Pomeranians

It is recommended that only reputable breeders should be approached when seeking breed information or if you wish to purchase a puppy.
See the advertisements in either this month's issue, our classifieds section, or our back issues featuring your breed of choice. Alternatively contact one of the clubs listed below for breeders in your area.
Gauteng |
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Toy Dog Breeders Association |
Chairman: Mr. TL Dowson
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Jubilee Toy Dog Club of SA |
Chairman: Owen Eberhardt |
Pretoria Toy Dog Breeders Club |
Chairman: Dr. H. Rolfes |
| Egoli Nordic Spitz & Primitive Breeds Club of Gauteng | Secretary: Mrs Tracie Eberhardt |
Kwazulu Natal |
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Natal Toy Dog Club |
Chairman: Mr. AD Watts |
Western Cape & Boland |
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Victory Toy Dog Club |
Chairman: Mr. C. Aucamp |
Fact File - Pomeranians
| KUSA Group | Toy Group | |
| FCI Group | Group 5 (Spitz and Primitive types) | |
Original Function |
Descended from the Wolf-Spitz, which were used for drawing sledges and for guarding and rounding up reindeer. | |
| Modern Function | Companion | |
Appearance |
Ball of fluff, a small compact dog. Puppies go through an ‘ugly’ stage from 4 to 7 months, when they start growing their new coat. They lose their coat at least once a year, females twice a year if not spayed. | |
Weight |
1.8kg to 2.5kg |
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| Height | 20cm +/-2cm therefore 18 to 22cm at withers. |
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| Coat Colour | Orange, red, cream, shaded-sables, black, white, wolf-sable, chocolate, brown, parti-colour, black & tan, blue. | |
| Coat Texture | Double coat - the harsh outer coat which is long, and the woolly undercoat which keeps the outer coat up. | |
Grooming |
At least twice a week, when changing coats every day. | |
| Personality/Temperament | Very loyal to his/her owner, outgoing temperament, very intelligent. | |
Compatibility with other dogs |
Tends to be cheeky towards other dogs, no fear, sometimes a danger to themselves because they think they are just as big as the Rottweiler. | |
| Compatibility with cats and other animals | Playful, accept most animals. | |
Compatibility with people/children |
A lovely companion to single people, elderly people, families. Not really suitable for small children, too fragile. | |
Living Space – Indoors/Outdoors |
Indoors preferred. | |
Space and Exercise |
Does not need much space because of size. Enjoys running around, a small garden is sufficient. | |
Trainability |
Intelligent, easy to train. | |
| Suitability as Watchdog
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Very alert. | |
Noise Factor |
Some Poms are yappers, but they are trainable and need to be trained from a young age. | |
| Average Lifespan
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Can reach 15 years. | |
| Feeding | Feed high-quality dog food - follow manufacturers recommendations for age and weight. As puppies, Pomeranians tend to be fussy and need to eat high quality puppy food at least two to three times per day. Refrain from spoiling your Pom with table food, it is always very tempting but it is difficult to get them back on to dog food once he/she is spoilt. | |
Health |
Varies. They can be healthy and live to an old age of 15/16. Most common problem is probably patella luxation. It is important to do some research about the breeder’s lines before you purchase a puppy. | |
| Availability | Enquire via Clubs for reputable breeders and healthy puppies. Due to popularity of the breed, a lot of indiscriminate breeding is taking place. Be prepared to wait for well-bred puppies! | |
| Some questions to ask Breeders | Ask if possible to see both parents. Are the puppies registered with KUSA; are they de-wormed and vaccinated? Even better if the puppies has had two vaccinations. (Pomeranian puppies can be sensitive, and should not leave the breeder before 10 to 13 weeks of age, depending on each puppy. They adapt to a new home even at that age, are much stronger by then and it makes life much easier for the new owner). Do they show their dogs? If breeders show their dogs, they have to improve to be able to compete in the ring. To be able to show, the dog needs to be sound and meet the breed standard. This also contributes to healthy and sound dogs, including temperaments. |

