You want a Pomeranian puppy, but don’t know what to expect? Read on and find out more.
Pomeranian overview:
The Pomeranian got its name from the region of Pomerania, which is now the area of Germany and Poland.
They’re a Spitz breed, meaning a type of dog that has several wolf-like characteristics. They can trace their roots back to large sled dogs and are close relatives to breeds such as the American Eskimo Dog, Alaskan malamute, Siberian husky, Norwegian Elk hound, and Samoyed.
Early dogs of this breed were much larger than the ones known today, weighing up to 15 kilograms. Queen Victoria was a huge fan of Pomeranians and responsible for the small size of these dogs today. She may have reduced the size of the breed through her own breeding during her reign.
Shortly after, these dogs began to be entered in dog shows, where their popularity rocketed.
In 1888, Dick was the first Pom to be registered in the American Kennel Club studbook.
Pros
- Pomeranians are perfect for small houses or apartments.
- Good watchdog
- Suitable for beginners
- A Pomeranian puppy can learn not only basic obedience skills quickly, but also tricks.
- They are fun and attentive, and will fit into almost any size of home.
- Very energetic, so such a pet is suitable for active owners.
- Even though they are not guard dogs, they are always aware of what is going on.
- Adults who are both active and around most of the day suit them well.
- Easy to carry and can come with you on trips.
- Even when a Pom is left alone at home, it does not have the habit of chewing shoes, furniture, and more.
- It does not require large space and food expenses will be minimal.
Cons
- Poms can be vocal, and it is possible they will be barking at anything that they want to intimidate (including strangers).
- Separation anxiety – it will not be easy for them to stay at home alone for a really long time.
- Moderate shedder and doesn’t deal well with hot weather.
- Puppies have a fragile skeleton; therefore it is prone to injuries – bone fractures.
Interesting facts
- They are also called Poms.
- Michelangelo had a Pomeranian by his side when he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
- Physicist Isaac Newton, whose Pomeranian named Diamond reportedly chewed on many of his manuscripts.
- Martin Luther had a Pomeranian named Belferlein that he often mentioned in his writings.
- Composer Mozart had a Pomeranian named Pimperl, and he dedicated an aria to his little dog.
- Elvis Presley owned a Pomeranian named Sweet Pea, which he had originally bought for his mother.
- Two Pomeranians were among the three dogs that survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Both escaped in lifeboats with their owners.
Appearance
People sometimes refer to the Pomeranian as a little lion. They have a pointed face and a small, very furry body. Their head is pointed and almost fox-like. They have a narrow muzzle and ears that sit erect. Their tail is high set, and hang backs straight out from their body.
In general, they grow 18 to 30 cm tall and weigh between 1.5 and 5 kilograms.
It has a thick, fluffy coat that comes in various colors, including white, brown, orange and black. They are also available in cream, red, sable, gray shaded chocolate, tan, brindle, and lavender.
Poms have a pretty decent lifespan of about 12 – 16 years.
Shedding
As cute and fluffy as they are, Pomeranians do shed.
They don’t shed as much as other breeds, but their shedding is still significant. Poms are not known as heavy shedders, but their abundant coat does leave behind some hair around their environment.
Usually, a Pom puppy will start to shed their baby fur between the ages of 4 and 6 months.
What does a pomeranian puppy cost?
On average, a Pomeranian puppy cost 3000 euros. The price ranges between 1500 and 3500 euros.
The price will vary depending on the breeder, location, dog’s bloodline, color, and age among other things.
Exercise & trainability
Training a pomeranian is not very hard. These pooches are quite agreeable and responsive during the training sessions. They learn the new commands and tricks which are taught to them fairly quickly.
Exercise-wise, a fully grown Pom usually needs no more than 30 minutes walking each day, split between a morning and evening walk. The general rule of thumb for walking a puppy is around 2 – 5 minutes for every month of age. For example, for a 4-month-old pomeranian puppy, a walk of 8 to 20 minutes is enough.
