Pomeranian

History

The Pomeranian Spitz breed is widely known throughout the world. Needless to say, in America, the Pomeranian has firmly established itself in the list of the 50 most popular breeds, and it has been there since 1998. You have to agree – holding this position for 20+ years is quite a lot.

It is believed that the progenitors of this breed are dogs that come from the Arctic wastelands, which were large in size and were used by people for labor, such as the Keeshond. They traveled in packs, carried loads, and guarded homes. However, if you look at the Pomerian, it is hard to imagine that its ancestors could be able to carry loads and engage in confrontation with wild animals since this is a very small and harmless breed.

A closer historical ancestor of these dogs might be the German Spitz. In fact, the name “Spitz” comes from a term used by Count Eberhard Zu Sayn in the 16th century and literally means “sharp point”. Apparently, it was referring to the sharp muzzle and nose of the dog. Despite the fact that the breed is called a Pomeranian, in fact, in the territory of the former Pomerania (now part of Germany and Poland along the Baltic Sea), they did not originate there but experienced a sharp increase of reproduction in this place.

Queen Victoria kept a whole kennel of these dogs, and, during her life, the size of this breed decreased by more than 50%. If in the beginning, one of her most beloved dogs weighed 5kg, it was a red Pomeranian female, then at the end of her life, most of the dogs in the kennel weighed about 2 – 3kg. Queen Victoria bought the smallest representatives of this breed from other European countries and introduced them into her breeding program.

Additionally, these dogs were also kept by King George IV of England and Josephine De Beauharnais, wife of Napoleon. The first official club of this breed appeared in England in 1891, and a year later the first official standard of this breed was released. In 1898, the first specimen was registered with the American Kennel Club. According to the 1998 standard, the Pomeranian is included in the German Spitz standard.

Description

The Pomeranian is a small dog with a flattened muzzle, a sharp nose, and a lot of hair. The coat has a peculiar structure that makes the dog look like a fluff ball. Ears are triangular and erect. Their legs are slightly shorter than average, although, due to their long coat, they seem very short. The hair on the paws grows to a much lesser extent, and on the chest and body – to a greater extent. The tail is curled on the back.

The most common colors of the Pomeranian are – orange, brown, gray, black, and white.

Personality

The Pomeranian has a very cheerful and eccentric character. They love to fool around, play, go for walks, and spend time socializing. In fact, it is not very important for them whether this will be a society of people, or other dogs, although they always single out their family and their owner.

Pomeranians easily adapt to different environments, situations, and people. Thanks to this, they can live in both an apartment or a house of any size. He will gladly keep the company for both a single owner and a family with children. It does not require long walks and is suitable for inactive owners. These dogs are perfect with children, by the way.

The Pomeranian is an extrovert by nature, although sometimes in communication with other dogs and strangers, he overestimates his strength and can even attack. At least, with all this appearance, he is trying to show his own fearlessness and fighting enthusiasm – here you will have to carry out constant training sessions and behavior correction. After all, if he attacks a Pit Bull, the outcome of the fight is clear as day – most likely, you will have to look for a new dog.

The main task of this dog is to be a true friend and companion. Sometimes they are used as a watchdog, which is not able to stop a robber but can raise an alarm.

Sometimes, a Pomeranian can start barking, and if you don’t teach him a specific command to stay silent, he can disturb the peace of others (and your own) for hours on end. This breed needs early socialization, in order to develop its character correctly.

Training

As mentioned above, this breed is prone to overestimating its own capabilities. Even unusual sounds can cause a violent reaction, which often causes inconvenience for the owner. Therefore, you need to pay attention to forming the correct behavior in different situations for your dog.

Typically, these dogs are taught simple, basic commands. The Pomeranian cannot concentrate on one thing for a long time and quickly switches attention. Therefore, short sessions of 15 – 20 minutes should be used in training (you can even start with 5 per session).

Some owners teach them additional, more complex commands to make their daily lives easier. To do this, you can contact a professional trainer.

Care

Caring for a Pomeranian requires a bit of effort, but it is well worth it for the love and joy they bring to your life. Regular grooming is essential to keep their thick, fluffy coat healthy and free of mats. They also need plenty of exercises, including daily walks and playtime, to keep them physically and mentally stimulated. It is also important to provide them with a balanced diet, regular vet check-ups, and plenty of love and affection.

Common Disease

The Pomeranian rarely has health problems. But if you decide to buy this dog, then you better know about them in advance. They are prone to a number of disease, many of which are quite serious. Among them:

• Hip dysplasia;
• Legg-Calve-Perthes disease;
• Dislocation of the patella;
• Teeth problems;
• Allergies;
• Epilepsy;
• Cataract;
• Keratoconjunctivitis Sikka;
• Tear canal problems.

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