Pomeranian - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
Believe it or not, but Pomeranians once weighted around 30 pounds, which is 14 kgs and they were all white. Their purpose was also different, they were used for pulling sleds and herd animals. This is a Spitz and the Pomeranians ancestors were large working dogs from the Arctic regions. They were most likely developed from German Spitzes.

2) Small size
So why did they got so small. We can not be sure on 100%, but it is most probably because of the Queen Victoria, who owned extremely small Pomeranian. Because of that, smaller versions became much more popular and just during the Queen Victoria life, the size of average Pomeranian had decreased by half. Today the average height is between 7-12 inches, which is 17-30 cm and weight between 3-7 pounds, which is 1 – 4 kgs.

3) Throwback Poms
Even today, sometimes it can happen, that you will see a Pomeranian, that is much bigger than others. Well it might be a crossbreed, but it can also be a so called Throwback Pomeranian. They have the same personality and temperament like other Pomeranians, they just share a lot of their genes with their previous ancestors, who were much bigger and stronger. So the only difference is the size.

4) Titanic survivors
We all know the story about Titanic. Well, not only people died during the sinking, many dogs and other animals died as well. But three dogs survived this tragedy and believe it or not, two of them were Pomeranians.

5) Coat
Pomeranians have wonderful fluffy double coat with its frill extending over the chest and shoulders. They are not big shedders, but the coat requieres regular grooming, at least once a week. Great fact about their coat is, that it can be in many colors, according to the AKC, in 23 colors, including black, orange, chocolate or sable. Interesting fact is, that originally, there were only white Poms.

6) Companions
You are probably not surprised, when i tell you that Pomeranians make excellent companions. That is probably the reason, why many famous people during the history fall in love with them. Sir Isaac Newton owned one, Houdini smuggled one around the world, Mozart named a song after Pomeranian, Elvis Presley gifter his mother with Pomeranian and the famous artist Michelangelo also owned one.

7) Watchdogs
Pomeranians are quite alert dogs, which will bark when something suspicious going on around your house. Thanks to that, they actually make pretty good watchdogs. But because of their small size, they are poor guards or protectors.

8) Exercise
Pomeranians are active dogs and they do need regular exercise. Daily walks are must to keep your Pomeranian healthy and happy. They are also great at training tricks and commands, even though, they might have some small stubborn streaks. Pomeranians are doing quite good in obedience trials.

9) Health
Small dog breeds tend to have longer lifespan than larger ones and Pomeranian is no exception. The average lifespan is between 15-16 years. But they still suffer from some health issues, for example black skin disease, which is a genetic disorder that leads to their skin turning black and loss of hair. The most common health issue is probably luxating patella and allergies.

10) Napoleon Complex
Pomeranians are very often suffering from so called Napoleon Complex. It is very common to see small Pomeranian barking and trying to scare off much larger dogs. That is why early socialization is extremely important with this breed.