All about the Pom
Interesting Pom facts
Did you know that only 2 dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic? A pom and a peke.
Poms are now in the top 10 most popular dogs in the US.
Queen Charlotte first introduced poms to England
Queen Victoria also bred and showed poms
Michelangelo had a pom assist him while he painted the Sistine chapel
Isaac Newton's pom Diamond use to chew his manuscripts
Pimperl, mozarts pom had an aria dedicated to her by the famous composor
Chopins "Valse des Petits Cheins" was inspired by his girlfriend's pom
Health
Pomeranians are generally a healthy, hardy, and long-lived breed. Poms often live 12–16 years.
The most common problem in Pomeranians is luxating Patella. Also legg-Calve-Perthes syndrome and Hip Dysplasia can occur, but are rare in this small breed. Patent Ductus Arteriosus (a heart disease) have become serious problems in Poms. Dry eye. a tear duct disorder and cataracts that can appear in young adulthood and often lead to blindness are also common. Poms, like many Toy breeds, are prone to bad teeth and harmless episodes of reverse sneezing. Temperament
The Pomeranian is a curious, lively and playful dog breed. This dog makes a good companion and enjoys extra attention. The Pomeranian makes a good watch dog and may bark at the approach of strangers and unknown pets
Pomeranians can be trained to be good watchdogs by announcing intruders with loud, sharp barks or yips. Unfortunately, lack of very dedicated training has instead led this breed to a reputation for constant, undirected barking. For this reason, these dogs can prove very stressful company for those unaccustomed to their vocal nature. But stating "NO!" in a firm, gentle voice will let them know when it is wrong for them to bark.
The Pomeranian easily adapts to life in the city, and is an excellent dog for country living with its strong hunting instincts from its wild ancestors.
Grooming Your Pom
The Pomeranian is active but diminutive, needing daily exercise but able to meet its needs with indoor games or short walks. Although it has a warm coat, it is too small and too family-oriented to live as an outdoor dog. Its double coat needs brushing twice weekly, more when shedding. The Pom can outwalk you if you do decide to take it for walks, and enjoys meeting people out walking.
The Pomeranian is a very active dog who is intelligent, courageous, and a loyal companion. The Pomeranian may not interact well with small children, and due to its small size can suffer abuse from children.
Poms need brushing about once a week, you cant brush enough! Always wet the fur, as you can damage their coat by dry brushing.
1) make grooming pleasant from the get go, the best way to do this is to combine it with attention, treats and/or play.
2) by brushing your dog out frequently (like once a day or every other day) it will be easy to fully brush him out in a just a few minutes (which also makes it easy and more likely fun for him).
3) keep a spritzer bottle handy, do NOT brush out a coat that is "dry". Static will cause more hair breakage than any single thing . You don't want to wet your dog down, just a very light mist on the surface of the coat helps. You can use just water or water with a minimal amount of some conditioner if you prefer. I use a aerosol coat conditioner, if you can get hold of these they are great.
4) Do NOT use a "slicker" brush unless someone has shown you how to use it properly with a loose wrist, otherwise it pulls out too much undercoat.
5) Be SURE to comb all the way down to the skin, otherwise you will end up with "felting" at the skin level (when the undercoat mats) and once that happens it is VERY difficult to correct. Running your hand (or a brush) against the direction of hair growth should give you a good idea of how well you've gotten down to the skin).
6) Don't brush a dirty coat... however, if you have mats to deal with, a bath will make them worse, so deal with mats and then bathe a dog and brush them out after the bath if they are dirty AND matted.
7) Dealing with mats is almost an art form in some circles, but in general, if you should end up with one, it is probably easiest to massage some water/bath oil into it and see if that loosens it. If you are pretty sure it is too profound for that approach you can cut it lengthwise (that is from the skin coming out toward the end of the dog's hair) then working loose or combing the smaller mats that result. This will protect more of the hair.
Ultimately though, if you dedicate 10 minutes a day to checking your dog out (you wouldn't even need to brush him everyday) you'd likely never see a mat. To check, pay special attention behind and below the ears, around the armpits and between the hind legs. These are the areas most prone.
Also, keep in mind that proper grooming includes checking teeth, ears and toenails. If you are not sure of any of these, ask a breeder or a professional groomer. Please do not attempt to express anal glands if you have not ben shown what to do.
If you are having trouble with any particular area of your dogs grooming, please do contact us.
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