Pomeranian, Pomeranian Puppies, Pomeranians - The secrets You Must Know!

Today's tiny Pomeranian has an unexpected canine lineage. This fluffy member of the toy group has ancestors who were sturdy members of the working group - the Spitz sled dogs of Lapland and Greenland. Early cousins of the Spitz also worked herding sheep in the early 19th century. In fact, it's easier to imagine today's Pomeranian yapping around the edges of a herd of sheep than pulling a sled through snow. Still, traces of the Spitz can be seen in the Pomeranian's colors and winter-textured coat.

Pomeranians get their name from a region on the southern Baltic coast known as Pomerania, where the dogs were imported into Europe and bred down to size. It must have taken many generations of breeding to reduce the thirty pound Spitz to a much-reduced size much closer to the size of today's Pomeranian. In 1870, the Kennel Club in England recognized the Pomeranian breed, calling it the "spitz dog."
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 include a wide range of artists and celebrities, from Michelangelo, whose dog watched him paint the Sistine Chapel, to actress Kate Hudson, who is by now as well known as her mother, Goldie Hawn. Hudson's Pomeranian is named Pom Clara Bo.

According to Sir Isaac Newton's biographers, a Pomeranian can drive a person mad. Newton's Pomeranian, Diamond, once knocked over a candle that burned some of his work papers, and the ensuing stress caused Newton to have a nervous breakdown.

Pomeranians are inspirational. Mozart dedicated an aria to his Pomeranian, and Chopin composed music for a Pomeranian belonging to his girlfriend. The name of historical church leader Martin Luther's Pomeranian Belferlein pops up here and there in his writings.

The Pomeranian is a natural performer. Actress Cindy Williams, of "Laverne and Shirley" fame, appeared with her dog in commercials for a weight loss program. And then there's Chester, who belonged to actress Fran Drescher in real life, and co-starred with his owner in the hit TV show "The Nanny."

The Pomeranian appeals to royalty and celebrities, but this delightful breed also makes a great pet for everyday people. Anyone who loves small, confident, intelligent dogs will love the Pomeranian.

The Pomeranian, a favorite of royalty, is a descendant of the Spitz sled dogs. Queen Victoria of England, who once had 35 Pomeranians, made the dog popular in England in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Pomeranian information about history is fun and fascinating to owners of this delightful breed.

A Pomeranian is the perfect companion dog. The breed is a loyal friend, full of fun and eager to be the center of attention. Like most toy dogs, they enjoy human companionship more than just about anything else.

Dog breeds are generally categorized: into different groups. The working group usually does some kind of work, like carrying brandy to the snowbound or guarding property. Examples of this group are the Newfoundland and the St. Bernard. The sporting group hunts by pointing, retrieving or setting. Irish Setters, German Shorthaired Pointers and Spaniels all belong to the sporting group. The herding group controls the movement of other animals, like sheep. Collies and Border Collies are members of the herding group.

Then there is the toy group. Although there are small dogs in every group, the toy group specifically includes such dogs as the Maltese, the Chihuahua and the Pomeranian. Dogs in the toy group are bred for one thing and one thing only, to provide human companionship. Your Pomeranian wants to be at your side at all times, except of course, when it's in your lap.
Pomeranian dogs are quite confident and have even been described as cocky. They are secure in their position as top dog in the household. In fact, it takes a confident owner who is not afraid to show the dog who is boss to take charge of a Pomeranian. Your Pomeranian will demand a fair amount of your attention, so be ready to deal with interruptions and disturbances while you try to read the paper or watch TV. These are little dogs with huge personalities. Pomeranians are inquisitive and intelligent, animated and alert.

Pomeranians can develop intense attachments to their owners, becoming extremely protective when they think their master is being threatened. This protectiveness leads them to be suspicious of new people and strangers. A Pomeranian's friendship must be earned. Some Pomeranian dogs yap incessantly when they encounter a stranger, especially visitors to their home territory. It's as if the Pomeranian is trying to drive the stranger away by barking at it. The Pomeranian's cocky behavior must not be allowed to get out of control, as Pomeranians have been known to act out by snapping, biting, meanness, and general unpleasantness.
Many Pomeranians get along well with other dogs that are household companions, but they are territorial and will try to chase strange dogs, even dogs that are substantially bigger than they are. With appropriate training, the Pomeranian dog can be an excellent pet. Socialize the Pomeranian early on to avoid his developing bad habits like sharp or shrill barking. Start housebreaking at an early age to get the best results.

The majority of Pomeranians, puppies and adult dogs alike, can be trained and socialized to be loyal, manageable companions. To be sure, your Pomeranian will provide you with endless entertainment and more than enough companionship to ward off loneliness.

If you decide to get a puppy, ask your breeder to suggest an obedience trainer. If you are getting an older dog or a rescue Pomeranian, spend some time with the dog to see what its temperament is like, and seek professional training help if you run into obedience issues.

A devoted lap dog, the Pomeranian is a loyal, protective companion and makes an excellent pet for an elderly person. Breeders and trainers can provide owners with Pomeranian information that will help them control any behavior problems that arise.

