The Pomeranian

Appearance

The Pomeranian is a small ,compact ,dainty dog .He displays great glamour with his crowning glory- a dense ,double coat ,made up of long, harsh,standoff guard hairs and a soft woolly undercoat.

History

The Pomeranian is believed to have descended from wolf-spitz type dogs which at some early period migrated to Pomerania from the north of Russia and Siberia.Sharing the same ancestors with the other arctic breeds such as the Samoyed and Keeshond.
These early spitz type dogs were used to work as guard and sledge animals,however the smallest were kept as companions.At this stage of development,the breed weighed 30 lbs and were colored white,black or cream.
Pomeranians were established as a breed in the eighteenth century after they drew the interest of the English monarchy.
Upon her marriage to King George 111, Queen Charlotte brought large white Pomeranians to England in 1761.
However it was not until Queen Victoria's reign that the Pomeranian became one of the most popular toy breeds.The 9 to 13.6 kg. dogs of Queen Charlotte's time now weighed 5.5.kg.Queen Victoria further improved the breed after she imported smaller Pomeranians of different colors from various European countries.

Temperament

The Pomeranian is a delightful family member,extrovert,lively and very , very intelligent . Owing to the diminutive size and high energy level the Pomeranian is not recommended for families with young children.Pomeranians are suitable for flat dwellers who are prepared to exercise their dog on a regular basis and also make loyal and intelligent companions for the elderly.

Care / Grooming

A Pomeranian does not require as much grooming as some of the other long haired breeds but do be prepared to at least brush your dog two or three times weekly if not more often.Grooming should be a time enjoyed both by your Pomeranian and yourself. Hopefully your Pomeranian came from a long line of heavily coated dogs and you as a conscientious owner correctly care for your dogs coat with regular brushing and bathing . Extra brushing will be required when your dog is shedding coat. The dead coat must be removed as soon as possible to allow the new coat to come in. All loose hair must be removed or the result will be horrible matts which may have to be removed by clipping if let go too far!!!! If you groom your Pomeranian on a regular basis these problems will not arise.
Please pay attention to behind the ears and the groin area on your Pomeranian as these areas are prone to knots and tangles.
The good news for owners of male Pomeranians is once you have got him through to about 18 months of age his coat will stay relatively the same year in year out.
With a Pomeranian female you will not be so lucky, as the hormonal changes with seasons often play havoc on a bitches coat. Whelping and rearing a litter usually results in a complete shed .

Health

HEALTH: The Pomeranian is a sturdy little dog that suffers from few health problems,the major problem that can be occasionally be found in this breed, as in many of the "toy" breeds is patella luxation , or slipping kneecaps .Severe cases can be operated on successfully and the best person to talk to is your Veterinarian. Take care of your Pomeranian by keeping him or her trim and fit and never allow a young Pomeranian puppy to jump down from steps, beds or furniture.This is inherited problem and as such affected animals should be not be bred from.
Collapsing trachea is a another problem that may be found in Pomeranians. Affected Pomeranians make a sound like a honking noise when excited or they may cough as if something is stuck in there throat .Again I must mention that having your Pomeranian over weight may cause this problem to be more severe. Medication can help, so if your Pomeranian displays any of these symptoms please have your dog vet checked.
Coat Loss Problems also can also affect Pomeranians.This problem is often referred to as Black skin disease.The cause can be many things- Hypothyroidism or low thyroid, cushings disease, eczema, mites, fungus infections are some of many causes.Ask your veterinarian for help to diagnose the cause and suggest a remedy.
Entropian or ingrown eyelashes can occasionally occur in the Pomeranian breed.
Perthes disease is another problem that has been known to occur occasionally in the Pomeranian breed.The problem occurs during 4 to 11 month of age. This is a problem with loss of blood supply to the hip joint and resulting lameness and much pain for the animal concerned. Surgery can help but as a genetic component is assumed affected animals should never be used for breeding.
Other problems that occasionally can occur are Seizures and Hypoglycemia in young, very small and active puppies.

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