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A cocky, animated dog of Nordic descent, the Pomeranian originally weighed nearly 13 kilograms and served as a sheep herder. The breed was reduced in size in the historical region of Pomerania, which today is Germany and Poland. An extrovert with great intelligence and a vivacious spirit, the Pomeranian can be an excellent family dog. The breed’s protective demeanor makes him a good watchdog as well. The Pomeranian does not require much exercise, but his thick coat needs regular brushing.
DID YOU KNOW? The popularity of the Pomeranian dramatically increased when Queen Victoria brought one back to England from Italy in 1888. A Pomeranian named “Turi” lay next to the Queen at her death.
ALSO KNOWN AS: Deutscher Spitz, Zwergspitz, Spitz nain, Spitz enano, Pom, Zwers
| Lifespan: | 12–16 years |
| Weight: | 1.8–3kg |
| Height: | 18–30cm |
| Colours: | White, black, brown, blue, red, orange, beaver, cream, white, merle, parti-coloured, sable |
| Size: | Small |
| Kennel Club group: | Toy |
| Family-friendly: | 2/5 |
| Exercise needs: | 2/5 |
| Easy to train: | 4/5 |
| Tolerates being alone: | 1/5 |
| Likes other pets: | 3/5 |
| Energy level: | 3/5 |
| Grooming needs: | 3/5 |
| Shedding: | 4/5 |
They are lively and energetic little dogs who are very loyal to their families, although generally bond to one person. Pomeranians enjoy being handled and spending time with their beloved owner but it’s important that they have the opportunity to be ‘real dogs’. They make excellent watch dogs, as they are quite vocal and will alert to anything unusual - or indeed to just about anything! Despite their gentle and affectionate natures and surprisingly enthusiastic attitude to life, care must be taken, as under all that hair they are tiny and quite fragile.
Country of Origin: Germany
Unlikely as it may seem, Pomeranians (or 'Poms') are almost certainly descended from the sledge-pulling dogs of the Arctic and are probably related to the Keeshond, Norwegian Elkhound and the Samoyed. This small pet dog was intentionally bred through progressive size reduction although when they arrived in the UK with German-born Queen Charlotte they were very different from the Poms we know today - being white and much larger (9-14kgs). They soon became popular, especially with royalty, so when Queen Victoria visited Florence and saw much smaller various of the breed there, she brought them home with her. The Queen went on to breed them and showed them at Crufts in 1891 where (not surprisingly!) she won best of breed. In the years that followed her death in 1901, selective breeding for a smaller size continued until the tiny dog we know today was developed and the larger sizes vanished entirely from the UK.
