Pomeranians: Popular Watchdogs with a Royal Calibre
Pomeranians, or often affectionately shortened to Poms, are a popular breed of “toy dogs”. Toy dogs are small dogs which are specifically bred and domesticated to be companion pets. The Poms’ popularity among canine lovers is hugely attributed to their small, yet fluffy appearance, as well as their bright-eyed sense of wonder and curiosity.
Generally regarded as “small dogs with big personalities”, Pomeranians exhibit a bold and active lifestyle to make up for their cute and tiny appearance. Perfect for couples who are looking into settling down, families with no small children, or individuals looking for companionship, these little balls of energy are sure to add colour and warmth into your everyday life!
Pomeranian Fun Facts:
Although they are widely popular all over the world as classic toy breeds, Pomeranians can trace their roots all the way back to Central Europe. They are named after Pomerania, a historical duchy split between what is now Germany and Poland.
Before they were bred for domestication, the ancestors of Poms were tall and large working dogs used and trained by farmers to watch over their lands, crops, and livestock. Although they grew small in size with the passage of time, their noble trait of being protectors and watch dogs have been carried down to future generations.
Since their history paints them as watch dogs, they rose to their pedestal as popular dogs when Queen Victoria herself took a liking to them. The Queen saw them during a trip to Italy. She immediately fell in love with their striking personality and so, on her trip back to England, she had a Pom or two in tow. If that isn’t enough to convince you of their royal calibre, even Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France, owned a Pomeranian during her reign.
Since then, Poms, as a whole, received royal treatment in the world of show dogs and breeders. They became the most popular dogs of their time that even Queen Victoria would breed and showcase them herself on prestigious dog shows.
What do Pomeranians look like?
Pomeranians are small, compact, and soft-looking dogs that closely resemble a fox.
Since they hail from the spitz-family of dogs in the North, they feature dark round eyes that are slightly slanted at the corners. They have a pair of small and spiky triangular-shaped ears at the top of their heads, and their muzzle is neither flat or elongated but is rather a perfect proportion to its face. Poms are also known to have a short neck covered in thick fur, which makes it difficult to differentiate from the rest of their body.
As small dog breeds, Pomeranians usually weigh around 1.8kg to 2.5kg and would only
grow until they reach a peak of 15cm to 18cm. It is a common belief that the smaller the dog is, the longer they would live. Hence, due to their small size, Pomeranians would often live a lifespan average of around 12 to 16 years, which is 2 to 3 times longer than large-sized dogs.
Hailing from a family of sled dogs, Pomeranians boasts a robust and voluminous double coat that is well-suited to cooler climates. They would often have short and dense inner coating, while the fur outside is long, rough and matted. As such, they are prone to shedding and would often require frequent brushing, to keep their hair from tangling, and regular grooming to trim
their coat and maintain its “puffed”shape. Pomeranians often come in muted colors of light beige, golden brown, and white. However, they may also come in bold colors of red, chocolate and sable depending on the traits and gene of their parent-breed.
Pomeranian
Temperament
Perhaps living up to their royal ties, Pomeranians are bull-headed dogs who believe that the world worships at their paws. They can be a bit stubborn and hard to train despite the stellar intelligence that they exhibit. Although they are often branded as “cocky and commanding”, Pomeranians are generally good with other pets and humans.
Due to their shrill voices and frequent tendencies to bark, their outgoing and lively personality may often be misconstrued as aggression or hostility. But, don’t be fooled by this smart dog, their innate curiosity and sense of wonder of the world often excites them to the point that sudden movements, foreign faces, and colourful moving objects would incite the barking episode.
Pomeranians are also attentive watch dogs. They are often alert and aware of their surroundings. Observant, inquisitive and keenly suspicious in nature, they don’t react well to new faces and may bark or grunt at strangers and other pets. They can also be quite irritable and have unstable moods, especially in warmer climates, as their double coating makes them feel overheated and uncomfortable. So, whenever a Pomeranian acts out, make sure to remove them from unfamiliar situations (or people!) and cool them down (literally!) and they might just improve their mood.
Pomeranian
What to expect
Although Pomeranians are a popular dog breed and make for amazing companions, their pride and cocky countenance can make it feel as though you have another two year toddler in the house!. They can be very sweet and gentle, but since they are easily excited and riled up, if you already have small children, you may find they are trying to out-do each other in terms of just how stubborn and loud they can be!
All in all, Pomeranians make for great house pets. They are not only cute and sweet, but are fiercely protective of their homes and families. They may not look the part, but if trained properly, Pomeranians make for great watch dogs. What they lack in size, they make up for their huge tendency to notice and bark at anything strange and foreign to them. Better introduce them to the neighbors soon, or they may bark at anyone who walks by!