Pomeranian

Measure Your Pomeranian Against The Standards Of The Breed

Have you ever wondered whether your Pomeranian could be a show dog? Well, here’s your chance. If you want to know what the American Kennel Club considers a good Pomeranian, read on. Get out the bathroom scale so you can find out how your dog measures up to the American Kennel Club standards for Pomeranian dogs. You could have a potential American Kennel Club champion on your hands. The American Kennel Club establishes standards of the breeds it recognizes for several reasons. First, breed standards document what the breed is supposed to look and act like. Dogs bred for generations to look exactly the same are reliable dogs. If you get a Pomeranian puppy, you know you can count on your full-grown Pomeranian to weigh less than seven pounds. Without standards of the breed, Pomeranians could eventually weigh as much as bulldogs! Pomeranians are also known for their playful, intelligent personalities. Well-known, established standards for breeds encourage good breeding practices. Toy dogs have fragile skeletal systems, and preventing the breed from getting too heavy helps reduce the likelihood of injury to bones and joints. Nearly everything about the Pomeranian is covered by the standards of the breed, from the dark nose to the high, plumed tail, which, according to breed standards, must lie flat and straight against the dogs' back. Pomeranians should have small, pointed ears, short muzzles and dark, almond-shaped eyes. Pomeranian standards rely on proportions for definition of the Pomeranian's body. The breed's height from its elbows to its withers is about the same as the height from the ground to the elbows. The shoulder blade and the upper arm should be of approximately equal length. The Pomeranian has a double-coat consisting of a soft undercoat and a long, textured outer coat. The outer coat forms feathers on the legs and a frill around the shoulders and chest. A soft, flat or open coat is a major fault that leads to disqualification. All colors, patterns and color combinations are to be judged the same, and any color of coat is permissible under the standards of the Pomeranian breed. The most frequently shown Pomeranians have coloration patterns that include black and tan, brindle and parti-color. The black and tan Pomeranian dog has light patches above the eyes, on the muzzle, throat, chest, legs, feet and under the tail. The brindle-coated dog has a gold or red base with black cross stripes. A parti-color dog is white with patches of other color and a white blaze on the forehead. Pomeranians are sometimes divided into three different groups for judging, depending on the color patterns of their coats. Red, orange and sable dogs to in one group whereas black and brown dogs go in another, and other combinations are judged in a third group. Standards of the breed also cover the dog's temperament. Pomeranians should be confident, inquisitive and intelligent. In full trot, a Pomeranian should command attention. Pomeranian breed standard information is available to any breeders or fans of the breed. The American Kennel Club makes Pomeranian information easy to get so breeders can familiarize themselves with the standards of the breed. Proportion is important to the Pomeranian standards, with upper and lower leg length being approximately equal. The AKC makes Pomeranian information that spells out these breed standards available to virtually anyone, so all breeders can easily become familiar with them.

What You Need To Know About Pomeranian Dogs?

