Popular Dog Breeds
- 1. Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs
- 2. Border Collies, Australian Shepherds and Australian Kelpies
- 3. Bearded Collies and Old English Sheepdogs
- 4. Retrievers
- 5. German Shepherds
Pomeranians
Barbara McClatchey, Petfinder Contributor
HOW TO IDENTIFY A POMERANIAN
This piece is designed to aid shelter-workers in particular, but also anyone else who is interested in identifying a Pomeranian. Much helpful information is also available on the American Pomeranian Club's Rescue page.
COLOR: Poms come in many different colors. The most typical color is some variation of what is called Orange, but there are many other possible colors. Some of the more common colors are:
Red (think Irish Setter)
Light Orange or Cream (sometimes called Champagne)
Sable (any of the above colors with an overlay of black, especially on the back
*Orange, red, and cream colors may also have lighter color shading, especially on the tail and the hair around the tail.
Black (sometimes greying as early as 2 years old)
Black and Tan (think Doberman)
Other colors: White, Brown (as in Chocolate), Beaver, Blue, Parti-color (think Papillon)
There is also a possibility for Wolf Sable (think Keeshond), but that is extremely rare in adult Poms. Many puppies that will grow up to be Orange or Orange Sable are Wolf-Sable colored as puppies, and are incorrectly labled as Wolf Sable by ignorant or unscrupulous breeders.
*Any Pom's muzzle or chin may be black, especially in puppies.
SIZE: The correct weight for a Pomeranian is 3-7 pounds. The Poms we see in Rescue are generally larger (8-12 pounds) and sometimes much larger; I have seen them up to 18 pounds, and have heard of 25-pounders. This is because Poms were bred down in size during the Victorian period and frequently, with poor breeding, will revert. Puppy millers prefer the larger females, since they produce bigger litters.
****There is no such thing as a Toy, Miniature, or Standard Pomeranian****
There is only correct or incorrect size.
COAT: The Pom coat should be heavy and "double," with a short, soft, dense undercoat that makes the longer, harsher outer coat stand out. The coat resembles that of the Keeshond or American Eskimo Dog, Spitz breeds closely related to the Pomeranian. In Rescue, however, we often see flat, soft, or short coats. Males at age one and females a few weeks after giving birth "blow coat" heavily. Four-month-old puppies also lose coat heavily; this stage is sometimes called the "puppy uglies." Any Pom "out of coat" may be mistaken for a Pom mix. Also, some Poms, especially males, develop a condition known as "Black Skin Disease" (which is not a disease, but a genetic problem) that causes them to lose most of their hair. The skin turns black; hence the name. Sometimes the coat comes back later.
EARS: Almost all Poms have "prick," or upright ears. Occasionally a three to six month old puppy's ears will droop, like those of a Sheltie. Ears should be small, but pet-quality Poms sometimes have larger ears.
EYES: The eyes should be dark, medium-size, and almond shaped, set well into the skull. Rescue Poms frequently have larger or smaller eyes, round eyes, or protruding eyes like those of a Pekingese.
MUZZLE: A show Pom's muzzle should be rather short with a high-appearing forehead, but pet-quality Poms generally have long muzzles. Many prospective owners actually prefer and ask for this "foxy" look. (Which is why so many Poms are named "Foxy.")
TEETH: Like other Toy breeds, Pomeranians sometimes retain their baby teeth. They need to be pulled at about 7 months; if they are not, the permanent teeth will be crooked and subject to problems later. Poms frequently lose their teeth early, especially if they are not cleaned regularly. Vets often misjudge the age of a Pom based on excessive accumulation of tartar (normal without proper care) or because of missing teeth.
TAIL: Poms carry their tails straight over their backs. Some pet-quality Poms have a low tail-set, which causes them to carry it lower part of the time, and some have a kink in the end of the tail, like that of a pig.
PERSONALITY: Pomeranians normally have a friendly, out-going personality. It generally takes very poor breeding and/or an extremely abusive situation to cause them to be aggressive, but it can happen. Poms, even older ones, generally re-home and bond to new owners very easily. They are people-oriented by nature.
Courtesy of
Barbara McClatchey, Second Chance Poms, Lake Jackson, TX
rescue@secondchancepoms.org
www.secondchancepoms.org
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