Dog Breed of The Month : The Pomeranian

The fox like Pomeranian may be tiny in stature they have the courage and personality of a dog thrice their size. These miniature pups have much larger ancestors - The German Spitz from Central Europe. They get their chutzpah from their forefathers who were working dogs in a frigid region. The breed originated in Pomerania, and that is where they got their name. Formerly much bigger in stature, the British Royal Family altered the evolution of Pomeranians. Queen Charlotte transported 2 Pomeranians to England who are shown in paintings as much bigger dogs, weighing around 30-50 lbs. Her granddaughter, Queen Victoria, owed a considerably more petite pups named Marco, who only weighed about 12 lbs. When she showed Marco in 1891, the more minuscule Poms were a hit and demand for them was so high that the breed's size was permanently scaled down.  The Pomeranian has been a favored breed in the United States for a long time and is regularly listed in the top 20 AKC breeds over the last decade.

Pomeranians are diminutive dogs typically weighing 4-8 lbs and standing 5-11 inches in height. They are small yet tenacious dogs with a heavy double coat and a curled tail that flips onto their back. Their top coat forms a prominent ruff of fur around their neck and they also have feathered hair on their hindquarters. Out of all dog breeds, the Pom comes in the most diverse array of colors, including white, black, brown, red, orange,blue, black and tan, brown and tan, spotted, brindle, and any mixture of these colors. The most prevailing colors notwithstanding are orange, black, or white/cream. Pom Poms' heavy double coat demands care and these dogs should be brushed every day with a quality dog brush to help reduce shedding. They should be trimmed every 1-2 months.

Pomeranians have long life spans and usually live 12 to 16 years. With a quality diet and adequate exercise they don't have many health problems. They are predisposed to tooth problems including early tooth loss, so you should feed your Pom Pom dry food. Other common ailments that Poms are prone to include luxating patella, tracheal collapse, and black skin disease, which is a combination of alopecia and hyper pigmentation. Pomeranians are very spirited, amicable, and smart dogs. They adore their masters and require ample attention. They are very observant and can be spectacular guard dogs because they love to bark and anything out of the ordinary or not stationary. These happy little dogs enjoy being the life of the party but can become dominating and combative if they aren't properly trained. Poms are very loyal and make perfect pets for single people because they tend to be one dog owners. They can have small dog syndrome and aren't recommended for small children. Pomeranians usually get along well with other dogs and cats but should be guarded from larger dogs. These feisty pups do not realize how little they are and are fearless in challenging other dogs, despite how big their opponent might be.

  Fun Facts

1. Some celebrities who are or have been Pomeranian owners include Sharon Osbourne, Elvis Presley, Leann Rimes, Fran Drescher, Nicole Richie, Rihanna, Maria Sharapova, Geri Halliwell, P. Diddy, Samantha Mamba, Bill Cosby, Mozart, Paris Hilton, Kate Hudson, Isaac Newton and Michelangelo
2. Whenever a smaller breed of dog is needed for a rescue mission, Pomeranians are used. Nordic people used their ancestors as sled pulling dogs and reindeer herders.
3. When the Titanic sank in 1912, one lucky Pomeranian survived with her owner, Margaret Hays, on a lifeboat.
4. Almost all Pomeranians go through an awkward “teenage stage,” when their puppy coat falls out and they grow in their adult coat. During this stage Pom Pom puppies can have random bald spots with fur sticking out.
5. Occasionally a Pom can end up being much larger than average (up to 20 pounds) due to a gene anomaly. These are called throwback Poms. Basically, these Pomeranian have the appearance of their descendants – the larger sled-pulling Pomeranians of from long ago. A Pom who is not overweight, but is larger than 14 pounds is considered a Throwback Pomeranian