Pomeranian
Souce |
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Photo of a Pomeranian Dog |
The Pomeranian is a
breed of
dog in the
spitz family,
named for the
Pomerania region of
Poland and
eastern Germany,
and classed as a
toy dog breed because of its small size.
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Origin
The Pomeranian originated from the
sled dogs
of Iceland
and Lapland,
which were eventually brought into
Europe in
Pomerania. This region, bordered on the north by the
Baltic Sea,
has been under the control of the
Celts,
Slavonic,
Poland, Sweden,
Denmark and
Prussia, at
various times. This region extends from the west of the
Ruegen Island to the
Vistula river—there it became popular both as a pet and working dog. The
name Pomore or Pommern, meaning "on the sea" was given to the
district about the time of
Charlemagne.
History
Breeders in Pomerania improved the coat and bred the dogs down for city
living, but they were still 20 pounds or more when they reached
England.
English breeders, through trial and error and
Mendelian theories, are credited for reducing the dog's size and developing
the many colours. The Pomeranian of today is small due to selective breeding, but
the breed still retains the hardy disposition and thick coat typical of dogs in
cold climates.
Queen Charlotte first introduced the the Pomeranian to English nobility,
however; the Pom gained international popularity when her granddaughter—Queen
Victoria returned from vacation in
Florence, Italy
with a Pomeranian named Marco.
The closest relatives of the Pomeranian are the
Norwegian Elkhound, the
Samoyed, the
Schipperke,
and the whole Spitz group.
Source |
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An orange-sable Pomeranian |
Appearance
At an average of 3 to 7 lb (1.4 to 3.2 kg) according to
AKC standards, the Pomeranian (Pom) is the most diminutive of the northern
breeds.
The head of the Pomeranian is wedge-shaped, making it somewhat
foxy in appearance.
The ears are small and set high. Its
tail is
characteristic of the breed and should be turned over the back and carried flat,
set high.
The Pom's coat is its glory, two coats, an
undercoat
and a top
coat; the first is soft, thick, and fluffy; the latter is long, straight and
coarse. The undercoat is shed once a year by males, by intact females when they
are in season, after delivering a litter, and during times of stress.
The AKC recognizes thirteen colours or colour combinations: black, black & tan,
blue, blue & tan, chocolate, chocolate & tan, cream, cream sable, orange, orange
sable, red, red sable, and sable. The dogs that have 2 or more colors (usually
mostly white, with others), are called "Parti-Color". The AKC also recognizes
five "alternative" colours: Beaver, brindle, chocolate sable, white, and wolf
sable.
One breed standard calls for a cobby, balanced dog. A cobby dog is as long or
shorter than he is tall; try to picture him as a circle in a square. A balanced
Pomeranian fits together logically and in proportion. For instance, a small,
delicately boned Pom with a large head looks unbalanced because his head type
doesn't match his body type. A balanced Pom displays legs in proportion to his
body: neither so short as to make him appear dumpy nor so long as to make him
look like he is walking on stilts.
This standard also calls for an expression that imparts great intelligence,
showing that the Pom has an alert character and that he behaves accordingly. The
pom's alertness makes him a superb watchdog.
Souce |
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Ponta the Pomeranian |
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| Other names Zwergspitz;
Spitz nain; Spitz enano; Pom; Zwers |
| Nicknames Pom |
| Country of origin Germany
and Poland |
Temperament
The Pomeranian is an 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.
Pomeranians have proven themselves to be excellent watchdogs by announcing
intruders with loud, sharp barks.
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.
Health
Pomeranians are generally a healthy, hardy, and long-lived breed—often, Poms
often live 12 to 16 years or so.
The most common problem in Pomeranians is luxating patella. Also
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease and Hip Displasia can occur, but are rarer in this
small breed. Patent Ductus Arteriosus (a heart disease) and collapsing trachea
have become serious problems in Poms. Dry eye, tear duct disorders and cataracts
that can appear in young adulthood and often lead to blindness are also common.
Skin diseases are quite common, especially allergies (that oten leads to acute
moist dermatitis or "hot spots") and follicular dysplasia (also known as
alopecia X). Other problems that occur regularly include hypothyroidism,
epilepsy, and hypoglycemia. Occasionally, hydrocephalus can occur in Pom
puppies. Poms, like many Toy breeds, are prone to bad teeth and harmless
episodes of reverse sneezing.
Grooming Tips
Coat care for the Pomeranian is similar to the
Pekingese.
A daily or twice weekly brushing is essential to keep the thick, plush coat,
which sheds seasonally, free of mats. Regular ear and nail care is recommended,
along with peak seasonal bathing. Also, twice or if you want more weekly teeth
brushing is recommended.
In Literature
Beatrix Potter, who wrote and illustrated the famous and much loved "Peter
Rabbit" books, also wrote a story about a black Pomeranian, Duchess. In
The Pie and The Patty Pan, the little Pomeranian is invited over to her
cat-friend's house for tea. Feeling certain her friend will be serving mouse
pie, Duchess goes to considerable lengths and gets herself in quite a pickle to
avoid having to eat mouse while at the same time trying not to offend her
friend. "The Pie and The Patty Pan" is Number 17 in the Beatrix Potter book
series.
In Movies
The 2006 movie
Superman Returns features two Orange-Sable Pomeranians.
Miscellaneous
Celebrities who own Pomeranians
- Mischa Barton (Ziggy)
- Fran Drescher (Esther
Drescher and
Chester Drescher)
- Ozzy Osbourne's family (Mr. chips)
-
Sharon Osbourne (Minnie)
- Nicole Richie (Foxxy Cleopatra)
- Paris Hilton (Prince)
- Elvis (Sweet
Pea)
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Samantha Mumba (Foxy)
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Geri Halliwell (Daddy)
- Hilary Duff (Macy)
- Haylie Duff (Bentley and Griffin)
-
Sandra Bullock (Pomeranian-Chihuahua
mix)
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Pimperl)
- Liza Minnelli (Austin Powers)
- Keanu Reeves (Fluffy)
- Jessica Alba (Lucky)
- Carrot
Top (Jessica Alba)
-
Michael Taglieri (Choodles)
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Emma Connolly (Teddy Pom Pom)
- Bill
Cosby (Luther)
- John
Smith (Black Eyed Pea aka Fluff aka Kujo)
- Slash (Foxy)
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Comments |
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hello!! i like your dogs very much they where very beautiful!!
from johanna! in sweden |
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theyyyyy are soo CUTE |
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