Pomeranian Dog

The Pomeranian is of course a small dog; it is 8-12 inches in height with a weight of 3 to 7 pounds. They have a wedge head and short nose, the colour of which can be different dependent on the colour of their coat. They have a double coat, which is copious, the outer layer being made up of quite long hair with a thick downy undercoat. They come in a variety of different colours, with a long-haired tail. Whilst they are dainty dog, the look of them from the front is somewhat reminiscent of a fox, whereas from the back they look like an enormous ball of fluff with legs.

History. Pomeranians are descendants of the Arctic dogs that used to be sledge pullers, although originally they were much larger, than the breed as we know them today, weighing some 28-33 pounds. On a trip to Italy, Queen Victoria fell in love with this breed of dog, and brought it to England. It is Queen Victoria that bred them down to their present-day size, so although they originated in the Arctic, the dog as we know them today was in fact a product of the United Kingdom. Queen Victoria is also well-known for having entered these dogs into shows. This breed became a popular pet, and was owned by such famous people as Marie Antoinette, Mozart and of course Queen Victoria. Pomeranians were first recognized by the AKC in 1888.

Temperament. Pomeranians are intelligent, proud, loyal dogs that are normally very eager to learn. Given that, the breeds overall temperament is, laid-back and affectionate in nature. They are very popular within the toy dog breeds. With an active and inquisitive disposition, it is an independent and free thinking dog. Because of these tendencies, it is necessary to have a firm but gentle approach to training. If overindulged these dogs can become quite domineering, although very cute and apparently fragile they are in fact a very robust dog for their size. It is important not to spoil this dog, as if you do the dog will see itself as the pack leader and essentially taken over your home. Whilst they obviously require daily exercise, due to their size this is not a particular chore as they do not need to be walked great distances, and a normal play session can take care of a proportion of their exercise requirements.

Health issues. The main health problems with Pomeranians, concern the knee joints, and teeth problems. They are also predisposed to heart conditions. It is recommended that they are fed dry dog foods, to assist in reducing problems with tooth decay. As puppies they are obviously very small and fragile, Therefore, when very young care should be taken in handling them.

Grooming. Pomeranians are constant shedders and as such should be groomed frequently, it is fairly easy to do although time-consuming. Working from the head you would brush their coat forward, removing any debris. Their hair will fall back into place naturally. The downy undercoat most commonly will shed twice a year. Regular brushing will remove any loose or detached hair, thereby reducing the amount of vacuuming necessary in the home. Although it is not part of grooming you should regularly check your pets' teeth, and take it to the vet if there are any problems with them.

Living conditions. They are quite happy in most locations and adapt well to living in an apartment, obviously daily exercise is necessary. Care needs to be taken, to avoid overheating in summer. As mentioned before they can obtain a great deal of their exercise from simple play sessions within the home.