Pom Haven Rescue

Thinking of adopting a Pomeranian?

Here are some helpful things you should know about the breed.

~Other names used when referring to the Pomeranian breed and ancestry:

Zwergspitz, Dwarf Spitz, Wolf Spitz, Volpino

~Group: Toy Breed

~Description: Pomeranians come in a large variety of colors and sizes.

Pomeranians can have a foxy, teddy bear or baby doll like appearance.

Pomeranians have pointed erect ears that stand up on the top of their head. They have almond shaped dark eyes.

The nose pigment may vary from black to brown to the shade of their coat.

All poms are fluffy and have a plume like curled tail that falls over their back.

Most Pomeranians have a thick dense double coat. Some poms do possess a smoother flatter coat.

Coat colors can be white, cream, black, brown, black and tan, red, orange, blue, sable, wolf sable, merle, tri-colored and parti-colored (white with colored marking)

The height and weight of Pomeranians vary. Some stand no taller than your ankle and only weigh 2 pounds others can weigh up to 20+ pounds and stand as tall as your knee.

Pomeranians are lively, good natured, and eager to please. They are intelligent, docile and affectionate. Pomeranians make wonderful watch dogs and are very loyal to their family. They are good at learning tricks and enjoy performing them over and over.

Their high spirited and vivacious nature make them well liked by even those who are not a fan of toy breeds.

Early training and socialization are important for this breed as they can develop small dog syndrome thinking they are the pack leader and becoming temperamental, demanding and dominant. If not trained to keep quiet at an early age they can become incessant barkers.

Pomeranians get along well with other dogs and cats. They do well with children of all ages as long as the children are respectful and do not harass them. However due to the small size of some poms it is important to never leave small children alone with them at any time as with any breed for the protection of the dog as well as the child. Pomeranians are not tolerant of rough handling.

~Health Concerns: Some poms are prone to luxating patellas, trachea collapse, early tooth decay, Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and skin conditions. It is important to feed your Pomeranian a balanced diet, regularly groom him, and visit your veterinarian at the first sign of a problem.

~Life expectancy: About 12-15 years

~Grooming: A Pomeranian should be brushed and groomed regularly to avoid matting. Most Pomeranians shed twice a year in the Spring and Fall. Un-spayed females will also blow coat after a heat cycle and after whelping. Care should be taken to wipe the eyes, clean the ears and clip the nails on a regular basis.

~Living Conditions: Pomeranians do well in city apartments as well as in the suburbs or country. They don't require a lot of exercise and a brisk walk or two a day is sufficient. Pomeranians should not be allowed to become overheated in hot weather. Always supervise small Pomeranians when outdoors as often times they can become prey to hawks and other large birds.

~Exercise: Pomeranians  get much exercise in their daily play but should also be walked twice a day if you do not have a fenced yard that allows a good romp.

Pomeranian History: Pomeranians originate from Pomerania, in present day Poland and Germany. The Pomeranian actually descended from the sled dogs of Iceland and Lapland, the Samoyed, Keeshond, Norwegian Elkhound, and Spitz breeds. Poms were bred down to the much smaller house pets we see today. These toy Pomeranians were popularized in England by Queen Victoria in the 1800's and introduced to the US in 1892