Intelligence
A Pom is a fairly intelligent breed that possesses decent thinking and decision-making skills. According to the Intelligence of Dogs by Stanley Coren, Pomeranian is ranked 23.
Can a Pomeranian swim?
Poms have the instinct to swim, but do not have enough strength needed to swim a lot.
If a Pom is put into a pool where his feet don’t reach the ground for the first time, and he gets stressed out, he might tire himself out and drown. They may seem a bit hesitant at first, but when they get comfortable with the water, they enjoy swimming a lot.
If your pooch doesn’t seem to enjoy swimming, then you should never force it to do that.
Does a Pomeranian bark a lot?
Pomeranians are vocal dogs, so it’s no wonder that they’ll be barking from time to time.
They use their voice quite frequently, which can be a bit noisy for their owners, but this bad habit can be easily controlled through proper guidance and training.
Poms bark for many reasons, including wanting to protect you and themselves, boredom, joining the surrounding excitement, attention seeking, and reacting to outside disturbances like sirens, fireworks, and general noises.
Weather & climate
Poms tolerance to cold is quite good, and these pooches can comfortably thrive in cold and wintry areas. But, if the conditions outside the house start to become excessively harsh, then it is a good idea to keep these pooches warm and cozy inside their homes.
A Pomeranian tolerance to high temperature and heat is not that great. These pooches should receive extra care and attention from their owners during the summer months.
Are they child-friendly?
These dogs are fine with older children, who know how to behave properly with a dog, but they are less suitable for very young children. This is because young children simply do not have the knowledge or expertise needed to handle small dogs.
But if you teach your pup to get along with young children from the beginning, this will not be a problem at all.
Are they dog- and animal-friendly?
If your Pom is well socialized, he’s likely to enjoy the company of all breeds. Poms don’t realize just how small they are, and have no fear of challenging bigger dogs.
If proper training and guidance are not given to a pom, then they might be not that warm and kind to other canines and can also be aggressive with other pooches. But since Poms are tiny, they get along better with other toy breeds, such as a Maltese, toy poodle, pugs or a shih tzu.
If your pom has been raised with a cat since both of them were little, they will get along. These pooches remain gentle and cordial with other animals and are considered a sociable breed.
Are they stranger-friendly?
Some poms are very friendly, but most are a little bit standoffish with strangers. With too little socialization, their natural caution can turn into suspicion, which is annoying to live with every time you have guests. So proper socialization from a young age is recommended.
Can they live in an apartment?
Pomeranians are one of the best apartment dogs that you could find.
It’s also a very active and playful dog, although he doesn’t need much space or a yard to be happy. Their exercise needs are fairly minimal, which also helps in making these pooches a great fit for the apartment lifestyle.
Pomeranian puppy and novice owners
A Pom is a good dog for first time owners if your lifestyle matches the breed’s characteristics and needs. It is important to fulfill all their exercise and grooming needs efficiently so that these canines can remain healthy and comfortable.
If a novice or a first-time owner is happy to take up the responsibility of raising and maintaining a pom, then this canine would be a great choice for them.
Can they stay home alone?
A Pomeranian can comfortably be alone for 6 to 8 hours. If your Pomeranian puppy is very young, it is important that you teach him this.
If you have not taught your Pomeranian puppy this, then your dog may suffer from separation anxiety. Then it will be more difficult to go away for long periods of time.
Is a Pomeranian a good guard dog?
A guard dog is the one who can physically defend and protect its owners and loved ones from any kind of external harm or threat. A watchdog is a canine who can efficiently alert its owner in case of an intruder or a trespasser, and thereby keeping its home, and it’s loved ones, safe.
Hence, going by this definition, Poms are not suitable for guard dogs but make excellent watchdogs. Although tiny in size, they bark persistently and loud to alert you effectively.
Health issues
The most common health problems are patellar luxation, tracheal collapse, hypothyroidism, seizures, …
