Pomeranian Care & Information
*some of this information is sourced, and modified, from the AKC Pomeranian Dog Breed webpage at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/pomeranian/
Care & Feeding:
Pomeranian's should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.
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If your puppy is not very interested in its dry kibble, try grinding it up in a blender and mixing it with some goats milk and a tiny bit of plain greek yogurt (the yogurt will help establish healthy gut flora). Make sure to leave a bowl of the dry kibble out and gradually entice the puppy to switch to the dry kibble by adding it back into the mush mixture.
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*Always keep Nutri-Cal on hand in case of Hypoglycemia.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOUR PUPPY IS HYPOGLYCEMIC
Potentially, hypoglycemia is an emergency. The puppy will be listless, maybe even uncoordinated. If the puppy is conscious, start by offering delicious food that he or she will want to eat. This may be all you have to do to avert catastrophe if the puppy will accept the meal. If you have Nutrical, or even molasses, this would be a great time to use it. In an extreme case, the puppy will become cold, will lose consciousness and begin to have seizures. For first aid, a small amount of Karo syrup or molasses can be rubbed on the gums. (It will absorb through the gums; actual swallowing is not necessary). Beyond this and especially if the puppy does not fully regain its normal playful attitude, the puppy should be rushed to an animal hospital for treatment.
In the hospital, the puppy will be warmed and a blood sugar level checked. If intravenous access is possible, dextrose will be infused directly into the blood stream. Response is generally rapid once sugar is supplied in this way and a sugar drip or regular sugar injections will be continued. But the puppy has to reliably eat before he can go home. Anticipate the need for 24 hour care and expect a few days of care.
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Diarrhea is a common stress reaction that can be caused by dietary changes, relocation to a new home, and vaccinations. If your puppy develops diarrhea that lasts for more than 48 hours, or contains blood, contact your veterinarian immediately. Sometimes treats that are too rich or oily can cause digestive upset in puppies. I wait to give fancy treats until they are at least one year old, and instead stick to the simple, one ingredient treats like bully sticks, chicken breast, and egg. Our puppies usually tolerate the Trader Joes brand peanut butter mini bones as well.
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Avoid feeding your Pomeranian table scraps. Dogs can have allergies just like humans. Carefully introduce new foods or treats into your dogs diet one treat at a time, and wait a few days before introducing the next new food, so that if any allergic reaction is found (i.e. itching, tummy rash, diarrhea) you will be more likely to know what caused it.
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*Our Veterinary Cardiologist recommends avoiding grain-free diets, as they have been shown to contribute to heart problems in dogs. We currently feed our dogs the Diamond Naturals line of dry dog food. We also have had great success, and healthy shiny coats, with both the Purina Pro Plan brand dog food for Toy Breeds, and the Costco brand Puppy and Small Breed dog foods. We supplement our dogs and puppies diets with high protein treats like chicken, egg, and bully sticks.
Grooming:
A Pomeranian’s profuse double coat is one of his most distinguishing features. Frequent brushing is necessary to maintain the beautiful coat that we admire. Brush through the dog with a pin brush and a slicker brush down to the skin once a week to keep the hair from matting. Pomeranians are active dogs, so it is important that their nails are kept short. It is highly recommended that you find a groomer to do a full groom—including bath, brushing, ears, nails, and anal glands—every four to six weeks, if you are not comfortable with doing this at home. You should also pay close attention to the Pom’s teeth. It is a good idea to brush the teeth during their weekly grooming session.
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Make sure to brush your pom's coat before you bath them (and again after they are dry). If you don't brush them first, any undercoat that is being shed can matt up pretty intensely. Check your puppy's anus regularly for feces that may have become stuck to its fur and hardened. This can cause a blockage for future bowel movements and can be fatal.
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Research the "Puppy Uglies" that Pomeranian puppies are notorious for experiencing. This usually happens between 3-9 months old, but timing can vary with each puppy. I had one pup who went into his "Puppy Uglies" very late (around 9 months) and didn't completely grow in his full adult coat until 18 months! During the "Puppy Uglies" phase, a Pomeranian puppy's baby coat will shed and be replaced with their adult coat. The color of their fur may also change during this time, with some coat colors darkening, and some lightening.
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Just like with human babies, dandruff is a common occurrence with Pomeranian puppies. I have found that using all natural shampoos and conditioners can help to clear this up. It's important to fully rinse all of the shampoo from the puppy's fur, and then to follow up with a good conditioner.
