Pomeranian
A big character in a small body.
About the Pomeranian
Pomeranians are well known for their beautiful coats, made to stand up by a thick undercoat. Particularly impressive is their strong, mane-like collar round the neck (ruff) and the bushy tail carried boldly over the back to complete the silhouette. The foxy head with alert eyes and the small, pointed, closely set ears give Pomeranians their unique, characteristically cheeky look.
Pomeranians are always attentive, lively and exceptionally devoted to their owner. They learn quickly which makes them easy to train. Despite their tiny size, though, this breed has kept the intelligence and mental strength of their Nordic ancestors, so it's important to set the right limits from the beginning. The Pomeranian's companionable and cheerful character makes them the ideal companion, family dog and watch dog for the home.
Source: key facts and characteristics sourced from Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)
Breed specifics
- Country
- Germany
- translations.feature.breeds.sizecategory
- Very small
- Avg life expectancy
- 12–16 years
Alert / Lively / Loyal / Protective / Friendly / Loving / Confident / Intelligent
Key facts
Origins of the breed
The German Spitz is the oldest breed of dog in Central Europe and it is the ancestor of most of the spitz-type breeds recognised today. The Pomeranian is known in German-speaking countries as the Toy Spitz, and is actually the smallest variant of the German Spitz breed.
The Pomeranian Club was founded at the first ever Crufts event in 1891, when the breed was rather rare. The early Pomeranians were much bigger than the standard today (around 9kg) but through careful breeding the dog was reduced in size and many different coat colours were developed.
Thanks to the close historical relationship between England and USA, Pomeranians were brought to America and was first exhibited in 1892. The American Kennel Club later recognised the "Pom" breed in 1900. Since then the popularity of the Pomeranian has continued to grow, and by 1994 the breed was among the ten most popular breeds in the US.