Pomeranian Outer Coat

Question

My Pom   QUESTION: I have a female Pom who turned one on Jan 1st.  Her color category is Blue, but she looks brown to me.  She has a thick undercoat that is soft as cotton and over an inch long but her outercoat(which I have read is supposed to be coarse) is almost as soft as her undercoat and has only come in on her head, around her neck down to just behind her front shoulders, on her chest and sides and on her hind quarters.  Her tail is full also.  It's just a little area on the top of her back from the back of her shoulders to the base of her tail .  What's going on?  I'm hoping she will have all her coat by the time she's two.  Is this unrealistic?

ANSWER: HI Geraldine,
What an adorable puppy, and yes, she is still for all intents and purposes still a puppy. Dogs don't usually get their adult coats until about 18 months or more so you are correct in assuming by 2 it should be what you are expecting. The key word here tho, is should... ya never know....
So what you need to be doing in the meantime is helping her growth along by stimulating the skin and and pulling out the dead puppy hair to make way for the new growth, which should be a harsher texture.
try using a Mars Coat king to pull out some of the fluff to make way for guard hair. I know they show them with enormous fluff but honestly is that what you want? It's teased and sprayed and powdered and fluffed out to the nth degree. Not very practical for a pet.
Seems like I get a lot of Pom questions here so you may want to look back on those answers as well.
You  want to invest in the Coat King, a metal Greyhound comb, a pin brush and a good pair of thinning shears just to shape her a bit. Those wavy tufts under her ears are best plucked out a few at a time with your fingers. You can shape her ruff that way. Even the back of legs and tail with the thinning shears. They leave a softer line than a straight edge shear. Push the hair up between her toes and thin that flat as well.
The color takes time to mature as well- altho it looks more blue to me but time will out.
Remember that diet is key! Good quality fresh food is essential. Check all expirations.
Enjoy your cutie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I worry about BSD; however, I've read that it predominately happens to males.  Also, someone mentioned alopecia from the "blue" gene. I have also her thyroid checked and it was on the high side. I guess I worry too much and should just sit tight until she's older.  But would love to be told that BSD and alopecia can be ruled out. I comb her two or three times a week and she sheds very little.  I bathe and condition her with Mane and Tail about once a month.  She eats Science Diet dry adult dog food and loves milk bone treats and rawhide.
I am from SC and we don't have a lot of real cold days and I wonder also, if climate affects coat.

Answer
since you brought it up - yes this color Pom is a recessive gene and who knows the can of beans you opened up here but hopefully things will be fine. Take care of that thyroid because it is one thing that wreaks havoc with hair growth.
Please get your dog off Raw hide immediately! Not only is it disgusting and bacteria laden it can cause obstructions and ruin the hair on her legs and face.
Get off that Science Diet too! And the milk bone! You might as well send her to McDonalds!
The new improved foods are grain free- Dogs are not meant to eat all the filler wheat corn and soy in those products. While S.D. use to be considered a premium food it is no longer as respected as it once was- made by Hills Brothers it is distributed at a discount to a lot of professionals for advertisement and referrals and vets make a wholelotta money off their prescription diets that they "prescribe" - a clear conflict of interest since they require you to feed it then sell it to you....
Go on line and update her diet and your knowledge of pet food market. Look at raw foods and grain free. Dr. Billinghurst is a brilliant dietician as in Innova foods. There are many new companies I find that fit the dedicated pet owner.
As far as climate is concerned, it is light that affects coat- the seasons. I would not be concerned about that.
I believe there is a Pom expert on this site. You should ask her about your concerns