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Do not shave your Pomeranian. I learned this the hard way - not believing it was really necessary, I bathed my first pom without brushing her first and her beautiful fur matted into an un-brushable body helmet of felted fur. I had to then shave her free of the matted fur and it never grew back the same. The undercoat came in, but the guard hairs never regrew, so while she does have a lovely soft undercoat again, it is not the same as compared to the nice double coat that she had before being shaved. Poms really must be brushed before being bathed, especially when in the middle of "blowing" or seasonally shedding their undercoat.
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*I recommend the Earth Bath line of dog shampoos and conditioners on your puppy. I have tried many brands and these ones are the gentlest and best smelling that I've found. However, once your puppy is an adult, you can also use nearly any high quality, all natural human shampoo! My adult dogs get bathed in whatever all natural shampoo and conditioner I use for myself half the time, and it works great :) Make sure it's free of parabens, sulfates, and harsh perfumes.
Exercise:
As much as Pomeranians enjoy being lapdogs and family companions, they do benefit from some exercise and enjoy the chance to run, play, and go for walks. Be sure to keep a close eye on your Pom when he or she is outside. They are notorious for escaping through small crevices or gaps in fencing, or climbing over short fencing. Small breeds like Pomeranians can be mistaken for rabbits or squirrels by large, predatory birds such as hawks and owls, so it is vital to keep a Pom under cover or stay with them at all times. When taking your Pom for a walk, be cautious of your surroundings. Other dogs who are not controlled can easily hurt your Pom.
Training:
Pomeranians should be trained to walk on a lead early on and taught to come when called. Housebreaking can be a challenge, so consistency and patience are key. It is important to keep your Pom from jumping on and off couches or beds, as they can injure joints or even break a bone. Poms are alert and highly intelligent, and they enjoy and can excel in canine activities like agility, rally, and obedience, or working as therapy dogs.
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It is important to use a harness and leash when training your puppy. Collars can damage the puppy's neck if tugged on with too much force.
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It is normal for puppies to whine or cry at night at first. They have just been separated from their doggy momma and littermates. As they adjust to their new home, this behavior will taper off. Make sure your little fur baby has a toy (or two, or three...) to sleep with and a warm bed. All toys must be tough and well made for safety. I recommend the Bark Box line of toys and monthly package subscriptions. My dogs love them!
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Remember to "puppy proof" your home and provide your pup with a safe exercise playpen to stay in when you are unable to supervise him or her. Puppies love to chew on cords and table edges, so keep them inaccessible to your puppy when you are not supervising them.
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* "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by The Monks of New Skete, is a great reading resource for dog training.
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* I highly recommend Zac Georges training methods - they have worked great with my Poms. Look him up on You Tube:
This is the chart that many Pomeranian breeders, including myself, use to help estimate each puppy's adult weight. Please keep in mind that this is only an estimate, and that the actual adult weight of each puppy can, and often does, fluctuate beyond what is estimated here. Adult dogs can also be small in structure, but slightly "chubby" from overfeeding, or under-exercising, and thus be overweight or larger, because of excess body fat.
This Pomeranian color chart shows some of the diverse colors and coat patterns that you may see on a Pomeranian. The merle pattern can be found on any of these colors with the lighter, and sable colors sometimes hiding the merle pattern. It is vital to test all breeding dogs for the merle gene, as it can be present, but hidden in the puppy or adult dog. Merle Pomeranians must be bred only to non-merle Pomeranians in order to produce healthy offspring.
Here is a fun chart that shows how a breeder may use the genetics of the dogs in their program to try to express certain genes, or coat colors and patterns, in the puppies they produce.
Here are the grooming tools that I use the most, from left to right: Nail trimmers, blunt edge scissors, a "Hartz Groomer's Best" deshedding slicker dog brush, with coated tips so it's gentle on your pup's skin, and a "Greyhound" brand pin brush.
This is the all-natural flea treatment that I use, as needed.
"Wondercide Flea & Tick" in peppermint scent.
Here is an example of the type of puppy pen "bedroom" setup that the puppies will be accustomed to at 8+ weeks of age. It is a safe space for them to be in when their family is out of the house, or sleeping at night, where they have access to food, water, toys, a bed, and a potty area. As the puppies age, I remove potty pads until there is only one remaining in the corner, that they are consistently using. In our home, there is always one potty pad available near the back door for them to use if they are running around the house.
