POMERANIAN

It seems that over the past few years, the tinier the dog is, the more popular it is. Pomeranians are no exception. The pomeranian, nicknamed the pom pom for its small size, is named for the Pomerania region of Central Europe and is part of the German Spitz breed. They were bred to be this small when they were brought to England which is also where their many different colored coats were developed. The Pomeranian really gained popularity with the world at large when Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter, Victoria, returned from Italy with one named Marco. Obviously, when royalty owns something, the masses want it too!

Pomeranians are so small they have been called “toy dogs.” Their fluffy coat can make them look bigger than the few pounds they weigh. When healthy, they can live up to 19 years, but many of them get diseases fairly easily. Some of these include a collapsing trachea, hip dysplasia, dry eye, follicular dysplasia, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, and hypoglycemia. Because of the possibility of these diseases, when adopting a pomeranian, it is important to know how to train it properly to keep it as healthy as possible. Pomeranian training takes time, but when done correctly, can keep your dog healthy and happy.

The grooming of a pomeranian can be considered part of pomeranian training as it does take focus and time. They must be brushed at least once daily to keep their coat fluffy and free of matting. Ears and nails must be maintained with only occasional bathing. Because of their small size, frequent bathing can dry them out and remove the essential oils in their skin and coat that keep them healthy.

It is fairly easy to accomplish some parts of pomeranian training as the pomeranian is a very intelligent animal willing to please its owners. They are friendly, playful, and active, loyal to a fault, and easily housebroken and trained, which make them wonderful pets. They are also very friendly with other people and other animals which makes them a bit different than most animals who have the desire to spark “fights” with other animals. They do bark excessively, but if that behavior is not rewarded, they will learn to stop. Although they love to be around their owners, it is important not to over-handle them as this will agitate them. However, without being over-handled, they are extremely loyal to their owners and could end up following them all over their house.