Pomeranians 

Pomeranians or “Poms” are one of the smallest toy dog breeds. Pomeranian puppies are hard to resist and rank 10 out of 10 on the cuteness scale. The Pomeranian dog has a short body, a fox-like V-shaped head, prick ears, straight legs and a tail that turns over its back in Spitz fashion. The Pom is double coated and its harsh, straight outer coat covers a soft, fluffy and full undercoat. The overall impression is one of an elegant ball of fluff from which the Pom’s legs stick out. The feathered legs, chest, loins and tail give the breed a luxurious look. The coat can be any single color including: white, cream, orange, red, brown or black or any particolor. The nose is usually black. Pomeranians stand 7 to 9 inches tall at shoulder height and can weigh from 3 to 7 pounds. The Pom is a member of the American Kennel Club (AKC) Toy Dog Group. See additional information on choosing a Pomeranian.

The tiny Pomeranian is descended from the Spitz-type sled dogs and herding dogs of the Arctic. The Pom is certainly related to the Samoyed and the Keeshond and in Europe it is also called a Dwarf Keeshond. Dogs similar to the Pomeranian were known to exist in Pomerania, which was a region on the Baltic cost now part of Poland and Germany. The larger Pom was used to herd sheep and the breed spread throughout Europe during the 18^th century. Queen Victoria became enamoured with the breed in the mid 19^th century. Early Poms were much larger but selective breeding during the 20^th century has resulted in a small toy dog-breed that is prized for its lively spirit and full and colourful coat. Today the Pomeranian is a popular companion dog and was ranked 13^th out of 154 dog breeds in 2004 AKC registrations.he Akita is the national dog of Japan and is native to the island of Honshu in the mountains of the Akita Prefecture. The breed is about 300 years old and was originally developed as a guard dog, then as a hunting dog and finally as a police dog. Today the breed is mainly used as a companion and family dog. Akitas are ranked 51st out of 154 dog breeds in 2004 AKC registrations.

The Pom is lively, spirited and animated. This breed is a keen-eyed extrovert who is very inquisitive and must check out all activities going on around him. The Pom is a proud and confident, even cocky, toy dog that requires early and thorough socialization with strangers to minimize its tendency to bark. Pomeranians don’t do well with small children or toddlers as they are just too small and can be candidates for accidental injury. Poms will chase larger dogs and you have to protect them from themselves. This toy breed is intelligent, eager to learn and takes readily to positive and gentle training methods. Poms, like most toy breeds, can be difficult to housetrain so you must persevere early. Make sure to socialize and train your Pom early to control his barking which can be a very annoying problem. Pomeranians make good watchdogs as they will bark if they hear strangers. Pomeranians do fine with novice or first-time dog owners.

Poms will get sufficient exercise running and playing inside but outside walks are greatly enjoyed and appreciated. Remember to always use a harness, not a collar as Poms are subject to tracheal collapse.

The Pomeranian’s coat needs brushing and trimming once a week. Poms are heavy shedding dog breeds. Male Poms blow their coat once a year and females twice a year, and they can look pretty patchy. Don’t worry it will grow back again! Brush the coat with a slicker or pin brush – working from the head down. Try and tease out any tangles with a coarse comb. Be careful not to brush and comb too often as you can damage the undercoat. Only give Poms a wet bath when they have blown their coats, otherwise use a dry shampoo.

Pomeranians have a life expectancy of from 12 to 16 years and have a number of common health problems. These health disorders include: congenital heart defects (patent ductus arteriosus); patellar luxation; eye disorders (progressive retinal atrophy and entropion); tracheal collapse; and low blood sugar in very small Poms. Explanations of many of these diseases can be found in our article "Hereditary Diseases in Dogs”. Watch out for early dental problems which are common in this breed. You should always neuter non-breeding males no later than 6 months of age to prevent leg-lifting problems. Because Pomeranians are expensive, there are a number of unscrupulous breeders selling puppies that are too big for the standard or ones that have a number of genetic problems. Always buy from a reputable breeder and always ask to see the parent’s OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) patellar luxation screening results as well as the recent CERF (Canine Eye Registry) results for eye diseases.