Description

Pomeranians are the shortest dogs in the worlds. They serve as toy dogs and are wonderful pets. They often look similar to a small fox because of their very alert expressions. They have a head that rests in a good balance with the body with the ears being small, erect and placed high on the heads. They have a densely plumed tail that lies flat on their backs. These dogs are characterized by a very large ruff around their neck. They have bright, dark, almond shaped eyes which are very attentive with a black nose and sharp teeth that meet in a scissors bite. They are brilliant show dogs with their spirited and extrovert nature. They undertake very good training and enjoy being in the spotlight.

These dogs have a soft dense undercoat with an abundance of outer coat. The Pomeranian although small in size has a very strong appearance. Having short necks they carry their heads quite high. One often hears about “Tea-Cup Pomeranians”, which usually refer to dogs that weigh less than 3 pounds. It's however important to note that there is no official "tea-cup" variety of Pomeranian. A Pomeranian weighing three pounds or less is just likely to be the weakest member of the litter or has health problems. The AKC considers a Pomeranian of weight less than three pounds to be a weak animal, rather than a special variety.

All patterns and colors are acceptable for Pomeranians, including black and tan, brindle, parti-color, and solid colors such as black, blue, tan cream, brown, red, and sable. Of these, blue and black Pomeranians are particularly valued in North America, but a large number of the Pomeranians one can see on a daily basis are parti-colored, often with a face that’s darker than their bodies.

Pomeranians are perfectly suited to indoor living, and can live well even in an apartment. They are spirited animals, and do require exercise. However, since they are considerably small animals, they get most of what exercise they need by simply running around the house. They can be choosy about what they eat, and since they need to be fed with dry dog food in order to prevent tooth loss, feeding can be a problem. Since Pomeranians are furry animals they are more sensitive to heat than to cold. Thus they shouldn’t be left out for long in summer. However they can be very sensitive to cold too simply because of their small size. The male of this species weighs about 3-7 pounds and are 7-12 inches high. The females are more or less equal in weight and height. They have a life span of 12-16 years and produce 1-2 puppies in a litter which often require Cesarean sections.

Coat

One of the most noticeable features of a Pomeranian is its double-coat. While the Under-Coat is soft and dense (and sheds continuously), the Outer-Coat is long and straight, with coarse texture. The hairs stand of from the body making the animal look larger than it actually is, thus regular trimming of its hairs is necessary to keep the Pomeranian keep looking neat. The coat on the head and legs is shorter compared to the body.

History

The Pomeranians actually originated from the ancient Spitz breeds of the far north. They were brought to Europe from the Prussian region of Pomerania (hence the name). Although the original dogs weighed about 30 pounds, they were brought down to their modern weight of 4-5 pounds typically under instruction from Queen Victoria (who loved small dogs) by special breeding in her personal kennel. These dogs have been a favorite over the ages for their natural showmanship. Their famous owners include: Marie Antoinette, Emile Zola, Mozart, Michelangelo and Thomas Edison. It is rumored that Edison’s dog spilled ink on documents that held 20 years of his researches. According to popular beliefs Michelangelo's dog watched him as he painted the Sistine Chapel. Queen Victoria owned multiple Pomeranians.

Temperament

A Pomeranian is a natural showman. It’s very intelligent and extroverted. Due their spirited natures, they do well giving company to single people. They love travelling and can be easily accommodated due to their small size. They are however not good for small children who can hurt them by their own rough behavior. They are ideal as pets for older children who are calmer and more sensitive. It’s essential to train your Pomeranian from early age, since they bark often if not trained and some of them can have a really irritating voice. They are usually very dominant animals and can take-on animals double their size, hence although they bond well with other pets they should be introduced to the Pomeranian early in life. They are not ideal for people who stay out for long since Pomeranians don’t like being kept alone for long.

Health Problems

While buying a Pomeranian from a breeder it’s essential that one understands its lineage since that clarifies the diseases the dog is likely develop later in life due to heredity. It’s critical to receive regular Veterinary care since this dog is generally prone to more health problems than other breeds and is fragile like most toy breeds. The most common health problem affecting a Pomeranian is Tooth Loss for which the dog should be fed with Dry Dog-Food, to keep his teeth and gum in good condition. Also it’s advisable to have his teeth cleaned once a year professionally. Some Pomeranians are also prone to dislocated Knee-Caps and Slipped Stifle. It can also have Cataract, Tear duct Disorders and Dry eyes all of which can cause blindness. Pomeranians suffer from a common heart disease called PATENT DUCTUS ARTERIOSIS, a congenital heart defect. Besides they also suffer from collapsing trachea. Both of the aforesaid problems can be quite serious.

Grooming

Pomeranians require good grooming. They can develop dandruff so their long coats must be brushed regularly. This keeps their coats free from tangles and from getting matted. Since they are heavy shedders, regular brushing helps keep the hair in shape. On should start from the head and go down parting the hair and brushing forward. This will let the hair fall in place. Their eyes and ears are prone to infections and should be cleaned regularly. Besides they should receive regular dental check-ups and at least once a week brushing at home.

If shampooing, it’s better to use dry-shampoo since this helps retain the natural oils in the hair. If wet shampooing is must, please use a mild shampoo especially formulated not to dry out the hair and skin. Since Pomeranians are naturally prone to have dry & itchy skin, it's important to keep their natural oils intact.

Exercise

This breed although being energetic doesn’t necessarily require great exercising. It’s enough to take your dog for long walks once a day. They generally get all the exercise by simply running around the house.

Training

The Pomeranian is quite a dominant species and so training must begin early in age. It’s essential that its clarified to the animal from the onset as to who is the boss as otherwise it will refuse to listen to even the simplest of commands and can become very demanding of the owner. They must be socialized from early on to make them distinguish between strangers and friends as otherwise these animals can be very suspicious and bark often totally unnecessarily, which can be very irritating. Since the animal is very small and it usually loves to sleep under blankets and pillows, they can very easily be stepped on which is very dangerous for these animals. Even jumping off from your hands or from a high couch can seriously injure the dog. It’s essential that you don’t let the dog roam the house un-supervised for several months till the dogs grows up and can hold its urine. Since they are so small they can easily housebreak and can sneak into any little corner or bathroom and once they get-in, the pattern is established. This is one breed of dogs for which crate training is absolutely necessary. It’s imperative that one should educate the dog to recognize its cage as a safe dwelling.

Since the dog is naturally inquisitive and intelligent it’s easy to train and can be made to do most things. They love to do tricks and can be quite expert at them.  However it’s also highly imperative that they be trained in a secure location with minimal distraction, so that they are focused. Once properly trained, Pomeranians are adapted to many types of tasks. In the past, Pomeranians have been used in search and rescue missions, especially in post-earthquake scenarios, where small dogs were needed to locate survivors. In addition, they are often used as the therapy dogs. And finally, Pomeranians can be trained to be used as companion dogs for people who have lost their ability to hear. Pomeranians in general can be very hard workers.