Pomeranians do not look like real dogs – they look more like wind-up toys or a creature from Star Wars. They are smaller versions of the original Pomeranian sled dogs that lived hundreds of years ago in an area on the Baltic Sea called, not coincidently, Pomerania. It is thought they might have originally come from Lapland or Iceland, but nothing has been proven and besides the name Pomeranian has stuck. Pomeranian dogs are more than cute faces. They are demanding in terms of attention and grooming, although undemanding in terms of feeding and exercise. Their tiny bodies sometimes mean a lot of difficulties in housebreaking, although some have been successfully trained to use a littler box like a cat or a rabbit. They are vocal, bold and will not suffer fools (or foolish little children) gladly. Despite their resilient and fearless nature, their bodies are actually quite fragile. They need to be treated with the same care and caution as you would a guinea pig or dwarf rabbit. Pomeranian personalities can differ remarkably from Pomeranian to Pomeranian. Since there is such a demand for them over the past few decades, they have been breed more for quantity than quality. Sadly, this has lead to puppy farms supplying pet stores and Internet puppy sites with unhealthy, neurotic dogs. Never get a Pomeranian from a pet store or Internet site that sells puppies. Get one from a breeder or a Pomeranian rescue. Pomeranians are standoffish around strangers and very protective of their people and homes. This has, on occasion, led to attacks. For example, this writer was walking her sixty-pound dog past a yard with a wooden fence. One of the boards suddenly banged dangerously, causing the both of us to jump. When I looked at our attacker, it was a smiling Pomeranian who looked very pleased with himself. They will bite when cornered by a person or another animal. Pomeranians need regular check ups and vaccinations just like any other dogs. They need worming medication and rabies shots. Pomeranian dogs are also prone to some illnesses more than other breeds. These illnesses include eye infections, dislocated patella, skin problems, teeth problems and slipped stifle. Their skeletons are also more fragile than the average dog's. A drop from your arms can fracture bones and do internal injuries. Daily grooming can help you not only untangle the coat, but spot potential problems before they become too serious. Pomeranians can often grow bigger than their parents, but they can still be purebred Pomeranian dogs. Their ancestors were sled dogs of a Spitz-type that were about thirty pounds. Gradually, as the use of dog sleds dwindled, the Pomeranian became smaller for apartment dwelling. Now, they average about seven pounds. With regular care, attention and a sensible diet, they should live well into their teens and forever in your heart. The Pomeranian requires a lot of attention and patience for training and grooming. The latest Pomeranian information can be found by visiting the American Kennel Club website.

Origins Of The Pomeranian Breed

It's hard to believe it, but the tiny Pomeranian descended from the Spitz sled dogs in Lapland and Greenland. Before the Pomeranian was bred down to a smaller size, the larger dogs worked as shepherds. Indeed, it is not difficult to imagine today's Pomeranian yapping around the edges of a herd of sheep.

Pomeranians got their name because they were imported into Europe through Pomerania, a land on the southern Baltic coast where present day Germany and Poland now sit. In Pomerania, the dogs were bred down closer to their modern-day size. It took many generations of Pomeranians to reduce the twenty-pound dog of the 19th century to the four to six-pound standard of the breed today. The Kennel Club in England recognized the breed in 1870, calling it the "spitz dog." Traces of the Pomeranian's lineage can be seen in its coat and color, which are reminiscent of the wolf spitz breed.
Queen Victoria, who ruled England from 1819 to 1901, dramatically influenced the future of the breed. As a young girl, Victoria adored a Pomeranian kept by her mother, Queen Charlotte. In 1888, Queen Victoria acquired an Italian Pomeranian named Marco, who enchanted her. She became a dedicated breeder, at one time having 35 Pomeranians in the royal kennel. She showed at least six of her Pomeranians, earning at least two championships. When she died at Buckingham Palace in 1901, her Pomeranian Turi was at her side.

Queen Victoria was one of England's most beloved monarchs, and the Pomeranian breed grew more and more popular as the public followed the progress of the queen's six show dogs, Lulu, Gilda, Beppo, Mino, Nino and Fluffy, in newspapers and cheered when her dogs were named champions. The British public began getting Pomeranians of their own, and the Pomeranian remains one of the United Kingdom's most popular breeds today.
Besides royalty, other famous Pomeranian owners run the gamut from Michelangelo, who brought his dog to work when he painted the Sistine Chapel, to the actress Kate Hudson, who named her Pomeranian Clara Bo. Legend has it that Sir Isaac Newton's Pomeranian, Diamond, drove him to madness when she knocked over a candle that burned some important papers, causing a nervous breakdown.

Mozart and Chopin composed music for Pomeranians, and the great church leader Martin Luther mentions his Pomeranian named Belferlein in his written works. Actress Cindy Williams, also known as Shirley on "Laverne and Shirley," appeared in commercials for a weight loss program with her Pomeranian. And who can forget Chester, actress Fran Drescher's Pomeranian, whom she made her co-star in the hit TV show "The Nanny."

The Pomeranian is not just for royalty and celebrities. This delightful breed also loves to belong to everyday people like you and me.

The Pomeranians ancestors are Spitz sled dogs who exported the breed to the southern Baltic coast. Later breeders, including Queen Victoria of England, bred the dog to its smaller size. Helpful Pomeranian information such as that found here is also available at libraries and through the American Kennel Club.