spitz, Pom

Breed Type The Pomeranian is a toy breed, and is intended to be a house pet. The Pomeranian is rather sensitive to heat, so it does best in fairly cool climates.

Background The Pomeranian's origins go back to sled dogs from Greenland and Lapland. Selective breeding by English breeders reduced the breed's size. The Pomeranian is known for being very popular among royalty. Queen Victoria made Pomeranians very popular in late 1800's and many famous people at that time had Poms as pets. The Pomeranian is now a member of the American Kennel Club toy group, originally they were classified in the miscellaneous group until 1892 when the AKC classified them into the toy dog group.

Description Pomeranians are very small and fluffy. They have a fox-like face, usually dark eyes, and pointed ears. They are most commonly solid colored, but some are parti-colored. Their average height is 7-12 inches, and they usually weigh between 3 and 7 pounds. They can be found in a wide variety of colors such as orange, red, white, blue, brown, black and cream.

Care and Feeding Pomeranians do best on a diet of dry food due to the likelihood of tooth and gum problems. Foods containing fish, beef, and wheat are recommended. Giving the dog teeth cleaning chews is also a good idea.
Pomeranians need frequent brushing. They can be cleaned with dry shampoo as needed. Their eyes and ears need special attention, and should be cleaned each day. It's also important to take good care of their teeth, brushing them at least once a week.
Pomeranians need annual checkups to keep them healthy. Vaccinations should be given as follows:

• 6-8 weeks: Distemper, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvo, and Corona virus (DHLPPC)
• 10-12 weeks: Second DHLPPC
• 14-16 weeks: Third DHLPPC and rabies
• Annually: DHLPPC and rabies booster
  

Poms shed heavily, so frequent vacuuming is a must. It's also best not to leave blankets and pillows lying around on the furniture, because your Pomeranian can curl up under them for a nap and potentially be sat on.

Housing Your Dog Pomeranians are indoor dogs, and they are quite content in small apartments. They are active and love to play with small dog toys. They may become overheated in hot weather, so it is best to keep them inside in the air conditioning if possible.

Social Behaviors Pomeranians can do well with other pets, as long as they are familiar with them. They are independent, yet they make wonderful companions for adults, the elderly, and older children. They tend to get nervous around young children.

Handling and Training When training a Pomeranian, being firm is the key to success. They have minds of their own, and trainers must let them know who is boss. They can learn to do tricks, and they usually respond well to crate training. They also make great show dogs.

Activities Pomeranians need regular exercise, but not as much of it as larger breeds. Short daily walks and regular play sessions should take care of their activity needs.

Breeding/Reproduction When considering a mate for a Pomeranian, it is important to research the potential mate's bloodline. Pomeranians are susceptible to a number of hereditary problems. Females sometimes need Cesarean sections when giving birth, especially if they are very small.

Common Health Problems Frequent ailments of Pomeranians include slipped stifle, dislocated kneecaps, eye infections, heart problems, and skin disorders. Regular visits to the veterinarian will help keep your Pomeranian in good health and aid in early detection of these problems.

Availability Pomeranians are easier to find in some areas than in others, but most people can locate nearby breeders. They are available in some pet stores as well. Prices vary, and can range from $350 to $1,000 or more.

References "Pomeranian", Dog Breed Info Center, Copyright 1998-2008
"Pomeranian (dog)", Wikipedia, Copyright 2008
Cusick, William D., "What to Feed a Pomeranian", Referenced online, 2008
"Pomeranian Puppies for Sale", Copyright PuppyFind.com, LLC, Referenced online, 2008

Lastest Animal Stories on Pomeranian View all 16 Animal Stories on Pomeranian Add Your Animal Story

willow - 2012-01-28 I love Pomeranians to bits, but I am greiving as I have had to make the hardest choice I or any of you will ever have to make and that is to put your best mate to sleep when their time comes. Our girl was 20 yrs old.And we still miss her and will for a while yet. Leuka passed away Dec 21 2011. Now she is at peace. Lori - 2012-02-19 How wonderful you had 20 years with your girl! That is a wonderful long life and you and she were blessed to have eachother all those years. She is in a beautiful place in heaven. We have a girl Pom that is eight and I hope we are blessed like you were to have her for 20 years. Her name is Piper. We had collie whose name was Willow. I hope you find a new Pom to share with what you had with your Willow and give another Pom a long happy life with you too! John Guysinger - 2012-05-28 I know how you feel , I lost my Pom 4 weeks ago, she was killed. I had her for 14 years, she was my best friend , my traveling buddy .i miss her so much. Does the pain ever go away! I would like to get another , but will it be the same or am I just trying to hang on to her memory Pat - 2012-11-20 Hi Willow, google 'rainbow bridge. It's a poem that always makes me cry and feel better at the same time. Your Leuka will be there when you get there. Take care Reply

