The Pomeranian
 Piece of Eden |
 Piece of Eden |
 Bi-Mar |
 Donmar |
The Pomeranian descended from the sled dogs of Iceland and Lapland. Their name traces to Pomerania since that is where the process of being bred down to size began. In its larger form, the dog served as a great herder of sheep. When it first came into Britain about the middle of the 19th century, some specimens are said to have weighed as much as thirty pounds and to have resembled the German wolf Spitz in size, coat, and color. Queen Victoria is credited for advocating and publicizing the trend toward smaller Pomeranians.
Specimens of the breed were shown in the United States in the Miscellaneous Class as far back as 1892, but regular classification was not provided until 1900 in New York. The majority of the early American winners were heavier in bone, larger in ear, and they usually weighed under six pounds. They had type and good coat texture, but they lacked the profuseness of coat in evidence in today's dogs. The American bred dogs show a great improvement over the early dogs.
The average weight of the Pomeranian is from 3-7 pounds. The ideal weight is 4-6 pounds. They are noted for their double coat. The undercoat is soft and dense, and the outer coat is long, straight, glistening and harsh in texture. A thick undercoat will hold up and permit the guard hair to stand off from the body. The profuse stand-off double coat usually comes in solid colors. Any solid color is allowed, but the most common are red, orange, white or cream, blue, brown or black. Sometimes the coat is parti-colored (white with colored markings), black & tan, wolf or orange sable.
The Pomeranian is a lively little dog. Intelligent, eager to learn, very loyal to its family. Willful, bold and sometimes temperamental. If it is properly introduced they usually get along with other dogs and household animals without any problems, but some of them seem to think they are much larger than they actually are and do not hesitate to attack much bigger dogs. They are an excellent watchdog with a resounding bark. Poms have a tendency to be reserved and bark at strangers excessively. Teach this dog early that it may bark a couple of times when the doorbell rings or when there are visitors, but then to keep quiet. Be very consistent about this. They are alert, curious and busy: one of the most independent of the Toy breeds.
Pomeranians do require grooming. Their thick coats can get matted easily and they need brushed and combed at least weekly to remove the dead coat. The area around the rear should be trimmed to avoid the hair getting matted with feces, and the hair behind the ears tends to matt easily so extra attention should be given to this area as well. Nail trims and ear cleaning as needed.
Patella luxation, cesarean sections are possible if the female is small, will lose teeth if not well cared for.Some blood lines are prone to slipped stifle, dislocated patella (knee-cap), heart and skin problems, collapsing trachea, and eye infections. Since Pomeranians are prone to early tooth loss, feeding dry food is recommended to keep the teeth and gums in good condition. Be sure the veterinarian also keeps the dog's teeth clean. Newborn pups are rather tiny and fragile. Three newborns can be held in the palm of ones hand. Small females often need cesarean sections deliveries. When the dog is old it may become molted with bald spots.
Hypothyroidism (low thyroid) is also common in the breed. Be sure that the breeder you choose tests the parents for thyroid conditions. Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has a registry for dogs who submit tests for thyroid. Below is a photo of a Pomeranian with hypothyroidism.
 |
