Fun facts about Pomeranian dogs

Fun facts about Pomeranian dogs

The Pomeranian is one of they toy breeds and weighs between 3 and 7 pounds (there are larger poms, and although not to the breed standard, they still make wonderful loving pets!). Intelligent and vivacious, these little dogs will steal your heart, but don't let them get away with too much as they must be properly trained or they will become too demanding. With proper care your Pom can live to about 15 years old.

1. Did you know the Pomeranian was once a much larger dog that weighed around 35 pounds? A cousin to the spitz type dogs, this pampered lap dog once called the arctic home.

2. Bred down to it's tiny size over the centuries, the Pomeranian became popular in the late 1800's when Queen Victorian brought a 12 pound Pom back from Italy. This vivacious little dog soon became a favourite of European royalty and was bred to be even smaller until it reached the average of 5 pounds.

3. Historically, the Pomeranian has been fancied by many famous Europeans.Michelangelo had a little Pom that sat on a silk pillow and watched him while he painted the Sistine Chapel. Martin Luther, the great church leader had one of these little dogs that he mentioned often in his work. Mozart had a Pomeranian that he dedicated an Aria to and Chopin composed the Valse des Petits Chiens for his girlfriends Pom.

4. Originated from Pomerania, Germany. The Pomeranian breed was created with selective breeding. Originating from the spitz group of dogs that were used as sled dogs in Iceland. Pomeranians were bred to be smaller and have beautiful coats.

5. Pomeranians come in different colors. They can be black, white, brown, red, orange, blue and parti colored. The parti-colored has a calico type of pattern.

6. Pomeranians make excellent guard dogs. They are very alert and will warn you if anyone is outside.

7. Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic - a Newfoundland, a Pomeranian, and a Pekingese .  A Pomeranian survived the sinking of the Titanic! This dog belonged to Miss Margaret Hays (in lifeboat 7). Miss Hays survived as well.

8. Theodore Roosevelt owned a Pomeranian. President Roosevelt called his Pomeranian"Gem".

9. Recognized as official dog breed in U.S. in 1900 Pomeranians were recognized in 1900 and had their first dog show in the United States in 1911.

10. Pomeranians have a double coat. They have an undercoat that is very dense and the outer coat is long and straight. The best brush to use on them is a wire slick brush to get the undercoat as well.

11. Pomeranians are highly intelligent and extroverted. They crave a lot of attention and constant love from the owner. They seem to be one-owner dogs and are very loyal. Not recommended for young children because they are too small and may be hurt by the child.

12. Pomeranians have been in numerous movies. Including: To Die For with Nicole Kidman, Dumb and Dumber with Jim Carey, Harlem Nights with Robin givens, X-files with Scully and Cadillac Man with Fran Drescher.

13. There are many famous people who love Pomeranians. Some of the famous figures who are or have been Pomeranian owners include Sharon Osbourne, Elvis Presley, Leann Rimes, Fran Drescher, Nicole Richie, Rihanna, Maria Sharapova, Geri Halliwell, P. Diddy, Samantha Mamba, Bill Cosby, Mozart, Paris Hilton, Kate Hudson, Isaac Newton and Michelangelo. Queen Victoria had six Pomeranians which were named Marco, Gona, Sacha, Fluffy, Beppo and Turi.

14. Pomeranians are used for rescue missions and operations whenever a smaller breed of dog is needed. Their ancestors were used by the Nordic people as sled pulling dogs and reindeer herders. Of course, these early Pomeranians were much larger than our present day Poms.

15. Luxating Patellas or a knee that slips out of place is common in Pomeranians and in some cases this may require surgery. Many Poms suffer from hypothyroidism which can cause other problems and should be checked by your vet. Some Poms lose patches of hair as they grow older. This usually starts at the back and moves forward. If your Pom sounds like he is coughing then he may have a collapsing trachea which is not uncommon in this breed. An xray can determine if this is the problem and medication can be given to reduce coughing. Tooth loss and bacteria build up is a problem in Pomeranians as well as other small dogs.