Anonymous - 2012-04-02 Hi, I have a very cute pomerainan. She is very active but I do need some help. She does not know her name. How do I get her to know her name and when to come and stay. Just wondering if you knew how to train her :) Charlie Roche - 2012-04-02 A trainer told me that when a pup comes to you to 'CALL HER NAME' out. Then be real happy that she has come to you and say good dog and wonderful etc. So when she comes to you for any reason - say her name and really make over her. That is what a trainer told me. I decided that the pup I had just didn't like the name I gave her. So I sat there and said a bunch of names. The one she responded to via jumping up and down and wagging the tail - she seemed to like it. So I named her SAM even though a gal but she always came when I called her after that. migdalia - 2012-09-15 I found the most beautiful miniature pomernian. It stay with me for three years. All of the sudden it died. Losing him was very hard. He was family, my baby. Donna Lake - 2012-11-11 Poms are known to have what is called the goose call. It starts with a hacking cough like their trying to cough up something. It actually is a thicking of the tricka. that leads to the tricka collapsing. Mine is 8 yrs old and, she's a mill pup for sure. she has it all that, the poms are known for. floating knees, tricka collaps. Her D.V.M. has her on rimadel & torbutrol 1 mg needed for what the call the tricka collaps a seizures. when it starts you need to move quickly to get that pill down the dog a.s.ap. to open the air ways. i have done cpr on her twice already. when it comes don't panic. Get the pill in and some air. I run mine out side and lay her on the grass and, waite. Sometimes it takes 2 to 3 min. After that and , it's still going i use another pill. if you can not get your dog out side . Put her or him on the counter and slowly breath air up their nose every few seconds. when it passes. the dog will get up on her own. Many people loose their dogs due to knowlege of this common pom issue and, it had a seizer over night. The best move is to get your dog started on rymadel and the torbutrol at 1st signs of gaging. I also use omega 3 from pet co or any pet shop or on line . It's a dietary supplement called grizzly salmon oil. it also is good for the coat, skin allergies, They love it. All they need is 1/4th tea spoon a day. Reply

Anonymous - 2012-10-14 Hi, I have a pom x. I've heard that poms love exercise. mine doesnt! is it normal? shes healthy 1 & half years old & happy. is it just her being silly? Clarice Brough - 2012-10-14 They aren't suppose to need as much excercise as larger dogs. As you say, she's healthy and happy, so it sounds like she's getting what she needs:) Reply

liz - 2012-05-16 Hi, I have a beautiful female,one year old pom. And the problem is she has a mind of her own and very fussy about everything. I have a couple of questions: My mum and bro feeds her a lot of fish as she isn't interested in anything else either including dog food or chicken. Is too much fish safe? Also, she doesn't obey any commands.. And get ferocious sometimes and if I try to make her obey she will bark continously.. Please help! Charlie Roche - 2012-05-16 Fish isn't a good mainstay diet for a pup, just not enough nutrition, too watery and too much oil. Try feeding her a healthy food (I like Eukanuba) and use the fish as a treat for obedience training. Don't give her so much fish in training she doesn't eat her food. ou can also put a little juice from fish over her food and eventually eliminate that or try and little yogurt. Reply

krysta - 2012-02-01 how do stop the puppes anger. Toto, Sydney, 7 y o. - 2012-03-10 Hello, Pom friend. Anger to you? If so, spend more time with the dog. Get down to his level. ie: I feed from my fingertips when I am lying on the floor near him. He's too snobby to use a bowl! LOL :-) Spend more time playing/ scratching/ massaging/ fooling around with him etc. I am his best buddy. Wife and daughters don't get the devotion that I get. He is angry to other people if I am holding him in my arms. He is a little angry to ME if wife/daughter is holding and I come close. Generally with other people he's ok but he yaps at little kids and tries to harass skaters and rollerbladers. Because of their noise. Maybe that will help. Treat the dog as you would treat a small person and/but NEVER threaten the dog with shouting, a stick or rolled newspaper etc. Maybe, stones in a tin, shaken, or a water sprayer etc, are deterrent... Good luck. Reply

Roberta - 2011-09-21 I have a female pom and she is pregnent how long does it take before they have thier puppies. i love my baby she is a good dog to have around , she is so loving I got her as a abused dog and to this day she is scared of loud noises. Charlie Roche - 2011-09-21 Dogs are pregnant from 55 - 63 days. So about 55 - 63 days from the time she did "IT" you should have puppies. Congratulations it is fun. It is work but it is fun. Be prepared ahead of time - OK? Reply

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