Like many of the breeds in the toy group, the Pomeranian's personality is far bigger than their bodies. They are hot stuff and they know it. They boldly bounce around life and rule their people like benevolent dictators. They can be willful and stubborn and usually suspicious of strangers. However, many have been able to get along with other pets and other dogs.

They are protective, loyal and demanding. Pomeranian dogs demand little in terms of food or exercise - just playing in the house will suffice on most days - but they are demanding in terms of needing your attention to their presence and attention to their magnificent but easily matting double-layered coats. If you groom your Pomeranian every day, not only will your Pomeranian get used to being handled, but it will save you less time caring for the coat in the long run. Grooming can be a great way to interact and give worshipful attention to your Pomeranian.
Pomeranians make ideal companions for single adults or senior citizens. They are not recommended for homes with small children, as both will wind up hurting each other. Pomeranian dogs do well in urban settings or apartments. Pomeranians do not need a hike in the woods every day in terms of exercise, but still needs to be supervised if left out in the yard. Sadly, Pomeranians are so popular that they have become a magnet for thieves. And Pomeranians don't help matters any by boldly announcing their presence and strutting their stuff before anyone who happens by.

Most Pomeranian information in books or on the Internet only focuses on the good sides of living with Pomeranians. Keep in mind that there are bad sides, as well. Their coat needs a thorough grooming every day in order to keep it tangle-free. They also have surprisingly fragile frames - it has been known for Pomeranians to die just from jumping from your arms to the floor.
There is no absolute in the world of Pomeranian dogs. They clearly have not read the Pomeranian information that's been published about them. Each one is an individual that has his or her own quirks and traits. Some will be friendlier than others and some will be yappier than others. Pomeranians do have a voice that can set your neighbor's teeth on edge.

You need to be gentle, patient and persistent in training Pomeranians. They cannot handle any rough housing or any physical abuse. They do have a formidable set of teeth and will use them if they are cornered. But Pomeranian dogs have been successfully trained to run agility courses, so they are willing to learn. You can help them focus on learning by making sure they get a healthy diet, have daily exercise and are neutered. Keep training sessions short and always end on a good note with positive reinforcement.

If you know what to expect from a Pomeranian it is easier to decide if the breed will fit into your lifestyle. This Pomeranian information should help prevent people buying Pomeranians who shouldn't.

Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, with different personalities, colors and coats. In mixed breed dogs, it can be hard to predict how a puppy will turn out. Sometimes it doesn't matter, but if you're living in a studio apartment and you get a Pomeranian puppy that grows up to be three feet tall and weigh forty pounds, it matters!

The American Kennel Club knows that it matters and that is the reason for the establishment specific standards for each of the breeds it recognizes. The American Kennel Club requires that certain characteristics of a breed be stable for many generations of dogs before it recognizes a breed. Thus, a puppy buyer can predict how big or small a grown dog will be and what kind of temperament it will have. According to the American Kennel Club, a Pomeranian puppy, for instance, will weigh no more than seven pounds and have a perky, energetic personality.
Setting standards for breeds encourages good breeding and helps weed out qualities that might be bad for the dog's health. Take, for instance, the size of the Pomeranian. The Pomeranian is fragile, and its weight should be restricted. Setting a standard for the Pomeranian's weight discourages breeders from breeding heavy dogs.

The standard of the Pomeranian breed is thorough and precise, covering every part of the dog from the nose, which must be dark, to the high, plumed tail, lying straight and flat against the back. The Pomeranian's face has small ears, dark eyes and short muzzles. Proportion is important when judging the standards of a Pomeranian. The height of the dog, from its elbows to its withers, should be roughly equal to the height dog from the ground to the elbows. The dog's shoulder blade and upper arm should also be roughly equal in length. The Pomeranian has a soft undercoat and a long, roughly textured outer coat, which settles in feathers on the backs of the legs and in a frill around the shoulders and chest. A dog can be disqualified from competition if it has a soft, flat, or open coat.
The standard of the breed permits the Pomeranian to be virtually every color, and all colors and variations must be judged equally. Common Pomeranian patterns include black and tan, brindle and parti-color. With black and tan, light patches appear above the eyes, on the muzzle, throat, chest, legs, feet, and under the tail. A brindle coat has a gold or red base with bold black stripes. A parti-color Pomeranian is white with patches of any other color, although a white blaze on the head is preferred.

In specialty shows, Pomeranian dogs are categorized into three different groups according to the color combinations of their coats. Red, orange and sable dogs are judged together while black and brown dogs are judged in a second group, and other variations are judged in a third group.

The AKC also judges a dog's temperament. The Pomeranian should be confident, intelligent and extroverted, spirited and full of personality. Breed standards define the dog and promote predictability. The American Kennel Club makes Pomeranian breed information available to anyone who wants to know what a champion Pomeranian looks like.

The Pomeranian standard requires that length of the dog's upper legs, for instance, should be approximately equal to the length of the dog's lower legs. Pomeranian information that spells out the standards of the breed more precisely can be obtained from the AKC.