Did you know?
A Pomeranian was one of only two dogs who survived the sinking of the Titanic.
Pomeranian
Pomeranians speak only to Poodles and Poodles speak only to God. – Charles Kuralt
TerraMarie’s Casanova
Named for Pomerania in Germany, the Pomeranian is said to have descended from larger sled dogs from the Arctic and is a member of the Spitz family of dogs. Ancestors of today’s Pom were much larger dogs who worked in the Arctic regions. “Spitz” is a German word meaning “sharp point” and was the term first used by Count Eberhard zu Sayn in the 16th Century referring to the dog’s nose and muzzle. In some countries, the Pom is known as the “Dwarf-Spitz”.
In fact, the Pom first came to public attention as a much larger dog, weighing in at about 30 pounds (13.6 kg).
Queen Victoria had a particularly small Pom and this led English breeders to develop the miniaturized version of the Pomeranian that is so popular today. Over the 63 years she reigned as Queen of England, the breed’s size decreased by half. The Pom is a devoted companion and lap dog.
Photos displayed courtesy of Terra Marie Penner, TerraMarie Reg’d, Alberta
As the smallest member of the Spitz family, the Pomeranian stands just 11 inches (28 cm) tall at the shoulder and weighs between three and seven pounds (1 – 3 kg). His outer coat is long, straight, and harsh while the undercoat is soft, thick, and short.
Be aware that all that fur means daily grooming as the coat can tangle easily. Shedding occurs principally twice a year when the fur comes out in clumps!
His coat comes in a large variety of colours and colour combinations, Twelve in fact! They are: black, brown, chocolate, beaver (dark beige), red, orange, cream, orange-sable (having an undercoat in a light tan colour with deeper orange guard hairs ending in black tipping), wolf-sable (having an undercoat in light grey with a deeper shade of steel grey guard hairs ending in black tippings), blue white, parti-colour (white with orange or black patches distributed evenly on the body, and a white blaze on the head), and black and tan (black with tan or rust sharply defined appearing above each eye, in the ears, on the muzzle, throat, fore chest, on all legs and below the tail).
The Pom has a pointed little face, and like other members of the Spitz family, he carries his plumed tail curled up over his back.
TerraMarie’s Spumante Bambino
TerraMarie’s Khiya Niko
Alert, active, and lively little dogs, Poms make good watchdogs as they are very aware of what is going on around them. They are territorial and will bark (loudly) at unfamiliar situations or objects. This can lead to nuisance barking.
Although Pomeranians are typically friendly, playful and lively, they can be aggressive with other dogs as they may feel the need to prove themselves. Principally bred to be as companions, Poms make great house or apartment pets as they fit well into the smallest accommodation and require minimal exercise. Their outgoing personalities tolerate the company of other pets and children well. However, children must be reminded that this is a small dog and he cannot withstand the roughhousing that larger dogs can.
Poms are intelligent, respond well to training, and can be very successful in getting what they want from their owners. So beware you don’t spoil him! He can become dominant if not well trained and socialized. The use of toys can be an effective tool in training these dogs to be comfortable with, or at least accepting of, being alone.
CKC Breed Standard
